12 Types of Meditation Series: Healing Light Meditation
Healing Light Meditation is a unique practice that blends ancient traditions with modern science. It’s unlike many other meditation styles, which rely solely on breathing and calming the mind. With this style, the practitioner is actively engaging their mind with visualization and healing intention.
The idea of using light for healing has been around for centuries. Buddhists, Hindus, and Christians have all imagined god as a holy light. In Reiki, light has symbolized healing for ages. And, now, modern psychology is also embracing guided imagery as part of its treatment process.
Healing Light Meditation stands out from other styles because it is the only practice that intends to heal the practitioner. It is also one of the only styles that uses color as an element. In this article, we will explore the origins, unique features, and benefits of this transformative exercise.
Origins
Healing Light Meditation does not have one, singular source. It draws its origins from a combination of traditions.
Ancient Eastern Practices
Both Buddhism and Hinduism use visualization techniques involving light and energy. Tibetan Buddhists have visualized themselves as beings of light for centuries. It is also common to learn of these Eastern cultures seeing light flow from their deities.
Chakra System
The concept of using colors in meditation can be seen in the energy centers called the Chakras. Since each chakra is assigned its own color, it could have influenced the idea of healing colors.
Christian Mysticism
Christians have visualized a divine light as a manifestation of god for centuries. It has also been seen as a symbol of god’s healing power.
Reiki and Energy Healing
Reiki is a Japanese energy healing practice. It involves channeling universal life force energy through the hands to promote healing. This energy is often visualized as a light, which could have influenced Healing Light energy.
Modern Psychology
Modern Psychologists use techniques such as guided imagery and visualization in modern psychotherapy for emotional and physical healing. This has also influenced Healing Light Meditation in recent years.
Overall, Healing Light Meditation is a synthesis of the old and the new, designed to harness the power of visualization for health and well-being.
What makes Healing Light Meditation different?
Imagining Light Energy
While other meditation styles focus on the breath or in the thoughts in our mind, Healing Light Meditation is different. This is one of the only meditation styles that involved purposely imagining a healing light.
Intentional Healing
Healing Light Energy is designed for just that, healing. It doesn’t only mean healing the body from sickness. In addition to physical healing, this practice can also be applied to emotional and spiritual healing.
Color Visualization
Healing Light Meditation is one of the few styles that uses colors as part of the practice. Some practitioners apply different colors to different healing properties. For example, they might imagine a green light when healing their body and an orange light when healing their mind. There is not official color for the practice. The healing light can be white, gold, yellow, blue or any other color that resonates with the practitioner.
Connection to a Higher Power
Often times, the healing light created in this style is said to be from a higher power: infinite intelligence, a divine source or god. This is uncommon in more modern meditation styles. This element of Healing Light Meditation adds a spiritual element to the process.
Active Participation
Many meditation styles, such as mindfulness meditation, ask the practitioner to be passive and watch what is happening. Healing Light Meditation is different. With this practice, the practitioner doesn’t simply watch. They apply effort to imagine the healing light and to channel their energy for healing.
Benefits of Healing Light Meditation
Less Stress and Anxiety
A study published in 2020 reported that there is “research and data to support the use of guided imagery” to reduce stress and anxiety. This is because mental imagery improves the connection between the mind and body.
Less Pain
Johns Hopkins Medicine published an article stating that “creating images in your mind” has been shown to help reduce pain and lower blood pressure.
Stronger Immune System
In 2008, Ephraim C. Trakhtenberg conducted extensive studies on the effect of guided imagery on the immune system. The studies measured how guided imagery affected white blood cell counts in practitioners.
Improved Focus & Cognitive Function
Guided imagery meditation could even make you smarter. A 2023 study noted that people who practiced guided imagery showed improved attention, cognitive functioning, and emotional well-being.
The Process
If you cannot find a trained meditation teacher, you can still receive the benefits of this practice on your own. Here is a breakdown of the meditation in action.
1. Intention – Decide what you want to heal, your body, mind, or emotions. Then, set the intention that this meditation will help heal your chosen area.
2. Breath Awareness – Use deep, measured breathing to calm your body and mind.
3. Visualization – Imagine a healing light entering the body.
4. Chakra Alignment – Directing the healing light through each of the body's energy centers to balance and restore them. Focus on healing each Chakra and receiving the benefits of that chakra being open and healthy. For example, when healing the Solar Plexus Chakra, one would feel increased confidence.
5. Affirmations or Mantras – Repeating positive statements or sounds to enhance the healing process.
6. Gratitude & Love – Feel grateful for the benefits of the meditation. Feel the same gratitude you would feel if the healing had already happened. Focusing on feelings of appreciation and love.
7. Grounding – Bringing awareness back to the body and connecting with the Earth to integrate the healing energy.
Healing Light Meditation is a transformative, healing practice. It combines elements of ancient wisdom and modern science. By imagining a healing light, practitioners can harness energy to promote physical, emotional, and spiritual health. Unlike traditional meditation styles which focus on being a passive observer, Healing Light Meditation actively engages the practitioner through the power of focus.
With consistent practice, Healing Light meditation can become a powerful tool in your journey towards better health and happiness. May the light be with you.
Namaste.
Burak Uzun is an award-winning writer and a meditation teacher.
Burak Uzun also co-wrote a feature film called Team Marco, which was featured in over fifty film festivals around the globe and was distributed by Samuel Goldwyn Films.
Please feel free to reach out to Burak here.
Learn more about SOCA LLC and Burak’s classes here.