[in4wikiu]

I've felt a strong urge for some sort of initiation or journey. I have been seeking greater meaning in my life and I wish to act this search out in some sort of way so as to gain insight on life- something like a vision quest or a pilgrimage. The problem is I have time for neither- I am still in school so I cannot go into the wilderness for 2-3 days.

I have come up with a few ideas on how to enact a similar journey without interrupting my home/school/work life. The first is to have a similar vision quest in my room at my home. Is that possible? I have heard that it is best done in nature, but can a vision quest be done within one's house?

The other (somewhat more interesting) answer I came up with is what I am calling a pilgrimage to the park. Basically, I'm going to do the rituals of the Muslim pilgrimage to Mecca, only at the park about a mile from my home and within the context of my own spirituality. My rationale for this is that everywhere in the world is holy so therefore, a pilgrimage to the park can be insightful as one to a far away city. I'd come home everyday after acting out a bit of the Hajj (muslim pilgrimage) and return to a modified version of my daily life (no TV/no internet/no radio/try to be more spiritual). My only problem with this plan is that 1. my concern that returning to my daily life will distract me from what I am trying to accomplish 2. as I am not affiliated with a religion right now, my beliefs are not very well defined. I sense there is a divine but I do not if it is monotheistic, pantheistic, polytheistic, etc. Who am I going to pray to?

If I do that second idea, I am going to need:
* A cleansing ritual, to substitute for the ritual one muslims do upon arrival in Mecca. It needs to be something where when I am done, I feel completely pure.
* A way of praying when I am not sure what is out there

My third idea is just to wander where my gut tells me to go until I learn something about life. Simple but easy to do and possibly insightful.

I'd appreciate any help on this. Thank you.

[BrifsGefel]

Hi Frog,

Just a short comment. One can meditate (vision quest or spiritual journey) anywhere. It is simply a matter of mind/body control. I have found that being out in Nature is best for me, especially in an area where I have never been before.

It is my opinion that one need not follow any dogma in this regard nor is there any universal 'best' way to meditate. I suggest doing whatever is 'best' for you. Afterall, it is 'you' who is looking into 'your' inner essence.

Peace & Love!

[EzequielTMann]

My good friend Frog,

What I do is I convert my daily life into a spiritual ritual: bathing would be like babtism, cleaning my teeth represents the cleaning of my inner life, eating is a special sacrament (communion..), in my work I practice selflessness (I am a law enforcement officer), my home is my hermitage (the Moriviví)... Everything in my daily life is my spiritual practice. Some of my best spiritual insights have happened in the silence of my bedroom.

Take advantage of your daily life.

Hermano Luis
Moriviví Hermitage

[mrllxp]

Sometimes I get that restless feeling too. I usually make some small change, like rearranging a cupboard, or something. It creates that feeling of change and soothes the spirit, without having to go some place I can't or to spend time on something I don't have time for. That restless feeling can be soothed easily with some creativity.

Then you also need to remind yourself that an initiation is not necessary to be a spiritual person. But if you feel you need one, you could easily design one to use in your home.

One that I did, before I knew it was unnecessary, is:

sit silently in a room on the floor, think about what God/dess means to you, and then light a simple white candle. Say something to the effect of "I dedicate all that I am, all that I will be, and all that I do to the God/dess from this day forward." You've just initiated yourself on a new spiritual path. It is easy to do and can be renewed anytime you need to.

[drugimpotence]

Trip 5!
= The POEE Baptismal Rite =
This Mysteree Rite is not required for initiation, but it is offered by many POEE Priests to proselytes who desire a formal ceremony.
1) The Priests and four Brothers are arranged in a pentagon with the Initiate in the center facing the Priests. If possible, the Brothers on the immediate right and left of the Priest should be Deacons. The Initiate must be totally naked, to demonstrate that he is truly a human being and not something else in disguise like a cabbage or something.

2) All persons in the audience and the pentagon, excepting the Priest, assume a squatting position and return to a standing position. This is repeated four more times. This dance is symbolic of the humility of we Erisians.

3) The Priest begins: I, (complete Holy Name, with Mystical Titles, and degrees, designations, offices, etc.), Ordained Priest of the Paratheo-anametamystikhood of Eris Esoteric, with the Authority invested at me by the High Priest of It, Office of the Polyfather, The House of the Rising Podge, POEE Head Temple; Do herewith Require of Ye:


ARE YE A HUMAN BEING AND NOT A CABBAGE OR SOMETHING?
The Initiate answers YES.
THAT'S TOO BAD. DO YE WISH TO BETTER THYSELF?
The Initiate answers YES.
HOW STUPID. ARE YE WILLING TO BECOME PHILOSOPHICALLY ILLUMINIZED?
He answers YES.
VERY FUNNY. WILL YE DEDICATE YESELF TO THE HOLEY ERISIAN MOVEMENT?
The Initiate answers PROBABLY.
THEN SWEAR YE THE FOLLOWING AFTER ME:
(The Priest here leads the Initiate in a recital of THE ERISIAN AFFIRMATION.)
The Priest continues: THEN I DO HERE PROCLAIM YE POEE DISCIPLE (name), LEGIONNAIRE OF THE LEGION OF DYNAMIC DISCORD. HAIL ERIS! HAIL HAIL! HAIL YES!
4) All present rejoice grandly. The new Brother opens a large jug of wine and offers it to all who are present.
5) The Ceremony generally degenerates.

DO NOT PULL ON YELLOW TIP





What?

It is my opinion that one need not follow any dogma in this regard nor is there any universal 'best' way to meditate. I suggest doing whatever is 'best' for you. Afterall, it is 'you' who is looking into 'your' inner essence.
Peace & Love!

It's about having the experiences you need, and making them happen. However you do that is the right way. (Did the initation rite up there make you giggle? It should have.... )

As far as specific help, I'd say just start digging. There are great resources online, and a whole lot of great folks right here. There are as many ways to do something as there are people doing it. And if you can't find something, it's o.k. to make something up. It just has to allow you to have the experiences you need.

[T5qYkHWQ]

Well, it made me giggle!

Peace & Love!

[kaysions]

Thanks for the giggles, greyface.

[Drugmachine]

I am in a bit of a yearning for more myself at the moment, I seem to be on a search for a mentor/teacher someone connected to a traditional past or something....so in this searching, I generally go with your third suggestion and play things totally by intuition and what my brain 'suggests' I should do....the second suggestion is interesting in that you seem to feel the need to solidify a belief in your life, a la rigid rituals that would be reminding you, or giving power to, the beliefs in which you feel comfortable in, making them solid so you can 'move up a spiritual level' so to speak.

When I feel I need to revre something, I would generally go anywhere there are trees or any sort of wildlife, spiders in the grass, ants on the sidewalk, birds or squirrels, even humans themselves; and admire the way they work together and the way its all so coordinated in the ideal situations.