| Meditation has gotten a bad rap. For decades | | | | attention, often called a mantra. |
| Christians have been led to believe that meditation | | | | Your mantra or sacred words can be “the |
| it is unscriptural or ungodly. I have talked to | | | | Lord is my Shepard,” “I walk by |
| many believers who thought that if they become | | | | faith,” “the joy of the Lord is my |
| still and focused on their breathing or tried to quiet | | | | strength”, “I cast my cares upon the |
| their minds that they were sure to be invaded by | | | | Lord,” or “Peace be Still.” The late |
| unclean spirits. But this could be farther from the | | | | John Main, one of the most influential spiritual |
| truth. First of all, where did our very breathe | | | | teachers in the Christian meditation tradition |
| come from? Just read Genesis 1 and it says | | | | encourages believers to use the mantra, |
| that God breathed life into Adam's body. When | | | | “Maranatha” that means, “Come Lord |
| my grandson was born 2 years ago, it took | | | | Jesus.” This mantra is suggested because of |
| almost 5 minutes for him to start breathing. We | | | | its relevance in scriptures and its lack of an |
| were all praying in the background for God to fill | | | | emotional or mental references, which inhibits our |
| his lungs with life. | | | | minds from creating a mental attachment to the |
| Secondly, it is only through a renewing and | | | | word. |
| weeding our mind of deceptive and negative | | | | You can also select a whole scripture or just one |
| thinking, faulty mindsets, and incessant thoughts | | | | word, like “Jesus” or “Jehovah” to |
| that God's word and as well as his voice can get | | | | meditate on. Meditate in silence or record music to |
| through. If the cup it filled to the stop with | | | | play in the background. It’s best to time the |
| mental garbage there not much room for | | | | music or use a timer so that you’re not |
| anything else. If we want to embrace more of | | | | worried about being late for work or missing an |
| God's truth we need to do some mental | | | | appointment. As you meditate, become fully |
| gardening and one of the best methods is through | | | | present by paying attention to your breathing or |
| meditation. | | | | your sacred word. You can silently repeat your |
| Meditation is a tool used to quiet our minds. It | | | | mantra in alignment with your breathing or |
| means to ponder, pray, contemplate, and | | | | anytime your mind begins to wander off. You |
| ruminate. Christian meditation is when we fill that | | | | can also create a mental picture in your mind to |
| quiet mind with God. There are many forms of | | | | focus on like a cross or God's light filling your |
| meditation just like there are many types of | | | | heart. As you practice being still and calming |
| music, it's just as important for believers to | | | | your thoughts, you’ll sense a greater feeling |
| discern one kind from the other. | | | | of God’s presence and a greater sensitivity |
| Scriptures tell us that when we abide with Christ, | | | | to hearing his voice. |
| he abides with us, and without his living and guiding | | | | As a result of consistent meditation you will also |
| spirit, we can do nothing. (St. John 15) One form | | | | begin to sense the yearnings of the Holy Spirit as |
| of meditating on the Lord is to abide with him; to | | | | he drops words or impressions on your heart. |
| sit at his feet and to wait in his presence, just like | | | | One time during a meditation I had a vision of me |
| the child who sits in his mother or father’s lap | | | | and all my family members standing in a circle and |
| to be comforted. | | | | sharing our desires for the coming year. Several |
| This can be accomplished by carving out time | | | | days later I shared my vision and we set aside a |
| each day to just sit quietly before the Lord | | | | time to dedicated the New Year to the Lord and |
| where you are free from distractions. The | | | | touch and agree on our heart’s desires in |
| ocean or secluded areas of nature are great | | | | prayer. As you practice this form of meditation, |
| places to meditate, but a quiet area in your home | | | | you’ll find old weights and worries seem to |
| works just as well. | | | | disappear. No evil thing can stand in God’s |
| Initially, meditating on the Lord by abiding may be | | | | presence. |
| difficult because your mind will tend to be restless | | | | The great thing about meditating on God is that |
| and wander profusely; but with consistency | | | | anyone can do it. The more you spend time |
| you’ll gain more and more control over your | | | | with God the more you will want to spend time |
| thoughts. Many meditators select a scriptural | | | | with God. It is like a drink of cold water on a hot |
| passage or word to focus on and anchor their | | | | muggy day. |