Many people have meditated individually, but never in groups. If you have meditated in group setting, you may have felt the power of numbers. Forming a group not only amplifies the energy of the meditation, but also creates a support network. You stay driven and motivated with the help of others.
The power of your mind is so intense, it can only be superseded by the power of many minds. When a group of people come together with positive intentions aligned, the laws of the universe listen and respond.
Are you interested in learning how to guide a group through meditation? If so, read on.
Techniques for Setting Up a Meditation Group
People: There are a number of things you want to prepare before you begin your meditation group. The first thing to keep in mind is the people in our group.
What type of group are you working with? Have they come to you on their own, or have others recommended/pushed them into the meditation? What are these people seeking?
Be sure to answer these questions and keep them in mind throughout the entire process.
Place: The place of meditation often affects the quality or outcome of the meditation. A very soothing and comfortable environment is the best choice. Even better is a specific room that is used repetitively for such kinds of healing work. In this room, the positive energy will build up and can be felt easily in the space.
Meditation is about the power of the mind and freeing the self from external conditions. Therefore, anyone passionate about meditation will be able to find a way to meditate no matter what is happening.
Sometimes an ideal location is not possible. Perhaps you are doing a meditation in a hospital, prison, or simply a noisy environment. Although it may be more challenging than a peaceful space, successful meditations can be conducted almost anywhere.
Crystals: At Satin Crystals, we understand that the energy of crystals greatly enhance meditations. Crystals vibrate at a high frequency, helping to pull you up towards those frequencies for more spiritual and deeper meditations.
Offer healing crystals for your group meditation participants to hold. This calms the tendency to fidget and also infuses the people with serene crystal energy.
You could also have natural crystals planted throughout your meditation space and calm the environment.
Some of the best crystals for meditation are Tourmaline, Rose Quartz, Moonstone, Quartz and Amethyst. Learn more about the benefits of these meditation stones.
Protection: Any time that you are entering an altered state of meditation, you need to protect your energies. Opening up your mind increases your vulnerability to both positive and negative influences. You want to keep the negative energy out and the positive energy enhanced.
Protection is absolutely essential before, during, and after a meditation. You need Protection Crystals to keep you and your group members safe. We always have Obsidian, Tourmaline and/or Black Onyx on hand when doing meditations, but there are several protection crystals to choose from.
It is ideal for each person to have his or her own protective piece while doing meditation, but as the leader of the group we recommend you place a large protective stone in the center of the space. Obsidian Spheres are a great choice because they spread protective energy equally in all directions.
We recommend the presence of Protection Crystals at all your meditations.
Ambiance: Decorate the space with inviting qualities, colors, pictures and sacred ornaments. Will you be sitting on the floor or on chairs? Will the group be facing you or forming a circle? Satin Crystals’ meditations are generally conducted in circles, as this has worked best for our groups.
What about yours? Will you have music? mood lighting? singing bowls?
Lighting: helps set the tone of the meditation. When possible, we recommend a light with a dimmer. A low light setting helps transition the mind into the altered state before the meditation.
We prefer almost complete darkness during the meditation, which allows for better creation of “Internal Light". It enhances the images seen in the minds of the meditation participants.
A dimmer or dimmed lighting also eases participants back to the physical world after the meditation.
Candles: Candles are also a popular tool to use during group meditations. Candles add to the ambiance of the room, and also provide for the dimmed lighting that is ideal to meditation sessions.
Another benefit of candles is that the flickering of the flame can be used to induce the altered state. As the participants gaze into the flickering flame, it acts as a hypnotic pendulum. Be sure to proceed with care.
Devices: There may be certain tools that you will be using during your group meditation. If you want to play music during the meditation, be sure to have your player set up. Other things like fans or heaters should be readily available to create a comfortable setting.
At Satin Crystals we recorded the meditations, hence had the recorder ready at hand. We would also use singing bowls at some sessions, so we had those ready to play.
Meditation Techniques for Guiding a Group (The 6 P's)
1. Pick a Theme. It is easier to keep a meditation in focus when you have a theme. This also makes it easier for participants to follow along. The benefit of having crystals in your meditation is that it allows you and your group to focus on a theme. Use the specific metaphysical healing benefits of the crystal you are using to be the theme of that session.
For example, this month you may be using Angelite and your guided meditations can be centered around communicating with guardian angels. Next month might be Aventurine, at which time the themes would be centered around abundance and the Law of Attraction.
Here is a beginners list of stones and associated meditation themes:
2. Positive Language. Keeping everything focused on a positive language and energy is CRUCIAL to any good meditation. No matter what the subject matter, speak positively. Meditation is all about uplifting the self and others. If you are going through a difficult time, use meditation to revive yourself and the group.
3. Practice Flow. You are the guide and the participants will hear everything you say. Don't overthink it. Allow your meditation to flow through you.
Open your mind as you speak. If there is a lot of struggling and second guessing, you know you need more practice in surrendering your will and your words to the universe. Let the universe speak through you.
When it is easy, it is natural. This may take several attempts before perfected. That's okay.
4. Power of Words. Beware the power of your words. When you are leading a group meditation, they will follow. Lead the people to the light. Never venture off the track into dark corners.
5. Pictures. Imagery is an easy way to engage the minds of your meditation participants. As the leader, it is up to you to use descriptive words and take your group on a journey. Create pictures with your words to help them visualize your path.
Also leave time for silence in the middle of meditations. This way each person can journey on his/her own for short times before joining back with the group's journey.
6. Patience. Each one of us is on a unique spiritual pathway. Be patient with yourself and with others. One person may enter the meditative state instantly, another may need several lifetimes worth of practice. Let each of your participants go at their own pace and never push them to "catch up".
How to Lead a Group Meditation
Now that your stage is set, you are ready for your group meditation! Once the group is assembled, it is highly recommended that you do introductions to break the ice and relax any awkward first-time jitters. You will always introduce yourself first, or have someone else introduce you before going around the group.
In Satin Crystals' meditation groups, we allow each member of the circle to do a short introduction. This creates familiarity and community. This may work in smaller groups and may not be possible in larger groups. It also depends on the time constraints, if any.
After introductions, it is also important to remind your group of the intention of the meditation. Keep your theme alive and in mind throughout the session.
We are now going to offer you a formula that will work for many meditations. Outlined below are some techniques for a basic General Relaxation meditation.
Be sure that participants are relaxed as possible physically.
Focus. The first step to entering the meditative state is to focus on something rhythmic and tranquil. The easiest choice is the breath - as it is readily available no matter where you are!
Focus on the breathing. This engages the mind in something different, allowing it to put aside other worldly thoughts.
Other points of focus could be flickering candle lights, the swing of a pendulum or the ticking of a clock.
Subdue the mind. Now that the mind is focused, give further suggestions to your meditation group that help them release thoughts.
Suggest that they are feeling more relaxed. Use visualization to pull them away from their own thoughts. Instead, have them imagine themselves in a comfortable place, like a beach or the woods or floating on a cloud.
Know that thoughts may always be slipping in and out of each person’s mind during the meditation, including yourself. That is perfectly normal and acceptable.
The key is to release the importance of the thoughts. Instead of focusing on them, let them pass by and let them go as soon as they enter.
Ascend the Body. As the mind relaxes, be sure to help your group relax physically.
Suggest that the tension from their body is transforming to peace and health. Let them know that their vibrations are increasing, and that they are no longer restricted by the physical shell.
You can lead your group to physical relaxation with general suggestions, or go through parts of the body, one by one, focusing and then relaxing it until the entire body is light. Most people will have a sense of disconnection from the body at this point, allowing them to focus on the meditation and go deeper into the altered state.
Ascending the Mind. As Earthly thoughts are minimized and the body is relaxed, lead your group towards spiritual thoughts.
Have them visualize the energies around them, in colors, sensations and images. Engage the mind in more spiritual matters - this could include looking within or looking around, creating, manifesting etc.
The Depth of the Meditation
Now that your group has entered the altered state of mind, you are ready to embark on your journey. A key part of meditation is keeping your members protected. Because these journeys include opening up and engaging in out of body activity, you must make sure that participants are travelling in the light.
An easy and effective way to keep members protected is by having them imagine a ball of white light surrounding their body, and then forming a hard shield around them. Let them know that only positive forces and energies can enter into the shield, and dark forces and negative energies cannot penetrate the field. Also, be sure that every journey you lead your group into is a journey toward the lights. Never ever call forth dark forces or interact with beings who are not purely of the light.
The body of your meditation will thrive on your own creative intuition. Be sure that the meditation focuses around your theme. Let the universal energy within you help create positive images and suggestions. Allow the session to flow through you.
When your group reaches a high state of mind, you may even learn to channel messages. Most people cannot channel naturally, but can learn this art through practice.
You will know when you are channeling, because the words will flow out of you, often as riddles, and you may feel the presence of Higher Beings. These Higher Beings are speaking through you to bring messages to yourself and to the group.
Once again, be careful with channeling - allow only the positive Light Beings to speak through you.
Silence is power. It is a good idea to have some time of silence during the guided meditation. This will allow each person to have their own meditation experiences, and for their own minds to guide them. Silence time also allows people to go much deeper into the meditative state.
Closing the Meditation
When you are ready to begin closing the meditation, you should start bringing people down from the high vibrational realm that they are now floating in. There are many way to do this.
A simple technique we use at Satin Crystals is to have members visualize themselves literally floating back down towards the Earth, making their way back to the physical body.
Be creative.
Ground the body and mind. After being in a trance state, it is important that a lot of grounding work be done during the close of the meditation.
Here are a few techniques to ground the participants back to Earth:
Remind members that they will be coming back, recapping the positive experiences and letting them know that the experiences will stay with them even upon return to “reality”.
Have them visualize themselves once again on the Earth, surrounded by their daily lives.
Before emerging, suggest to participants that they can once again feel the blood flowing through their body.
Have them imagine that their astral body, which has been travelling, is now reintegrating with the physical body.
Your group is ready to emerge.
Have them open their eyes slowly. Most people will still be in a daze. Give a few moments to transition.
Have grounding stones such as Moqui Balls, Agate or Jasper easily accessible for extra grounding.
Switch lights on dim.
After a minute or two, take charge and engage the group once again.
If time permits, allow the members of your group to discuss their experiences.
The above formula can be used for any type of meditation.Be creative, experiment, and see what works for you and your community!
For additional Crystal Meditation resources, visit the following pages: