African Meditation Techniques

African meditation techniques originate from a wide variety of sources, including the indigenous belief systems of the tribes and countries of Africa, and belief systems formulated in other nations such as India and Asia and introduced to Africa. African meditation techniques are focused on the attainment of divinity and true selfhood through an active, focused and determined connection with the divine forces that exist both inside and outside of the self.

The Ausar Auset Society is a religious system based on the religious beliefs of the cultures of ancient Ethiopia, Egypt, Palestine and India. According to the article “About the Ausar Auset Society” at uaia.org, devotees of the belief system practice yoga, meditation, astrology, vegetarianism, divination, philosophy and a variety of other practices designed to develop a well-rounded, historically centered and spiritually purposeful self. The article argues that there is a “divine intelligence [that] is ever present and actively ordering the events of our lives,” and that in order to access this “divine intelligence” worshipers must prepare their minds and bodies through rituals and meditation. Ausar Auset meditation is systemically similar to other types of meditation. You must find a quiet, comfortable and safe environment in which you can either be seated or lie down and still your mind. You can enhance the ritual by lighting incense or playing tribal or drum-based music that evokes the spirit of various African cultures. While meditating, focus your attention first on stilling your mind and allowing your thoughts to pass through your consciousness without judgment or criticism. Finally, once you’ve reached a space of internal quietude and peace, you will find yourself able to integrate the lessons formally learned into your meditative trance.

Kemetic rituals are based on the belief system popularly associated with the cultures of ancient Egypt. Based primarily on the text now known as the Egyptian Book of the Dead, Kemetic meditation focuses on invoking the associations and powers of the gods Ausar (Osiris) and Auset (Isis). The gods and goddesses of the Egyptian pantheon have multiple overlapping aspects; it is important, before practicing any type of Kemetic ritual, to become familiar with the incarnations and associations of the various gods and goddesses. The article “Kemetic Mysticism: Daily Shems Program” on the Kemetic Yoga Association website suggests that you first become familiar with the spiritual texts and teachings that form the core of Kemetic ritual, and then begin your meditation with Kemetic yoga, a series of postures that invoke the spiritual journey of life, death and transcendence attributed to the god Osiris and the goddess Isis. The article describes the word "shems" as a term used in ancient Egypt to describe a follower of a spiritual path. After performing this ritual, you should feel energized yet calm and ready to begin your meditation. You can either choose to meditate on an aspect of the divine that you wish to manifest in your life, or you can recite a series of chants that praise the experiences and wisdom of the gods and goddesses.

If strictly adhering to a codified belief system is something you’re not comfortable with, but you still wish to use African meditation techniques, consider creating your own ritual. Like most spiritual practices, African meditation is open to interpretation, and especially to creation. One of the most powerful forces that can connect us to a sense of wholeness and divinity is the act of spiritual creation. Remember to honor yourself and the divine by being respectful and honest during your meditative ritual. Take the time to eagerly study the texts and information available on the belief systems of ancient Africa, and integrate those practices which seem to resonate with you the most.