Meditating with a Purpose

Meditation is a process that helps you get in a position to receive messages or direct thoughts and energy for a specific purpose. Meditation can direct thought energy in, or thought energy out.  Which direction the energy flows is based on the intention of your thoughts and focus for the meditation. 

Intention
The purpose of your meditation is what sets the mind into either the sending mode or the receiving mode. Setting up a goal prior to meditating will help you clarify the direction of where this energy will head and how it will flow. 
For example, let's say that you want to receive guidance.  Receiving guidance is an inward type of message, so the energy and messages will flow into your mind. 

Here is an example of a "receiving guidance" type of meditation.

1. Before you come to your meditation, think of a question you desire an answer to. Write down your single question. Writing down your question helps clarify your thoughts. 
   
2. Begin your meditation in your usual manner (see basic meditation if you need some place to start).
   
3. When you reach the point in your meditation when you have completed all of the steps in your meditation process, or you feel that complete relaxation or expansion, in your mind, silently ask your question.
   
4. Allow the freedom of your thoughts to flow freely and follow the thoughts, wherever they take you.
   
5. Stay in the meditation until you feel you have an answer or you feel you need to conclude the meditation.
   
6. if you did not feel you received an answer, repeat the process at your next meditation session.
   

Part of the process to receive messages is to train your mind, body, and soul, to get into a mode of receiving input and also training yourself to work with your "monkey mind" and allow it to play out. 
By repeating the meditation process of asking a specific and direct question and then waiting to receive the answer, you are placing yourself in a position to receive input. By following any thought that comes into your mind, you are training yourself to receive thoughts without prejudice.

Here is an example of a "directed energy" type of meditation.

1. Before you come to your meditation, think of what purpose and where you want your thought energy to be used in your meditation and what outcome do you desire to achieve. For example, perhaps you want to reduce your shoulder pain so that you can raise your arm more than you could yesterday.
   
2. Begin your meditation in your usual manner (see basic meditation if you need some place to start).
   
3. When you reach the point in your meditation when you have completed all of the steps in your meditation process, start focusing your thoughts on your meditation purpose (such as reduce your shoulder pain).  
4. Envision the energy taking hold and connecting to that meditation purpose.
   
5. See and feel energy solving the the problem you identified. (For example, see healing energy coming up from the earth, through your body, and being easily moving to your shoulder you want healed. See and feel the energy flowing freely in your shoulder. Feel your shoulder transform. See and feel how well your shoulder moves, how the blood flow is exactly right, the mobility is perfect, and you are pain free. See and envision you raising your arm more than you did yesterday. Feel the joy of having no pain.)
6. See how all those energies from outside and inside your body are all working together and in harmony to get your shoulder healed. 
7. When you feel ready, conclude the meditation. 

Part of the process to receive or direct energy in a meditation is based on intention.  The purpose of the meditation will begin to direct thought energy towards the desired outcome you want.

Conclusion
An inward focused meditation allows you to be on the receiver side of messages and guidance. An outward and directed meditation allows you to guide and focus energy towards a specific purpose and desired outcome. Having a purpose to your meditation will help you be more successful in developing your meditation abilities. 

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