Why is a discussion of God’s power on a health and fitness site?
That’s a pretty simple answer: Because God is the originator of life, and therefore health.
I have been interested in spiritual health my whole life. I remember being quite young and “praying” to God while lying in my bed, by simply closing my eyes and noticing light inside my mind and feeling connected to Him in my body.
Fast forward and “life” caused me to become disconnected, as happens to just about everyone.
So I went out and sought answers from men, hoping to become connected again to God.
I discovered some who were wise. One such man was Roy Masters. He taught a meditation technique he called “Be Still and Know,” which in short was not much different than the prayer I did as a child, except that he emphasized an attention on feeling the life force in each finger of the hand in turn, while a person had their eyes closed noticing the light patterns we can see when our eyes are shut.
I used his “observation-meditation” technique for many years, and I had some profound experiences as a result. Did I become a saint? No, but I did begin to see from a new perspective.
Over the years, I have done modified versions of this exercise, as taught by others, and as made sense to me.
But there was something powerful in what he taught, and that specifically had to do with the fingers.
As I have experimented with this technique, I have proven to myself over and over that there is clearly an energy that can be felt when the tips of the fingers are touching. And noticing just one finger is even more powerful!
Michelangelo was on to something! Look again at his famous Sistine Chapel painting that accompanies this article!
The problem for me in attempting to do the meditation as instructed, is that moving attention from one set of fingers to another set caused a slight movement in my forehead area that was uncomfortable. So much so, that I have abandoned this technique many times.
But I always come back to it. Why? Because the life force that is transmitted through the touching of ONE finger at a time is something I did not feel in any other way. And it is a subtle, yet powerful connection to Life.
What to do? I had recently abandoned this meditation once again, opting for a more simple technique. But I could not “feel the Force” (Luke Skywalker reference!) to the same degree.
So this morning after awakening (I always try to pray early, before sunrise), I just kept my attention on one set of fingers for a longer period of time (i.e.: instead of several seconds, staying a little longer on each set of fingers) before moving my attention. And I found myself also tilting my head up, as if looking up to the Heavens. I prayed in this manner, and the connection was undeniable. Tears came to my eyes.
(Note: The reason Roy Masters gives for moving the attention from one set of fingers to another, is that people’s minds tend to wander at a certain point when they give attention to something)
What I see is that “religion,” in the sense most of us know it, is unnecessary, and even counter-productive. What we are seeking is a DIRECT connection to our Creator. This does not require a belief, or set of complex instructions, or the constant need to read books, etc. Books can contain WORDS of Truth, but they themselves only REFER to Truth. They are NOT the Source!
Neither do we require lectures. It is nice to hear someone else’s testimony. It can help one see God working through another person. And sometimes people can use some sound advice. But it is still second-hand. Having a DIRECT connection with your Creator is what you’re looking for if you seek Life. He is also the Source of all wisdom.
And I have found that Life is best transmitted through a small surface (the SINGLE finger connection). This principle is similar to the concentration of energy produced by a magnifying glass that can be aimed at paper, and that narrow beam causes a fire!
Now, for people who do not have hands, or otherwise find it difficult to find this connection through the fingers, I would still recommend noticing a part of you where a life force is present, such as an extremity—even a toe, while—with eyes closed—noticing the sparkles of light in your mind.
Just do the best you can with what you’ve got, even if you’re only able to close your eyes and become aware of your own thoughts, breath, and surroundings. This is far superior to not meditating at all.
And if saying words in prayer is something that you believe helps create that connection with God, then I don’t want to discourage you from doing it. Yet think about it—wouldn’t you rather have God’s life force flowing into you, instead of just talking back to Him?
Final note: If you’d like to try Roy Masters’ 7-Minute Meditation, GO HERE.
He offers it free of charge. I believe it can be of great benefit for you, with these caveats:
#1: While doing this meditation, you will likely see yourself in a more clear way than you have before, and you may not like the “you” you have become. In other words, the person who enters here should be someone who seeks a connection with their Creator.
#2: I recommend that—as mentioned in this post—you transfer attention from finger to finger AT YOUR OWN PACE.
#3: In the past, I have done another type of meditation that Roy Masters offers, which is an introductory exercise involving the raising of the right hand, which demonstrates a hand-mind connection. I DO NOT recommend doing this exercise as I believe it is wholly unnecessary and a distraction.
Just keep it simple, and watch for a CONNECTION to the Life Force. In this world of relentless and downright evil influences, we must have a way to reconnect with the Source of Life—we do!
Patrick Rooney is the Founder of OldSchoolUs.com. Its focus is natural health and independent living. Patrick is the author of GREEK PHYSIQUE: The Simple, Satisfying Way to Sculpt Your Body—Even if You’re Old, Weak, or Broken Down; and is also the creator of Greek Yoga™ and the Greek Yoga for Beginners video. He offers health and fitness coaching in-person in Middle Tennessee and worldwide via phone, Zoom, and Skype. To reach Patrick, email him at [email protected].
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Hi Patrick I have been doing Roy’s meditation since 1976 and I see clearly what you are saying. Thank you for explaining why it is so important to meditate on the fingers.
I have perfect peace. Fears, anxiety have been eliminated from my life with no effort on my part .
Love RITA
Thank you, Rita, I’m so glad to hear that, and that you have perfect peace! God bless you. Or should I say, “God has blessed you!”
Very thoughtful – simple yet so powerful.
Thank you, Nancy! I appreciate that