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Meditation
Secret Power Places: A Mystical Rebirth
by Mila Kandibur
The crunch of the sand under my feet resonated like a mantra inside my head. The sound was occasionally joined by a buzzing bee as it tried to suck scarce juice from a desert flower. The silence around me was ringing as I briskly walked down the gorge. The California winter sun was still up, warming the hills and the crystal clear air, shining off the rocks and then disappearing into sharp shadows. A feeling of deep nostalgia filled my heart. I have been coming to this power place for over 20 years. I remember being introduced to this desert by my teacher in the early eighties. I have had countless magical experiences among these majestic hills. Since then, I have returned many times, sometimes with my students, sometimes alone. Shifting my thoughts away from memories, I inhaled the sweet desert air. I had been looking forward to this trip for several months. I didn’t want to miss the smallest sensation, sound or revelation. This is my place of dreaming and regeneration, a mystical passage of transformation.
I’ve learned respect for the desert from my teacher, who used to explain that a place of power is a vortex of energy, a doorway into another world. If you’ve done your preparation by cleaning up your life, meditating and practicing mental yoga, a power place may not only show you the way, but transport you to high spiritual dimensions where mystical transformation takes place. You can also come to a power place seeking your inner purpose. Special desert locations hold many gifts to share with those who are ready to receive them. A trip to a place of power is a lot like reincarnation, except that you do not physically die. When you allow your ego and identity to dissolve into the light, the one who comes back from the desert is a new and improved model, with an upgraded chip and a more evolved operating system.
Spotting a small area that felt especially light and welcoming, I cleared the space and sat down. The glowing outline of the distant hills basking in the deep colors of the setting sun took my breath away. I felt at peace. I remembered love. I reflected on my life prior to meeting my teacher. The old emotions and feelings felt so dead compared to the aliveness and love that I felt at this light-filled and isolated place. How is it that we get so confused into thinking that we are truly living? How do we get so disconnected from ourselves? I allowed those thoughts to be taken by the wind that came suddenly and washed through my body like an electrical current. Surrendering to the wind, I straightened my back, closed my eyes and began practicing the diamond mind meditation technique to create a state of awareness and presence within. After a short time, my mind fell silent and became flooded with light.
Not sure how much time had passed, I opened my eyes. At first I thought that it was daylight, as everything around me was sparkling and bright. But then I realized that pitch darkness had enveloped the hills. The desert night descended and the air had an icy, wintry bite to it. I looked at my watch. It was almost 9 p.m. I had meditated for almost five hours and hadn’t even noticed the passage of time. But something in me felt very different. I was healed and empowered. My body was drenched in energy and light. My mind was happy and at peace. I felt tremendous gratitude. And my spirit—I didn’t feel it at all. Within me was a deep, endless space filled with light that did not have a sense of “I.” I was erased and dissolved. It was like the whole universe was my spirit. On the drive back, I stopped by a restaurant and looked in the washroom mirror. At first, I didn’t see my reflection. I felt a jitter—did I not come back from the desert? Then I saw a glowing light shining from my face and eyes. I love the desert and the power it holds.
Back in San Diego, busy living and teaching, a part of me is always in the desert, hiking in the gorge to the crunch of the sand under my feet resonating like a mantra in my head. My heart is filled with light and love.
Mila Kandibur is a spiritual teacher and CEO of Diamond Mind Coaching, LLC in San Diego, CA. Visit her website at www.diamondmindcoaching.com or call 858.492.8626.