When writing about Meditation—specifically what people see and hear—it is very difficult, as each person walks the Path in their own unique way.
However, we can offer some general advice and guidance. The states of consciousness beyond Second Initiation are vast and contain both Light and Sound. The State also reveals immense regions of space as a result of the massive Expansion that occurred during the Initiation.
When you meditate as a Second Initiate, it is very easy to become “comfortable” sitting in the Stillness of the State and forget the Light and Sound. This is quite natural, as it offers a wonderful peace and a relief from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.
The advice is: don’t be lazy; remember meditation is concentration. You may need to look carefully at your meditation practice and adopt more discipline. Always remember—if you are not contacting the Light and/or Sound, you are not meditating!

We sometimes refer to the Second Initiation as “going beyond the mind”. That does not mean you can now meditate without its chatter. I’m afraid that is its nature. What you should find is that when you meditate well, the mind will be there, but not interfere with your concentration. By analogy, it’s like working with music playing softly in the background. You know it’s there, but have no idea what is playing—and more importantly, it does not interfere with the work you are doing.

Another problem we are plagued with is habit. Habit can be a good thing as it represents an important part of discipline. Meditating regularly is a habit worth cultivating. However, there is a flip side: habits can lead to complacency and unconsciousness. If we repeat a task such as brushing our teeth, then after a while we have very little sense of what transpired during our daily ritual—so effectively we were unconscious during that time.
If we add up all the little habits or rituals, then our days slip by and time seems to accelerate.

For children, because everything in their world is “new”, days seem to last “forever”. Conversely, for older people who are steeped in routines, their days and years pass quickly. Armed with this insight, we can transform both our lives and, of course, our meditation. In both cases it is all about change.

We shall leave you to address your lives off the cushion and concentrate on the time you spend on the cushion. Look at every aspect of your meditation, which includes preparation.
You don’t want to be sitting there thinking of all the things you need to do after you finish meditating. So either do them beforehand, or make a list and then “forget them”.

What do you do before you meditate? Maybe household chores… try reading a page of an inspiring book.
What do you wear? Wear something different.
Where do you meditate? Move your cushion to a different place—maybe a different room. Try meditating outside… don’t worry about the noise; let it be!

Try meditating for different periods of time. Break up long Meditates into more concentrated shorter periods. Have short breaks… wash your face with cold water. Don’t look at your phone during this time!

Sit down with a sense of purpose and urgency. You cannot predict the future with any accuracy. It may be that you will not be able to meditate tomorrow due to worldly commitments or ill health. You don’t know how long the Path will be available for. Seize the day!

Try very short Meditates of around one minute.
How long do you have to meditate to attain Enlightenment?
Answer: only a matter of seconds.
The question is: are those seconds within the first hour of the first day, or the last hour of the last day?

Be practical: adjust the temperature of the room (if you can) so that it is comfortable but not too warm. Better to have a cold room and wear warm clothes. Have a glass of water at hand and a light snack—e.g. a banana—if you are likely to get hungry. There is no point in sitting there thinking about food and drink.

Be happy with whatever Light and whatever Sound you are aware of. That is what you require at that time.

 

This is Us come to answer your question on meditating after Second Initiation.
Some Meditators, when they go through the state of Second Initiation, will have many realisations and see many Landmarks. But that is often not the case—because of lack of concentration, time restrictions, etc.

So generally we would say that although it might be assumed it is easier to meditate after Second Initiation, it is often not the case. Even though you are said to “go beyond your mind”, while in your physical body, your mind is very much in evidence and is always trying to trick you and trip you up—for that is its nature.

The thing to do, whenever your mind is busy, is just stop. Get up and walk around. Come back fresh, breathe for 10 minutes, and start again. In fact, it may be that an hour just focusing on breathing may help, as there is no expectation.

It is best to go into every meditation with no expectation—but that is almost impossible. So you need to breathe or say your Mantra for a while, then go back, and you will find that your mind is clearer, without so much chatter.

With regard to what you should be seeing, this is very individualistic—as people need different experiences to help them on their journey. So the message is to embrace everything that you see and hear, enjoy your meditation. Not many people have your opportunity, so don’t waste it by being disappointed that it should be this way or that.

It is what it is…

Your Journey to find your True Self

 

The Landmarks of Second Initiation

The Spiritual Hierarchy suggest that we run through the classic landmarks of Second Initiation just before someone sits down. Mention the Void, and how Black it is. Many Meditators worry when the White Light disappears. Mention also that the Sound might “cut.”

This helps them relax and not be surprised. It’s probably best not to describe the “doily”,let them discover it for themselves. But reassure them they will return to the White Light.

These pointers should be given only at the time of sitting down, to avoid mental preoccupation. Ask them not to share these details with First Initiates or Aspirants.

Second Initiation has always been the hardest to oversee. This is because there are many variations. Below is the classic sequence:

● Red – a deep Red colour is often the first Landmark that is seen by the Meditator. It can fill the field of view or sometimes appear as a tinge around the edge of the White Light.

● Golden Pyramids – One or more, sometimes in a ring like a set of teeth.

● Mind Tunnel – A convoluted tunnel, sometimes entered through an aperture formed by pyramid “teeth” – usually seen as a pinky red colour.

● Golden Rain – A cleansing waterfall, with a sense of purification.

● The Void – Often described as black velvet or vibrating jelly. It’s full of Energy. This is where the mind disconnects and the realisation occurs: “I still exist without the mind.” This may also occur with the Sound cutting off—like turning down a volume knob.

● The Doily – Like a floating lace curtain, gently moving. Similar to a chessboard, but with tiny, varied patterns.

Not everyone sees all these landmarks, or in this order. Some may see some before Energy is given.