Daily Practice

What is the experience of your Daily Practice in your mind/body?

Normally, when I feel that my daily practice is most successful, the experience that I feel is one of centeredness. When I actually can concentrate without getting too side tracked down the thought stream, there is a feeling that what I am doing is right. There is a certain amount of focus and this feeling of intuition. There is a quietness of the mind.

How do you reach the mind/body state of your DP?

Each time I do my reading for my daily practice, I have a mental step process that I go through. This process is tied to the art of tarot reading. It involves calling on/concentrating on the four directions and elements. This would be earth (north), east (air), south (fire) and west (water). Each time I concentrate on making a circle around myself by calling on the four points, and I mentally think about the four points three times each before I start my reading. This is where I mentally focus.

Where do you practice - what is your environment?

I either do the readings on my bed, or on the couch in my apartment.

How do you bring yourself back to the present?

At the end, I have to release the circle. I mentally concentrate going in reverse over the four directions.

When you engage one sense, what are your other sense doing or not doing?

Normally I close my eyes when I concentrate on casting the circle. I actually try to concentrate on focusing, instead of paying attention to my sense of hearing or sight. However, the tarot cards have a certain scent to them that reminds me of incense and that generally helps me concentrate. Also, the shuffling of the cards is very important to the reading.

What formal/physical qualities (texture, color, light, rhythm, pitch, etc...) do you assoociate with the experience of your DP?

Light. The colour purple. Energy. A slightly warm feeling.