Going to the Well

In folk-culture it was traditional to make a wish while throwing coins into a wishing well. It was thought that gods or spirits lived in the wells and they could make a wish come true. Perhaps this tradition was an enactment of a deeper truth. If we think of water as a metaphor for mind or consciousness, the well symbolizes our connection to source consciousness. If we go into that dark place, we connect with a deeper level of mind that is unknown to us, but that sustains us.

Making a commitment to meditation, like throwing in our coins, lets us tap into a consciousness that is beyond our ability to contain it. Our individual minds are like a bucket of water. The universal mind is like the aquifer that is hidden from our view, but that feeds our well and our neighbor’s well.

Meditation is like drawing water from a well. The consciousness down there is untreated and unfiltered. It hasn’t been diverted into pipes or bottles. It is not muddied or blown by the wind. Rather, it is ancient and pure. When we practice quieting our mind, we open the possibility of accessing a deeper knowing. We may discover whether our wishes are worthy of the sacrifice they may require. We may also find that going within, we activate powers that bring our wishes into being. Like tossing a coin into the depths, we must be willing to let go. Release of grasping may be the first step toward wish fulfillment.

Close your eyes and lower your bucket into the well. Let your mind be quiet and dark. Without hurrying, settle your mind in the deep waters. Connect with the source consciousness. Away from surface turbulence, rest in the cool quiet of a peaceful mind. Without expectations, abide calmly and allow yourself to be filled with the essence of primordial mind.

When you rise up again, back into the light of everyday mind, remember that you have been to the well and you know where to go to drink from the source.

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