Introduction The Flame Meditation is a meditation in the Shan Theosophical Meditation System that utilises the energies of eight flames to cleanse, purify and balance the inner and outer bodies, enabling us to better understand, open up to and co-operate with Spirit, and spread the light. It is the daily 'spiritual shower'.
To help those new to meditation, Ananda guided a version of the Flame Meditation for beginners. She explained the reason for this version in the following quote:
'... the Flame Meditation is the first step in a meditation system , and when you are getting the eight flames one by one into you, you cleanse the aura, align the aura, and harmonise the aura with soul and Spirit. But this meditation is too strong for people who are new beginners at meditation - people who are not used to linking up to soul and Spirit. Instead we are going to do it in a new version where we are invoking the Heart of Christ instead of soul and Spirit and, from the Heart of Christ, we shall see the flames descending one by one.'1 Editor's note: You can replace 'Heart of Christ' with the 'Heart of the Universe', or with the heart of any Master you would like to ask to send you the flames.
This version of the Flame Meditation for Beginners is guided by Pauli T. Pallesen. To listen, click on the white arrow in the sound bar.
Meditation Transcript Below is the transcript of the Flame Meditation for Beginners given by Ananda Tara Shan in 1989. You are welcome to guide yourself through it. Meditation 'Sit with straight back, close your eyes and breathe consciously in and out through nostrils.
And you breathe in the golden light of Lord Kuthumi*and the second ray of Love/Wisdom, and you relax body and mind.
Just relax and forget all your worries and all your daily problems, and sink deeply into the Heart of the Lord Kuthumi.
In and out you breathe, you go deeply within, deep within.
You now visualise a heart above your head and this heart is the Heart of Christ, the Heart of Maitreya**.
[Mentally say the following sentences with an interval of approximately 1 minute.]
Heart of Christ send down unto me the white flame. (The white flame cleanses and purifies our aura.) Heart of Christ send unto me the ruby red flame of redemption. Heart of Christ send down unto me the orange flame of vitality and health. Heart of Christ send unto me the yellow flame of illumination. Heart of Christ send unto me the green flame of harmony and balance. Heart of Christ send unto me the blue flame of mental purity. Heart of Christ send down unto me the violet flame of transmutation and transformation. From the Heart of Christ, now see the pink flame descend into you. It is the Love. It is the quality that the Lord Maitreya possesses before everyone else, Divine Love.
You breathe in the Love of Maitreya and you breathe out all impurities of personality.' At the end of the meditation, see the Light of the Heart of Christ envelop the Earth.
* Lord Kuthumi: The Lord Kuthumi is part of the Christ triangle, with the Lord Maitreya and the Lord Jesus. When the Lord Maitreya becomes the Buddha in 500 years, the Lord Kuthumi will take over the Christ Office. **Maitreya: The World Teacher, who represents the Love of God. He is known in the West as the Christ and in the East as Krishna and Maitreya Buddha.
Reference 1. Ananda Tara Shan, Meditation using Flames from the Heart of Christ, The Theosophical Fellowship, 19 July 1989
Music - used with the kind permission of the artist - Music behind the meditation by Benjamin de Murashkin