CHIOS MEDITATION TECHNIQUE

   The meditation technique you will learn is Chios Meditation, which employs a certain symbol, as well as instruction in the correct way to meditate using this symbol. The symbol used is called the Round Orange-Red Ball, and the correct manner of meditating on this symbol is referred to as Visualization.

The Round Orange-Red Ball:

   The symbol used in Chios Meditation is the Round Orange-Red Ball. The round orange-red ball is not to be thought of as any particular object (in the external world), but an idealized object; that is, a single object in the awareness that is of this particular shape and color. It is an object with the shape of roundness, as one would sense the round surface shape of a ball, and the color of orange-redness, which is halfway between orange and red on the visual spectrum, combined into one single whole object of this sensed shape and color. It is not entirely solid, and is without the solidity of a completely solid object, and yet it is not hollow nor is the surface transparent either. Its round ball shape, and its orange-red color, are the focus of awareness.

   The round orange-red ball is not a symbol that has been chosen at random. It is a powerful, effective and complete meditation symbol that will serve for a lifetime of practice. This particular symbol has, inherent within it, the ability to place the meditator in conscious touch with the field of pure awareness, and in such a way as to release powerful abilities. It is an inner discovery and learning, a journey inward. It is an unbiased symbol, as well, and bears no connection to any particular religious or spiritual tradition or belief system. It is a powerful and versatile symbol that has, in addition, some advanced uses that you may encounter later, after learning the basic meditation technique.

The Round Orange-Red Ball

  You may wish to have some idea of the origin of this symbol. It is an ancient symbol—very old—which has been part of secret spiritual traditions and is only now (with Chios) being made generally known. Part of its origin lies in a deep spiritual awareness of nature and the source of life. The round orange-red ball is a symbol that corresponds to our sun, not merely the physical sun but the spiritual sun. This spiritual sun represents the life force and all that is contained in it, in an active and intelligent form—the force that has been instrumental in bringing life to the earth and that surrounds and supports all life on our world, including all of us. The round orange-red ball corresponds to this higher spiritual reality that makes life on our planet possible. And yet, beyond this is a more universal correspondence: it is also the “sun behind the sun,” the central spiritual sun that is the origin of life and intelligence in the universe. It’s important to understand that this spiritual source of life also lies within each of us, and in humanity as a whole. The round orange-red ball speaks to a racial memory, a deep racial and historic understanding of the spiritual source of all life, but also to the ultimate spiritual source of life inside ourselves. It is part of humanity’s evolution, and is a rich and powerful meditation symbol for many reasons. Important: do not let your knowledge of the origin of this symbol interfere with your practice of it, however. This information is given to enrich your appreciation of this meditation method. The symbol itself is all you need to practice this meditation powerfully and correctly. You do not need any mental understanding of it, and to place any emphasis on the meaning will actually detract from the meditative state. When meditating on the symbol, do not ascribe any meaning to it; simply let the symbol itself occupy your awareness.

Correct Practice of Visualization:

The round orange-red ball symbol, by itself, is not sufficient to engage in effective and pure meditation practice. It is also necessary to meditate upon this symbol in the proper manner. This form of correct practice of Chios Meditation—the proper manner in which the symbol of the round orange-red ball is held in your awareness—is termed visualization.

  In Chios Meditation, you practice visualization by becoming one with the round orange-red ball. You do not merely “think about” it or “pretend to see” it. You visualize, sense and become it. Merely “thinking about” or “pretending to see” the round orange-red ball only creates a surface-level mental state that does not quiet your thinking mind and allow for stabilization and descent of your awareness to deeper levels. It merely provides an additional surface phenomenon (like thought or perception) to the operation of your mind. And so, proper practice of visualization consists of establishing a unity, an identity with the round orange-red ball, and sensing it with your whole being, not just the mind or senses. You are not just “thinking about” the round orange-red ball, you are not just “pretending to see” the round orange-red ball, you are the round orange-red ball. The round orange-red ball is not an object separate and apart from yourself, it is you.

  Becoming one with the round orange-red ball is necessary so that your meditation does not involve sensory perception or thought. Meditation is not a mental phenomenon, nor any phenomenon akin to sensory perception, it is pure awareness only. You must become one with the round orange-red ball, so that the subject/object distinction disappears. If you “think about” it or “pretend to see” it you create an intrinsic subject/object distinction, which is the modus operandi of the thinking mind as it operates in the ordinary surface level of reality. Becoming the round orange-red ball, instead, is the form of practice which serves to allow the thinking mind to wind down and provide the resulting expansion of awareness that is desirable.

  And so visualization, as used in this meditation method, is not the same as pretending to see a visual image, as with the physical eyes. It is necessary to let go of the idea of “seeing” as something that is only done with the physical eyes. This is a great step forward. Visualization is done with the mind’s eye. Visualizing—seeing with the mind’s eye—is a more fundamental process than physical vision. When you are truly visualizing, you are sensing with your entire consciousness, not merely with the thinking mind or the physical sense of vision. When you visualize the round orange-red ball, you have a knowledge of it which is not dependent on the visual sense. This is learning to visualize in an altogether new manner. You will acquire a feeling for what this means after a little practice.

  And so, if you find yourself “pretending to see” the round orange-red ball, you must release the visual part of your experience. Meditation is usually practiced with eyes closed, yet you could have your eyes open seeing the objects around you and still be visualizing the round orange-red ball. Some also think of this as “putting the symbol in the mind’s eye,” or “third eye,” as visualization is practiced with the aid of the 6th (third eye) chakra. If you find yourself “thinking about” the round orange-red ball, you must likewise release yourself from your thinking mind as it attempts to grasp it merely through the thinking process. It is not necessary to “think about” the orange-red ball to sense it with the consciousness—all that is required is that you become the orange-red ball, with your entire awareness. This is a very simple thing.