Wise Counsel Meditation (Week 26)

The Wise Counsel meditation is one that works based on the idea of projection.  Often many people have great advice for others but when it comes to giving themselves that same level of good counsel, it just isn't happening.  The wise counsel meditation is a contemplative practice that allows you to speak in your mind with someone you respect and whose advice you would willingly follow. It allows you to imagine and respond to the words you know another would speak.

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Working with this meditation
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Lay down or select an upright meditation posture and center yourself on your breath.  After you have spent a few moments allowing yourself to be still, visualize yourself in the setting where you most talk about your problems.  People select quite different places just depending on who they are. Some people visualize themselves sitting at their kitchen table, the neighborhood bar, their therapist's office, outdoors by the lake, talking on the phone, and on and on. Select the place you normally open up about what is really going on in your life.

See yourself waiting there alone at first. You are waiting for the arrival of the person you most respect or admire. Or simply the person you know would give you the best advice in this situation. Many people choose a religious figure like Jesus or Buddha. Others pick former mentors and teachers.  People also commonly select grandparents or even a parent depending on their relationship.

Once you've chosen who is going to arrive, hear the knock at the door. See them walk into the room. They walk up and sit down beside you and say, "I hear you have a problem."

Then just like you would any other time you explain what is happening to a friend, open up and share the story of what is happening.  When you are done, ask, "What should I do?" and then listen to what they say.  This is based entirely upon the image and knowledge you have created around this person. It allows a new voice to have input on the issue at hand.

Listen to their response and talk back and forth as long as it takes.

When you've talked everything through, see the wise person who came smile and get up to leave.

They say, "I want to give you one last thing to keep with you." They reach into their pocket and pull out a folded up piece of paper.  Hidden inside the folds is one last piece of advice for you to keep.

They hand you the paper and then leave.

Look at the folded up piece of paper knowing what is inside. Take a breath and then open it up. Read the message to yourself and hold it in your mind.

When you are ready, open your eyes and think through the advice you just received.

Adding this to your practice

This meditation is very similar to the Inner Wisdom meditation. The difference is where the voice and response comes from.  Try both meditations out to see what the differences are and to explore the different lessons each teaches.

If you aren't a visualizer, this meditation can be done by writing.  You write out everything you would say and then pause before writing what you know your respected person would say.  You can go back and forth between the two voices as long as you need. The book series Conversations with God is done this way.  

Try this meditation out when you encounter your next problem to see what advice already exists inside you.

​Sundays – Practice Skills and Activities
Daily skill practices and further information to help you grow in your meditation practice or increase your emotional intelligence skills.