As a Christian is it alright to meditate?

George64 said:

I am thinking on trying it as I suffer from depression from time to time. Not hardcore depression but winter blues, etc..

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Meditation has been a common practice among Christians. As long as it is done correctly and not in the manner of pagan meditation it is not only ok but beneficial and wholesome.
My advise would be to goggle "Christian meditation" for more information on the proper way for a Christian to meditate.

There's much in life to be grateful to God, everything was created in goodness for us, take your time to hv a walk in the public garden or the beach.

George64 said:

I am thinking on trying it as I suffer from depression from time to time. Not hardcore depression but winter blues, etc..

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I meditate on God's word every day. As long as we meditate on what God says (Ps. 1:2), we will do well. If you're talking about the practice of what is called "transcendental meditation," all bets are off.
TD

George64 said:

I am thinking on trying it as I suffer from depression from time to time. Not hardcore depression but winter blues, etc..

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I agree with @grasping the after wind. But your brief post also suggests the possibility of Seasonal Affective Disorder, which is a medical condition.

It depends.

If your focus of meditation is God and scripture than it's fine. But a lot of things are called "meditation" when they are actually forbidden mystical practices. You definitely don't want to get into Transcendental meditation or the meditative practice of contemplative prayer or any forms of Eastern meditation.

I'd be very careful following any sort of meditative "practice".

The focus should be on God and scripture and not abstractions such as "emptying your mind" or repetitive mantras.

What is contemplative prayer?

Hope that helps.

It depends.

If your focus of meditation is God and scripture than it's fine. But a lot of things are called "meditation" when they are actually forbidden mystical practices. You definitely don't want to get into Transcendental meditation or the meditative practice of contemplative prayer or any forms of Eastern meditation.

I'd be very careful following any sort of meditative "practice".

The focus should be on God and scripture and not abstractions such as "emptying your mind" or repetitive mantras.

What is contemplative prayer?

Hope that helps.

Consider how the book of Psalms opens...

Setting some dedicated time apart in your busy day where you can be in a location with little to no distractions and focus upon the Word of God through reading and prayer is one of the best things you can do for your spiritual health as a Christian.

Martin Luther said, "If I fail to spend two hours in prayer each morning, the devil gets the victory through the day. I have so much business I cannot get on without spending three hours daily in prayer."

Think about that quote from Luther, how many of us when considering the next day and realizing that it's actually going to be an extra busy day respond to it by getting up even earlier to spend even more time in the Word? If I'm honest I would have to say that on days where I know I'm going to be extra busy I try to get to bed early and get as much rest as I can, I don't respond like Luther. I wonder how my days would be different if I did?

Meditating on Christ and the Word is something we should all do more.

George64 said:

I am thinking on trying it as I suffer from depression from time to time. Not hardcore depression but winter blues, etc..

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Bible says ok to meditate.
Not the Buddhist type.
M-Bob

"And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide:"
"When I remember thee upon my bed, and meditate on thee in the night watches."

What is your definition of meditation? How do you plan to do it?

Mountainmanbob said:

Bible says ok to meditate.
Not the Buddhist type.
M-Bob

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What is the buddhist type....and what is your experience with it?

Long Island Pilgrim said:

It depends.

If your focus of meditation is God and scripture than it's fine. But a lot of things are called "meditation" when they are actually forbidden mystical practices. You definitely don't want to get into Transcendental meditation or the meditative practice of contemplative prayer or any forms of Eastern meditation.

I'd be very careful following any sort of meditative "practice".

The focus should be on God and scripture and not abstractions such as "emptying your mind" or repetitive mantras.

What is contemplative prayer?

Hope that helps.

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Seems that you dont agree with any form of meditation......if there is a form you agree with, can you provide it? The bible mentions meditation many times....can you explain how to do so according to the bible?

George64 said:

I am thinking on trying it as I suffer from depression from time to time. Not hardcore depression but winter blues, etc..

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Do Lection divina or the rosary. It has been of tremendous help to me. Also seek Mary and she'll never turn her back on you.

George64 said:

I am thinking on trying it as I suffer from depression from time to time. Not hardcore depression but winter blues, etc..

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To meditate means to contemplate, reflect, ponder. I like Psalms because it many times leads to worship and prayer. Sometimes I just take a word or verse from scripture and think and walk in it for days. No rush...God is good.

I also get the winter blues as does my youngest daughter. She bought a sun lamp when she was living in Ohio and it seemed to help her through it. Also vitamin D can be helpful. Blessings to you.

George64 said:

I am thinking on trying it as I suffer from depression from time to time. Not hardcore depression but winter blues, etc..

Click to expand...

I don't know much about meditation, but I doubt it has much value if the time isn't spent in fellowship with the Lord.

Recipe of meditation:

Forget about time

Put yourself in a comfortable position

Breathe in and out deeply and slowly

Completely let your muscles relax

The idea is to slow everything down

Memorize one of the Psalms

I use Psalm 119, though I only really know the first 3 letters

I usually just recite the first letter in my mind, but it varies

You can look around and your eyes don’t have to be fixed on any one thing

The process of slowing down, being relaxed, and reciting the Psalm while looking around,

Brings about a detachment of sorts.

It makes it so that your mind is not focused on what you see because you are involved in considering what you are saying, but what you’re saying in your mind is effortless because you have memorized it on that level.

Once you hit that peaceful balance, where you sense Gods sovereignty over all things, talk to Him.

It does take a bit of practice, but after a while it is something you can do anywhere and in pretty any circumstance.

I recommend using something from the Bible as your source of focus so you don’t end up drifting into other places. Any of the praise psalms are always good .

RaymondG said:

What is the buddhist type....and what is your experience with it?

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A little experience and a little study and it is not Christian type of meditation.
It ain't rocket science.
M-Bob

Mountainmanbob said:

A little experience and a little study and it is not Christian type of meditation.
It ain't rocket science.
M-Bob

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ok, I guess we will just have to take your word for it then....

To my knowledge, there are different groups and ways of Buddhism. So, may be their meditation methods are different, but with parts in common somehow. Since I don't buy Buddhism because it does not obviously first preach Jesus and the gospel, I have not spent much time on what it involves.

But I have heard a few things, which would not be Biblical.

(1) There can be ongoing repeating of some same short saying, in order to produce some calm in a person. But I understand we need to first submit to God and how He rules us in His very own peace. Our calm needs to be in sharing with God and with one another, not with us in isolation in some bubble of our own making. And in His peace discover if and how He has us meditating so our meditation is in personal sharing with God in His love >

"And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful." (Colossians 3:15)

Of course, there are people who claim to be Christians who also can do what might be more of a self-produced meditation and its self-discipline . . . versus first submitting to God for how He guides and disciplines us.

(2) It seems to me that Buddhists, generally in all groups, can be busy with each one's own effort, in the process. This is because . . . if my information is correct . . . Buddhists do not seem to believe and experience how God is personal with every one of us His children . . . even personally ruling us "in one body" (Colossians 3:15) in His very own peace. But yes Buddhists do make an effort to help one another, and they have ones considered to be their experts and teachers to help them. And, somehow likewise, we Jesus people need to help one another, including Ephesians 4:15 which has the purpose not only of individual calmness and discipline, but how we grow "in all things" of Jesus.

(3) Again, to my knowledge, seeking God to change us into the image of Jesus with Him now as our Ruler and Master is not the agenda of any group of Buddhism. Plus, the Bible, to my knowledge, is not their primary writing.

Of course, there are Bible-claiming people also who are not into constantly seeking to be personally ruled by our Heavenly Father in His own peace. Because their philosophy and ethic is that they need to do what God wants, while He at times will help them if they get into a problem, and ones feel they are accountable to get their own selves to will and do what God wants.

But >

"for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure." (Philippians 2:13)

So, yes our God who "is love" (1 John 4:8&16) does please to even work in our wills, to get us to do whatsoever is "for His good pleasure" so that we are so personally sharing with Him in His own love (Romans 5:5, 1 Corinthians 16:14, 2 Thessalonians 3:5).

Therefore, I consider that Biblical meditation will include first personally seeking God for Himself and how He in us has us meditating. And we discover this, this is not something we copy-cat from someone else. And we do not need to pay for God to love us, by so personally guiding us > "Freely you have received, freely give." (in Matthew 10:8)

And so, in order to settle down and be quiet with God, there needs to be major correction of how we have been giving in to the noisy stuff in us. And Hebrews 12:4-11 guarantees how our Heavenly Father does personally correct every one of us who is His child . . . so that we share with Him in His own holiness (Hebrews 12:10) which is in His love, and so we have His love's "peaceable fruit of righteousness" (Hebrews 12:1). And our Apostle Paul tells us to meditate on things above > Philippians 4:8. And there is plenty more about what we need to stop giving in to, inside ourselves, so we are with God and loving.

For example, we have Philippians 2:13-16. We are told to do every single thing and every m-a-r-r-i-e-d thing "without complaining and disputing". And we need to share in close relationships, so we can learn how to relate in love which can not give in to complaining and arguing. So . . . in case you are kind of living more to yourself . . . this can get you isolated so you are not taking on the challenge of learning how to love; and just meditating will not take care of this > we need to embrace the opportunities to share with our brothers and sisters in Jesus and with impossible people, so we can check ourselves out and get real adjustment and correction of His love's perfection with one another > 1 John 4:17).

This takes deep and even constant prayerfulness and meditation so we do not give in to anything in us which would cause us to argue or complain. Even right during our personal sharing with others, we deeply need to keep attentive to what is going on in us . . . not only during special quiet times. But the quiet times can be used to get us in tune with God and submission to Him, so then we can stay this way all the time ! ! !

RaymondG said:

ok, I guess we will just have to take your word for it then....

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The problem with meditating like some of the other religions is that they have a different agenda and a different view of what is acceptable to meet that goal.
Many of them encourage you to embrace the good and bad within yourself.
Their repetitive chants are incantations to request help from, or open themselves up to other entities.
Their objective is to self-elevate
All of their meditation methods align with there religious beliefs.
I know Christians who do yoga for the mechanics of it and replace the words with Christian thoughts.
Personally, I don't even want to be around people doing incantations.
It's an unnecessary risk in my view.

Bottom line, commit enough time and space to slow down, clear your head, and just be with God in that moment.

George64 said:

I am thinking on trying it as I suffer from depression from time to time. Not hardcore depression but winter blues, etc..

Click to expand...

Meditation to me is about achieving inner peace, i don´t see anything wrong with that. meditation brings so much good, it brings awareness, clarity, grounding, relaxation, many things that bennefit us in lots of ways, including relief in depression and anxiety, so i would say give it a try, if you feel like it, i know i could not live without..

Soul-searching said:

Meditation to me is about achieving inner peace, i don´t see anything wrong with that. meditation brings so much good, it brings awareness, clarity, grounding, relaxation, many things that bennefit us in lots of ways, including relief in depression and anxiety, so i would say give it a try, if you feel like it, i know i could not live without..

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Do you practice a particular method or do you just allocate time in a quiet place?
What do you mean by "inner peace?"