Wefan Wyrd You Go For Mental Health
It is hard to surf the Internet or pick up a magazine without finding advice by everyone and his brother (and sister too) about how to meditate and the benefits it will bring. A bit more rare is an article like this here that espouses a tool that is not a mental one. Here we emphasize the benefits to our aging and burgeoning Baby Boomer population as a way to preserve mental alertness.
The Wefan Wyrd Labyrinth comes from prehistoric northern Europe around the Baltic Sea and means “the weaving of fate.” Here it is presented as a finger labyrinth. This link http://awenman.com/wefanwyrd.pdf is to a free PDF file that gives detailed instructions on using the Wefan Wyrd as well as a full page labyrinth to print out and use. The Wefan Wyrd is included here because of the personal connection that it is a style of labyrinth that is local to the area where I was born. The information is gleaned from my book Accessing Awen and the link to download the Wefan Wyrd is also on my http://awenman,com/awen.htm page dedicated to the book.
Walking meditations in a labyrinth span all civilizations and time. Labyrinths are found from prerecorded historical times, to the elaborate classic one at Chartres Cathedral. Much, much more happens automatically with a walking labyrinth, but a finger labyrinth is capable of generating the same effects as its big brother, it just takes more work on your part.
A summary of classic general benefits as listed on my personal web site as an author are: Relieve stress … Comfort in mourning … Deepens spirituality … Improve relationships … Connection to ones soul … Access to intuition … Enhanced creativity … Satisfies inner need for simplicity … Mind and body integration … Greater sense of community … Accelerated healing … A path of, and to, prayer … Achieving wholeness … Engages body and soul in prayer … Reflective time in a busy schedule … Mirrors your inner self … Concentrates attention … Sparks imagination … Cathartic emotional release … Concrete expression of spirituality … Deepened meditation … Quiet sanctum away from life … Enhanced awareness … Right and left brain balancing … Enhanced lateral thinking … Ease life transitions … Facilitate reconciliations ,,, Builds sense of relationship … A sacred place to be
I recently came across some research that shows that regular meditation over time actually thickens the brain’s prefrontal cortex and right anterior insula, areas that normally thin with age. These areas are associated with attention, decision making, memory as well as sensory processing. This is physical evidence that aging problems can be ameliorated! And of course I recommend the Wefan Wyrd as a meditation tool.
Classic Kundalini Yoga teaches the Kirtan Kriya meditation technique that literally translates as “song movements.” It is in essence a rhythmic chanting accompanied by a set of rhythmic motions and is of interest because western medical research on the Kirtan Kriya has shown the combination practice will improve the memory function in seniors. You can Google Kirtan Kriya if you want to find out more about its Eastern mysticism and origins but I am suggesting here that just chanting the traditional classic ‘OM” mantra while finger walking the Wefan Wyrd will produce the same positive results. An interesting thought is that now that rhythmic body repetition has been found to be brain beneficial when coupled with some rhythmic vocalizations, could this be the unconscious source of davening (rocking) in Jewish prayers and the rocking sometimes seen in videos of young mid-eastern students learning holy texts?
THE WEFAN WYRD TECHNIQUE
What has been known for some time is that low self-esteem is one of the greatest obstacles to success. So raising self-esteem would seem to be a worthwhile activity.
A simple exercise to show the strong effects of suggestion is a classic test where someone is asked to put out an arm in front of them and repeat “I am strong and worthy” a number of times out loud. If someone now tries to push down that arm they will encounter a lot of resistance. Conversely if the person now repeats “I am weak and worthless” instead it will be easy to push down the arm. This is a simple experiment so find friend to try it with and see the results yourself.
This simple test and the recent findings about Kirtan Kriya suggest a constructive way to raise self-esteem and hence improve your life. Chant “I am strong and worthy” as an affirmation mantra while finger walking the Wefan Wyrd. Do this repeatedly for 21 days as this has been found to be the timeframe to pick up a new habit – and hopefully here a new mindset. You have only your low self-esteem to lose!
To generalize: it should be possible to adjust other personal aspects by chanting the appropriate affirmation out loud while doing the repetitive action of finger walking the Wefan Wyrd as outlined here in the Wefan Wyrd Technique.
FOR THE TACTILE AMONG YOU
If you find a finger labyrinth is a good fit for you then you might want to explore the pleasures of a labyrinth board that has grooves cut into it for your fingers to follow. From an excellent web site: “Irma Haggith is a Labyrinth Emissary and coach. Her mission is to bring portable Labyrinth left and right handed finger walking boards to schools, hospitals, retirement homes, corporate executives, and the public in general.” You can visit her site at http://amazeyourmindlabyrinths.com and purchase direct from her company Amaze Your Mind Labyrinth Solutions. You can also read more about her on the SelfGrowth.com site at http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/irma_haggith.html as she has an interesting background and history.
A CREATIVE PLAN
Consulting your unconscious mind, what I call Awen in my books, is a time tried and proven way to reach correct and constructive decisions. On waking is a time for many, including myself, to come up with great ideas but your creative subconscious mind can be accessed anytime. Finger walk the Wefan Wyrd making use of the OM mantra as outlined above to put your mind in a quiet place, and for the extended brain growing benefits. Then go to the Ravens RuneCaster section at the bottom of my AwenMan home page at http://awenman.com to consult the oracle on how to proceed or just for a reading on where you are now. Walk the Wefan Wyrd again to consolidate and clarify your thinking but this time do it quietly so that you have the opportunity for lucubration. Enjoy a soothing cup of healthy tea with lemon while you cogitate and contemplate what is to come next. If you now settle on doing something then download a Project SMART worksheet available in the right column here to help bring your project to fruition.
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