Aleister Crowley appears to ask the same question in his work Mysticism, where he compares three individuals dominating our collective spiritual intellect: Siddhartha (Buddha), Mohammed, and Christ. In common, each individual had "disappeared" only to return with insight. Siddhartha left for the forest, Mohamed left for the desert cave, and Christ had solitude of the desert. Crowley further addresses that even in indigenous populations, an average individual will often leave the village for the wild, and return as a great medicine man. From all these individuals, only Siddhartha recounts his steps and practices of what occurred in solitude. Another words, what really occurred, aside from their teachings, that caused the awakening of these individuals and can we do the same?

It is by freeing the mind from external influences, whether casual or emotional, that it obtains power to see somewhat of the truth of things. -Aleister Crowley, Mysticism (Book Four).

Going back to my logical dreamings of last night, I pictured Mohammed in a cave prior to his collaboration with Gabriel. In the cave, I saw nothing more than rock surroundings and a sunlit entrance. Then I pictured Christ fasting for forty days and forty nights. I was immersed in the sandy sunlit desert with no other stimulus. I really attempted to immerse myself in these fantasies like Einstein in his imagined laboratories. I would quickly become bored by the changeless surroundings leaving me to my thoughts. However, when seeking answers, we must first pose a question and then listen in the stillness of mental silence for the answer to what we seek.

However, with the lack of stimuli, no goals for the future and the past being simply the past, what are you left with other than your breath. This also appears to be the only solution to the straight jacket scenario, accept, relax, and surrender (Assuming you're not Houdini). In relaxing, your breath becomes deeper and more calm, associated with your natural state of being. You're no longer irritating yourself fighting the jacket and are forced to deal and understand your predicament. Therefore, it appears that it was in the depths of their own consciousness once cleared of time (past experiences, future goals), cleared of all logical impressions of the moment, did Siddhartha, Christ, and Mohammed prevail leaving them only with their breath.

They'll go to sacred sites.
Yeah, and on pilgrimages.
They'll read books.
They'll look to other people.
But in the simplicity of each breath, it's occurring right under their noses!
-Panache Desai, Discovering Your Soul Signature

Like most, my formal introduction to the Law of Attraction ("LOA") was the film The Secret. I may have come across the concept prior, but it was not separated and labelled into its own topic. My studies forward in numerous topics from business/self help to spirituality seemed to add more to my understanding. Overall, the LOA was where the Siva Sutras would meet the Think and Grow Rich. Nonetheless, The Secret left much to be discovered. The film is essentially a pamphlet for a study on a topic, which seems to carry a lifetime of coursework.   Whether you're intelligible or ignorant about the LOA, it's there and you can't do away with it. It begins with "who you are", which is your "I Am" presence. Yes, the new age movement is big on the "I Am That" presence, pointing to the Biblical "I am that, I am" title presented to Moses by the burning bush. But, the "I Am That" concept is deeply rooted in ancient teachings, and eloquently described under the Siva Sutras and the Qabbalah for those with eyes to see and ears to hear.

Under the qabbalist tree of life, this "I" non-dual presence maybe akin to Kether, which sits as the crown of the tree of life. Kether can be seen as pure potential or consciousness, where seeking Kether is essentially seeking union with God. Kether consists of "All That Is", the "this and/or that", where Kether is neither "this or that" but it is "this or that". As an example, Kether is neither male or female, but carries masculine and feminine within itself, which is further expressed in the supernal-triad including the masculine Chokmah and feminine Binah.

In the state of simply being "Am", you may recognize that you are so much more than the illusory ego play but consciousness. Recognizing this, you come to the realization of "I Am". "I Am" is simply Self-recognition or as eastern mystics and the Siva Sutras will state, "Self-awareness". With "I" defined as consciousness or God, "I Am" is self-recognition of the God within, the Higher Self, your Soul. The Siva Sutras point to the "I Am" presence as simply Siva, not just as an objective third-party, but an obtainable state of awareness/being. This state of being is called Turiya, or the "witnessing consciousness" which is the central self.

As expressed in the fourth sutra of the Siva Sutras, the powers of creation are embedded in the alphabet of ancient Sanskrit. Known as the Matrkas, or unknown mothers, they are known to carry unknown creative abilities through the power of sound. Hence, the power inherit in mantras, such as Aum.  Furthermore, as commentator Jaideva Singh elaborates on the Sanskrit alphabet, "from a to ksa the mother of the entire universe is the presiding deity". It is unknown whether the author was alluding to the akashic record, but it seems that our records and experiences may only be a manipulation of sound as expressed through the alphabet. Think vibration of an atom under wave particle theory.  Hence, "that" is viewed as the feminine, which is the illusion of our reality as expressed as maya and the ability to manipulate such through sound or frequency. What we apply in our lives as "that" carries weight in the reality we choose to experience.

Tune yourself with the creative power of Spirit. You will be in contact with the Infinite Intelligence that is able to guide you and to solve all problems. Power from the dynamic Source of your being will flow uninterruptedly so that you will be able to perform creatively in any sphere of activity. -Parmahansa Yogananda, Where There Is Light. 

Thereafter came Dr. Ol Doinyo Laetoli le Baaba aka Kali Baaba. Still a prepubescent, my older relatives brought this well versed/traveled mystic into our home, where he expanded the idea of the feminine through Kali. As her famous image portrays, the image of Kali over Shiva taps into the psyche with dominance over the male counterpart, something incomprehensible in the Radha/Krishna play. I was enamored with the image, not in the dominance sense, but as if She was resurrecting Him. It's through Kali's image that the power of Shakti prevailed, where I feel that limiting God to one gender is basically, limiting God. Unlike other female deities in the Hindu pantheon with dominant male companions, including Durga who was still created and further supported by the weapons of her male creators, Kali appears to outright challenge her consort with equal (if not superior) power.  At Kali's arrival, I was still in Protestant Elementary School. To note a fellow associate's assessment, "if you weren't Christian, you were persecuted at this school". For the life of me, I could not accept the lack of the feminine in their inculturation. Unlike Catholicism, the divine Mother archetype is significantly reduced, and her importance is left solely to being a baking oven. It wasn't until Catholic High School that I regained a respect for Christianity. The nuns embodied the feminine showing a compassion for other religions expressing we're all worshiping the one, as well as supporting romantic inclinations between Palestinian and Israeli citizens fueling the need for love in a society filled with hate, akin to Romeo and Juliet.   As time proceeded, Mother Mary fit in perfectly and was often a supplement to other feminine archetypes such as Quan Yin and Tonatzin (Catholicism attempted to usurp both). But the dark Goddess kept her intrigue and always carried a place on my altar. Flash forward to a little over 10 years with my credential schooling behind me, I had the time again to revisit my Dark Goddess where little did I know, she would take me through an adventure into the realm of the Feminine Archetypes.

Abhishek Singh Flash forward to a little over 10 years with my credential schooling behind me, I had the time again to revisit my Dark Goddess where little did I know, she would take me through an adventure into the realm of the Feminine Archetypes.

Aum hrim shrim kilm adya kalika param Eshwari svaha Aum and salutations to she who is the first one, dark within her own reality, the supreme primordial feminine, who cuts through illusion to the absolute truth of existence.

The Dark Goddess, who is the embodiment of the dark phase of the moon's cycle, was thus honored for her role in presiding over the mysteries and initiations of the intermediary passage between death and rebirth. - Demetra George, Mysteries of the Dark Moon (cited in Siobhan Houston's "Invoking Mary Magdelene"). 

On this journey, another feminine archetype made her way into my life. It was as if she was continually knocking at my door and refusing to leave. She carried a one sentence "shot out" in a Drunvalo Melchizedek book, but stayed on my mind until I researched Her months later. These feminine archetypes are associated with the Isis Neter "Hator". In researching her, she left a strong sense of calm and peace that I can only describe as an enhanced form of love. In my meditations, this archetype definitely increases my dopamine levels to new frontiers. One can take it as that, simply the power of imagination. Nonetheless, I couldn't seem to figure out how such a calming energy can envelope my being when I had been doing the fiery dance with Kali (as what her mantra feels like). It was only in looking into her history that I discovered her personality of Sekhmet, a bloodthirsty warrior archetype. That makes sense. The feminine is ever changing in her cyclical nature, hence, her connection to the Moon.

Further, another feminine archetype gently presented herself, quite possible the most misunderstood figure in our written history. The gentle and magnificent Mary Magdalene carries a romantic quality. Initially, found through Tom Kenyon's work with both the Hathors and Mary Magdelene, it was researching inner alchemy (not Mary Magdalene) that I stumbled onto Her. The law of attraction at play, I appeared to attract/be attracted to different material all expressing an intimate divine feminine. As an example, I also attracted Vladimir Megre's work in the "Ringing Cedar Series", expressing a divine intimate feminine. Even more intense, invoking Her imagery while meditating brings a rush of different feelings from gut-wrenching heartbreak over the Crucifixion to the extreme love She had for Her beloved, akin to the intoxication Radha had for her beloved Krishna.  Tom Kenyon's work, among any other Nicene Creed alternative, points to an exalted Mary Magdelene. In some, She is either an initiate of the Temple of Isis, or the Goddess Isis Herself. Much as Isis resurrected Osiris, it is presented that Mary Magdelene's work with Her beloved assisted in His light body resurrection. Often expressed as Sacred Relationship, inner alchemy dictates the "as within, so without", or the unification of the ida and pingala. Hence, in looking for an external Goddess, in whatever form She presented Herself, she always appeared to say that what I look for is within. Although, She is readily apparent for assistance.

Alphonse Mucha, Nature

Mary, thou blessed one, whom I will perfect in all mysteries of those of the height, discourse in openness, thou, whose heart is raised in the kingdom of heaven more than all thy brethren. -Jesus, Pistis Sophia (Book 1, Chapter 17)

...for thou art blessed before all women on earth, because thou shalt be the ful[l]ness of all fu[l]lnesses and the perfection of all perfections." - Jesus, Pistis Sophia, (Book 1, Chapter 19)

Just going straight to the pineal gland seems like it would be painful. I would recommend the Taoist Qi Gong technique of beginning with focusing on the lower dan tien, your breathe, and a gentle pubococcygeus muscle pull on exhale. (Check out Embryonic Breathing, by Yang Jwing-Ming; my style quickly explained is different from the book; note that the muscle pull is typically veiled with secrecy, so study before attempt). This was the first meditation technique that seemed to have an immediate effect with tingling sensations in my temples. Of course, begin with relaxing your body, including: stretches; massages; and visualization relaxation techniques.  Now, I had no idea what the tingling sensations were, but it wasn't bothersome. It wasn't until my discovery of the channeler Lazaris one year later, that I was finally explained the merits of this particular sensitivity. Basically, it's chi flowing between my temples, a good thing I continually hope.

The lower dan tien meditation is simple, but  a powerful technique. I originally believed the area was the same as the sacral. But, after becoming sensitive to chi movement, I feel that it's best kept separate. It's basically an endless tub that you can store your chi without any issues, as opposed to your heart and head that can create tension. Nonetheless, this area of the body seems to be unusual, particularly due to its ability to charge up your chi. (Subtle way of hinting at hormones). Most people and books will tell you that the sacral area is your creative center, very few will tell you that this is where the "occult" abilities lie. For haven't you ever had a "gut feeling"? Obviously a reference to our intuition, there seems to be something about our lower gut that may be important not only to our health, but our spirituality.

Of all the vital organs in the body, the one that suffers the most abuse from modern dietary habits is the colon. Our colons were intended by nature to function as smoothly flowing sewer systems, in order to promptly flush digestive wastes from the body. Instead, they have become stagnant cesspools, the physiological equivalent to a festering pile of uncollected garbage or a broken toilet that continues to be used for defecation. The average American male colon today carries within it about 5 pounds of putrid, half-digested red meat, plus another 5-10 pounds of foul toxic waste impacted for years in the folds of the colon with mucus. -Daniel P. Reid, The Tao of Health, Sex, & Longevity. 

Check out what the Chopra Center has to say.