To meditate is to think deeply about a subject or question over a period of time
We are born into the world with no understanding of the world. Most people will die with only a tiny increase in that understanding. Far deeper meanings can be attained through meditation and in the course of that we get to bask in the presence of the Holy Spirit and develop a much more intimate relationship with God. That intimacy not only helps to deepen our understanding of the world we are born into, but provides some small insights into eternity. A host of side benefits are also granted to those who practice meditation regularly. Benefits include such physical things as less anxiety and lower blood pressure. However, even though those physical things are given, the point of Christian meditation is not to focus on ourselves, but to move us into a closer and deeper relationship with the Creator.
A human soul has two aspects. One aspect controls the various parts of the flesh or animal nature and the other allows us to engage and communicate with God through the Holy Spirit – specifically through such practices as worship, prayer and meditation.
Eastern meditation requires you to empty your mind and focus on your physical essence. This can place you in a potentially dangerous spiritual position. It exposes you to spiritual influences and not all spirits are loyal to God and kindly to the human soul. Christian meditation is very different from eastern meditation in that you are required to fill your thoughts with God and Christ. Such filling not only provides your soul with direction but it also protects you from harmful influences. Filling also forms the basis of meditation by elevating your soul to a higher level. That elevation is crucial to the function of meditation.
In Christian meditation it is entirely possible to have feelings of ecstasy simply because your spirit is exercised and you are engaging in an intimate experience with the Holy Spirit. However such feelings do not always occur and should not be the reason for the experience. Rather such things as the search for Godly wisdom and spiritual solidity should be the point of Christian meditation.
Because our animal nature and our spiritual nature are inextricably intertwined it is impossible in life to completely eliminate the sensations of the mind and body to experience meditation in a purely metaphysical mode. So in the course of meditation the individual will experience physical things and often learn something about understanding of their physical self.
Meditation is generally a quiet, solitary practice. The physical effect is that it can be peaceful, relaxing, and a temporary escape from mental and physical stresses of this world.
How do you begin the practice of meditation? In beginning exercises it is useful to restrict your attention to a single subject with short Bible passages. The exercises often involve imagery in which you read through a Biblical pericope then allow yourself to enter and observe the scene described there.
The ‘Woman at the Well’ (John 4:1-52) passage works well to illustrate a time of meditation —
The first step in preparing for a time of meditation is to attend to your animal nature by finding a comfortable, quiet, solitary place where you are not going to be interrupted. The physical things necessary for the experience should be available to avoid the distraction of retrieving them later. Such things might include your Bible, a commentary, a cup of coffee, a candle and perhaps even some incense.
Once everything is in place and you are physically comfortable you can begin to reflect more fully in your spirit. Start by carefully reviewing the passage and getting a picture of what and who is there. Then imagine yourself in that place and listening to the conversation between the woman and Jesus. Think about what they are saying and ask yourself questions along the way. Imagine the scene again, but this time imagine it from the woman’s perspective. What does she do? What does she know? What does she feel?
Your time of meditation is as long as you need it to be. You end it when you need to – often with a short prayer. The time involved can be any length from a few minutes to an hour. Even longer times are not uncommon. The presence of the Holy Spirit may not be immediately felt, but be assured He is there directing your meditation time and aligning your will with God’s will.
Each experience will be somewhat different because you are changed through each one. Some changes will be subtle; some will be profound. Through this effort you will learn and grow.
If you are new to meditation, these Bible passages are fairly easy to meditate on and can be great places begin to introduce you to the practice —
- A soul thirsting for God – Psalm 42:1-11
- God’s peace – Psalm 23:1-6
- Jesus meets Nicodemus – John 3:1-21
- Casting out demons – Mark 5:1-20, Luke 8:26-39
- Healing the blind – Mark 10:46-52, Luke 18:35-42
- Calming the sea – Luke 8:22-25; Matthew 8:23–27; Mark 4:36–41; John 6:16–21
The above passages increase in complexity with the latter passages involving multiple elements to give you practice with a wider pericope. Repeating them can be helpful. Becoming comfortable with meditation will take a bit of time – how much varies. Any exercise, mental, physical or spiritual requires patience and experience. In everything you do, practice improves the experience.
Each of us is a unique spiritual being residing in a physical body. That physical body is born individually, it dies individually and the spirit it contains stands before God every moment as an individual being. No matter how large a group we find ourselves in, our relationship with God is one on one. Therefore our worship and each of our styles of worship must be accordingly unique. That concept is developed and expanded in the book “Worshiping Alone” available on Amazon or Barnes and Noble. If you haven’t read it, please consider doing so.
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