Skeleton Meditation

Well it’s halloween, and it seemed appropriate to bring up the skeleton meditation. The skeleton meditation is done in Tibetan Buddhism and in other traditions of Buddhism as a form of embracing death and impermanence.

This meditation is profound for cultivating a deep sense of groundedness and vitality, as well as equanimity within the self. Since my mind loves anatomy, and it is a focus meditation, it has helped my mind chatter let go through the images. It is also great way of aligning with your soul body to manifest in the 3rd dimension.

One must be careful in this meditation to visualize with precision. I don’t recommend it for everyone with any manic depressive, bipolar related issues or recent trauma unless they have excellent support, for the Kundalini energy does rise and issues do come forth from the tissue.

If you don’t know the human skeleton, get a few images together and review.

I got these from Wikipedia:

I also like this website where you can rotate the image to see front and back.
http://www.3dtoad.com/human_skeleton_skeleton.php

To do the meditation:

Get a time. Set it for 15 – 30 minutes. Come to sitting or standing upright. Start with regular breathing, in and out. Progress to Ujjayi breath or a regular rhythmic breath throughout the meditation.

Bring to mind your body. Imagine all the flesh of your body disintegrating. Give it up to all beings, that the flesh of your body may be used in benefit for all.

Embrace the image of your skeleton by:
Starting at the left big toe. Imagine each toe on the left. Do the right. As each structure comes to mind, fill each with the whitest purest light.

Continue your way up the kinetic chain, left to right. Refer to your picture or skeleton model as needed. Continuing to flood each bone with white light.

You may notice that some places of the body are hard to imagine or feel inaccessible. When doing this meditation of focus, it is important to cultivate equanimity. There is nothing wrong with being unable to sense, see or feel a part, it is just where you are being is. Use the external prop to help and just let that feeling be, and move on.

When you get to the skull, keep the image of the whole skeleton in white light.

Let go of your skeleton. Imagine the whole of your skeleton becoming white light until everything dissolves. And there is nothing but white space.

Let go of your breath.

Take it easy when the timer goes off, by bringing your awareness to your breath and breathing in and out.

Let me know how you do.

Here are another sources about this meditation that I found interesting.
http://www.meditationexpert.com/ebok/Special%20Report%20Skeleton.pdf