Meditation Tips » Christian meditation

Christian Meditation

chenno — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 22:34:11 +0000

Christian meditation is a method of communicating with God. Christians may use this meditation to clear their minds of the busy thoughts during the day and concentrate solely on worshipping God and learning the truths from the Bible.

Centuries ago, monks began practicing Christian meditation by reading over verses from the Bible after which considering the truths in these verses. Often, they would say the verses to God like a prayer. In this way, the monks learned to speak with God in prayer, and learned how you can tell God their own thoughts and concerns. By meditating on Bible verses and praying to God, the monks trained their minds to always think about God. They called this contemplation, and it helped them to have a close, loving relationship with God.

By using this process of communicating with God, the monks created what is called the “ladder of prayer”. The rungs of the ladder included reading Bible verses, thinking about the truths in the verses, praying to God, and learning to contemplate God always.

Within the 1900s, two types of Christian meditation were used. Employing a mantra, or word which is repeated to help the Christian focus on God, was one sort of meditation. A good example of a mantra could be the word Maranatha, which is an Aramaic word for “come, Lord”. Christians would also employ what is called a Centering Prayer, which uses a sacred word or words to bring the Christian into God’s presence. These two types of Christian meditation helped individuals using them to take their focus off their particular problems and to turn to God to hear what He had to speak about to them.

A lady named St. Theresa of Avila created five steps to assist Christians concentrate on God when praying. These five steps are referred to as the five R’s.

-The very 1st R is Ready: this is the step when the Christian realizes that he/she is in the presence of God. To become prepared to continue in prayer, the Christian thanks God for the many blessings He gives, and confesses any sins.

-The second R is Read, and includes reading prayers, spiritual books, and the Bible.

-The 3rd R is Reflect. In this step, the Christian concentrates on what he/she has just read so as to come closer to God.

-The fourth R is Respond. It’s only at that step that the Christian speaks with God in an open and honest way about what he/she has been reading and considering. It is the most significant step, as this is the time God can share His wisdom and thoughts with the Christian.

-The fifth and final R is Resolve. This is where the Christian thanks God for what he/she has learned, and closes the period of prayer.

These various kinds of Christian meditation can all be useful in assisting Christians to meet with God, come close to Him, and learn His truths. Christian meditation does not save a person from their sins; it is a tool that can be used by those who are already saved to generate a stronger relationship with God.

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The Rise In Popularity Of Meditation

chenno — Thu, 02 Apr 2009 16:15:42 +0000

In the past twenty years or so, meditation has acquired an progressive acceptance and practice in the West. Whilst still far from comprising an significant part of Western society, the practice of meditation has made substantial inroads in the remedial and medical communities and is gaining more and more broad acceptance in business organizations, educational, and political arenas.

It is possible that in United States and Europe, meditation has survived its infancy and is well on its way through childhood. Some of the reasons for this expanding acceptance is that meditation has proved to be both a practical and competent tool for increasing health in addition to happiness.
The past twenty years have supplied consistent clinical and scientific experience that permits us to draw some solid conclusions about the practice of meditation. In general, we can posit with great assurance, that based on the evidence, that the consistent practice of meditation contributes to a healthier and more efficient individual.

More precisely, those who practice some form of meditation have one or more of the following characteristics:
·         they have lower triglyceride levels;
·         attain a lower, more stable heart rate;
·         they have lower blood pressure;
·         they have a slower and less changeable respiratory rate;
·         they have a more stable galvanic skin response;
·         report less psychosomatic symptoms such as headaches, colds, gastric disturbances;
·         take less prescription drugs and over-the-counter drugs;
·         report lower degrees of anxiety and fear;
·         score higher on self-actualization inventories;
·         and have expanded capacity for loving relationships.

The preceding depicts only a couple of of the numerous benefits of meditation.

Briefly, when likened to others who do not practice meditation, or to their state prior to when they began to meditate, those who systematically practice meditation are healthier, more cheerful, and more effective human beings.

Clinical experience, scientific enquiry, and the experience of an ordinary individual all point to one and the same conclusion: the consistent practice of meditation is, in all probability, the most important and effective self-help tool available nowadays for individual health and effectiveness.

It is likewise clear that under the direction of a qualified teacher, meditation can be safely and successfully practiced by just about anyone without any fear of adverse side-effects.

The real question isn’t whether meditation is helpful, but instead how and why it works. What is it that happens during and as a consequence of meditation that brings about such particular physical and psychological benefits and results in improvement in numerous aspects of one’s life?

The key to answering these questions lies in understanding the relationship between meditation and the emotions. The physical, mental, and behavioural changes named above all reflect a more balanced and harmonious emotional state.

The History of Meditation Meditation is considered to be one of the oldest forms...

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The History of Meditation

chenno — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 23:46:04 +0000

Meditation is considered to be one of the oldest forms of mental and spiritual practices that there is. Although nobody can truly say what the exact history of meditation is, there are some speculations about this ancient practice.

Most scholars say that the history of meditation can be traced to some 5,000 years ago when the effects of the practice was discovered by ancient men by staring into the flames of fire. From then on, several meditation techniques were developed and began to spread across its continent of origin, Asia.

It was only in the 1960s and 1970s that meditation became a hit in the United States. After that, there have been many variations which have spread across the globe.

The ABCs of meditation

A state wherein a person is in deep concentration on a specific object of thought or awareness, meditation is considered as one of the oldest yet most effective means of relaxing the mind, the emotions, as well as the soul. This practice usually involves a person’s attention, allowing it to turn into a single point of reference.

Because of its effectiveness in leading a person’s consciousness to a higher level than that of an ordinary person, meditation is now being practiced by millions of people all over the world.

The history of meditation dates back during the time when it was a very important constituent of various religions in the Eastern part of the world. Deriving its roots from the Latin word “meditatio,” which means “all types mental or physical exercise,” the meaning of meditation has also evolved through the years. Today, the practice is commonly known as “inward reflection” or “contemplation.”

As years went by, people who practiced meditation were able to come up
with various disciplines. These involve a very wide range of
psychophysical and spiritual aspects — or a combination of both—that
can lead to that total enhancement of a person’s higher level of mental concentration as well as spirituality.

People who are planning to get into meditation or just interested in its seemingly limitless possibilities must understand the basics of the ancient spiritual practice and familiarize themselves with the various forms of meditation today that include “Bodhidharma,” “Hinduism,” “Bahá’í Faith,” “Buddhism,” “Christian meditation,” “Islam Meditation,” “Jainism,” “Judaism,” “Sikhism,” and “Taoism.”

Because they are derived from different cultures, individual forms have their own understanding of meditation and also have different sets of practices that come with it. In meditation, it is also very significant to note that these include physical requirements through different physical postures so the practice can be carried out very efficiently.

The most popular postures ever since the history of meditation started includes: sitting, supine, and standing and walking. These postures will vary depending on the origin of meditation you wish to follow. It is also important to note that the elements involved in a basic traditional meditation have been a large part of the history of meditation. These four elements should include a quiet place, a comfortable posture, a visible object where the person can turn his or her attention to as well as a passive attitude to make the practice truly effective.

Ever since, the history of meditation has inspired a lot of people to increase their level of spirituality as well as enhance the power of their minds. Although there is no definite proof that will trace the history of meditation, people of today as well as of those future generations will continue to practice it because of the benefits it brings.

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