Is meditation wrong for a Christian?

zippy2006 · Sep 29, 2020

Chris V++ said:
Can meditation be a form of prayer to the Christian?

Honestly, it already is. In the Western Christian tradition it is called contemplation or contemplative prayer. In the Eastern Christian tradition it is called hesychasm. The most common abuse/heresy associated with this form of prayer is called Quietism. This form of prayer is relatively uncommon among Protestants, relatively common among Catholics, and for Eastern Orthodox it tends to be reserved for monks and those who are able to devote considerable amounts of time to the practice rather than common laypersons. There are dangers and therefore a suitable instructor or guide is important.

Two Catholic popularizers of contemplative prayer are Martin Laird and Thomas Keating. Check out their books or online videos.

xaris · Sep 29, 2020

Meditate on His Word...but not in the Eastern sense, (where the mind is clear of thoughts/words).
Proper meditation is what we would call 'ponder', or if you are a cow.. ruminate.

SANTOSO · Sep 30, 2020

Chris V++ said:
I see what you are saying, but I m not sure that deliberately trying not to think and to still your mind will open you up to demonic possession. I'm not considering participating in guided meditations that manipulate thru suggestion. I wondered why the neuroscientist claims not thinking is beneficial while meditating. I m just speculating but maybe the benefit of not thinking is slowing the firing of neurons so that the brain reorganize itself ( Neuroplasticity.) facilitated by the oxygen intake. Sort of like a reboot of an OS. But I dont really know why they say the not thinking is essential.

I don’t know why you are preferred to heed what the neuroscientists than your Maker, God?

It just doesn’t make sense.

neuroscientists just make assumptions based on their empirical data !

But God is your maker and He do tells a lot concerning the mind in the Bible, like set your mind on the things of the Spirit- Roman 8:5
For to set the mind on the flesh is death, but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. -Romans 8:6

Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him; -Psalms 37:7

I don’t know why you are concerned over the benefit spoken by neuroscientist than the benefits spoken by God.

Here, many brothers and sisters have voiced concerns for you heeding that path and explained why they are saying what they are saying. There are many reasons !

Don’t scientists heed to reason ?
Or can you not reason to follower of scientist?
or they can’t accept reason but rather pick the story they believe what they like to hear ?

I am not trying this to offend you!
What can I get offending you ?

But you need to wake up; think carefully why many brothers and sisters tell you OTHERWISE what you want to hear.

If you wake up, I believe many brothers and sisters here are glad that they are speaking what is good for you.

We just hope to embrace the truth of God’s words.
Remember Jesus died for us all, and prove His words.

hluke · Sep 30, 2020

Chris V++ said:
I've recently entertaining taking up meditation again. (The practice of sitting still, clearing the mind and focusing on breathing.) Ive been watching this youtube neuroscientist explain the brain function and health benefits. Before I became a Christian I dabbled in it with discernable results in the form of two brief animated visions (or dreams if you prefer) . I wasn't delusional, They just showed up like dreams behind my closed eyelids and were very brief but vivid and memorable. One was a lotus flower opening up and the other was a tiny meditating figure floating in my stomach area. I told my Buddhist friend at the time who showed me illustrations of those exact images in one of his books. I guess they are common, at least common enough to be recorded in a book.
So this neuroscientist ive been watching on youtube explains those visions. Apparently by focused breathing, oxygen can be channeled to stimulate the pineal gland in the brain which then produces DMT or the so called 'spirit molecule' which causes visions/dreams or hallucinations or whatever you want to call them. He says its chemically similar to LSD but is produced in the body naturally So presuming this is true, is this ok for a Christian to practice meditation? Also, the Bible is full of visions and dreams of the prophets so who is to say how God gave them those visions. Can meditation be a form of prayer to the Christian?

Meditation via breathing or mantra is a big NO for Christians.

Meditating on God's word is what we are asked to do, as indicated by others here. This is to read the bible, memorise verses, ponder them in our heart, pray over the bible etc...

Actually deep and intimate prayer with the Lord is better than any form of breathing exercise or other pagan practice. Praying has three amazing effects. One it establishes cardiac coherence. Second, the Spirit calms our bodies and gives us an overwhelming sense of peace and love.Third and most importantly, we can connect with God in an intimate manner.
Other types of breathing practices and visualisation techniques, especially when practiced regularly will no doubt be influencing a different spirit, which puts a barrier between you and God: the Holy Spirit is sacred so mixing it with another spirit is dangerous...

I used to practice this false meditation and while it made me feel good temporarily, there was a huge void deep in my soul which could only be filled by reading the word of God, praying, and worshipping.

Pdugeon in post #17 puts a concise summary of this

bèlla · Sep 30, 2020

C.S. Lewis touched on this in The Screwtape Letters. His comments were amusing.

I don't meditate. I learned how to control my thoughts during forays into other religions. I have a degree of consciousness I employ in its place. I don't empty. I recognize the difference between my thoughts and intrusions. Those are the ones I get rid of. I have periods of silence during the day. They're restorative. I practice contemplation through conversations with the Lord and lectio divina.

Yours in His Service,

~Bella

hluke · Sep 30, 2020

zippy2006 said:
Honestly, it already is. In the Western Christian tradition it is called contemplation or contemplative prayer. In the Eastern Christian tradition it is called hesychasm. The most common abuse/heresy associated with this form of prayer is called Quietism. This form of prayer is relatively uncommon among Protestants, relatively common among Catholics, and for Eastern Orthodox it tends to be reserved for monks and those who are able to devote considerable amounts of time to the practice rather than common laypersons. There are dangers and therefore a suitable instructor or guide is important.

Two Catholic popularizers of contemplative prayer are Martin Laird and Thomas Keating. Check out their books or online videos.

Yes, its dangerous because a believer in Christ shouldn't mix a false and corruptive spirit with the Holy Spirit.

Jonathan Walkerin · Sep 30, 2020

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) said:
What's the point of that? Trying not to think? Come on, man. That's not meditation. It's stupid

Think about it as fasting.

You can fast for religious reasons or you can just fast because it makes you feel better.

You can meditate on God’s word or you can meditate to sounds of nature, or whatever help.

Your body gets certain benefits either way. Nothing unChristian in it.

Bit like yoga. You can just do it as physical exercise.

Those asanas are not secretly unlocking Satan’s cage in hell via telepathy.

Cis.jd · Sep 30, 2020

Chris V++ said:
I've recently entertaining taking up meditation again. (The practice of sitting still, clearing the mind and focusing on breathing.) Ive been watching this youtube neuroscientist explain the brain function and health benefits. Before I became a Christian I dabbled in it with discernable results in the form of two brief animated visions (or dreams if you prefer) . I wasn't delusional, They just showed up like dreams behind my closed eyelids and were very brief but vivid and memorable. One was a lotus flower opening up and the other was a tiny meditating figure floating in my stomach area. I told my Buddhist friend at the time who showed me illustrations of those exact images in one of his books. I guess they are common, at least common enough to be recorded in a book.
So this neuroscientist ive been watching on youtube explains those visions. Apparently by focused breathing, oxygen can be channeled to stimulate the pineal gland in the brain which then produces DMT or the so called 'spirit molecule' which causes visions/dreams or hallucinations or whatever you want to call them. He says its chemically similar to LSD but is produced in the body naturally So presuming this is true, is this ok for a Christian to practice meditation? Also, the Bible is full of visions and dreams of the prophets so who is to say how God gave them those visions. Can meditation be a form of prayer to the Christian?

It's ok to practice meditation as long as you are not doing it like a crazy guy who who believes the superstitious nonsense it does to you internally. If it is a way to just keep your mind away from your normal noise, then sure.

Elfkind · Sep 30, 2020

I practiced Buddhism, and then of course meditated a lot, before I converted to Christianity. I'd like to point out that there's a difference in the word "meditation as it is used to describe: "meditating upon the word of God" and simply the practice of meditation how it is normally practiced, by simply observing the breath going in the nose and out the mouth. Meditation is all about removing ourselves from this world. While prayer is getting deeply, personally involved in the trials others face. It's not in any way the same. I won't go as far as saying meditation is something wrong or some kind of sin, but it could be if it is something that we put above a relationship with Jesus and our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Daniel9v9 · Sep 30, 2020

Well, there's a simple difference between Eastern meditation and Scriptural meditation, and that is that in Eastern meditation, the goal is to clear your mind, whereas Biblical meditation means to fill our mind with God's Word; learn it, ponder it, pray on it. When we studiously and prayerfully search God's Word, we are meditating. God's Word is a lamp to our feet.

rockytopva · Sep 30, 2020

And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide... - Genesis 24:63

Elfkind · Sep 30, 2020

rockytopva said:
And Isaac went out to meditate in the field at the eventide... - Genesis 24:63

There's a difference as Daniel9v9 and myself point out, in what meditation means. So I repeat myself, and I don't think anyone can disagree that it might mean 1) to ponder upon something, to think carefully, to consider something etc. Then it is the 2) practice of meditation, as it is used in Buddhism and to some degree in Hinduism. This is a spiritual practice, and not the gospel of Christ as it have been defined for 2000 years. It's a pretty new thing to consider this as part of a healthy lifestyle, just as Yoga and similar things are also "trendy", and that might be, but it don't change the fact that it is not part of the simple gospel of Jesus and Him crucified.

Remember the words in Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

rockytopva · Sep 30, 2020

Alv Vatzdal said:
There's a difference as Daniel9v9 and myself point out, in what meditation means. So I repeat myself, and I don't think anyone can disagree that it might mean 1) to ponder upon something, to think carefully, to consider something etc. Then it is the 2) practice of meditation, as it is used in Buddhism and to some degree in Hinduism. This is a spiritual practice, and not the gospel of Christ as it have been defined for 2000 years. It's a pretty new thing to consider this as part of a healthy lifestyle, just as Yoga and similar things are also "trendy", and that might be, but it don't change the fact that it is not part of the simple gospel of Jesus and Him crucified.

Remember the words in Ephesians 6:12 "For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places."

I have put my meditations in the form of You Tube videos. My site now has nearly 2.7 million views.... www.youtube.com/rockytopva

rockytopva · Sep 30, 2020

rockytopva said:
I have put my meditations in the form of You Tube videos. My site now has nearly 2.7 million views.... www.youtube.com/rockytopva

Android not copying the url... Apologies... www.youtube.com/c/rockytopva

Gregory Thompson · Sep 30, 2020

Chris V++ said:
Sure, i'm familiar with that. The meditation I described is about becoming still, clearing the mind and sucking in a lot of oxygen with super deep breaths, in through the nose then out through the mouth while trying not to think.

I tried this one meditation exercise that involved breathing once.

Breathe in saying Yud, Breathe out saying Hey

Breathe in saying Vud, Breathe out saying Hey

YHWH

Was pretty awesome.

The emptying the mind part tends to be occult in nature so has varied results not all being good.

public hermit · Sep 30, 2020

Chris V++ said:
Can meditation be a form of prayer to the Christian?

"Though it has acquired other meanings and connotations in recent centuries, the word contemplation had a specific meaning for the first 16 centuries of the Christian era. St. Gregory the Great summed up this meaning at the end of the 6th century as the knowledge of God that is impregnated with love. For Gregory, contemplation was both the fruit of reflecting on the Word of God in scripture and a precious gift of God. He referred to contemplation as “resting in God.” In this “resting,” the mind and heart are not so much seeking God, as beginning to experience what they have been seeking. This state is not the suspension of all activity, but the reduction of many acts and reflections to a single act or thought in order to sustain one’s consent to God’s presence and action."

The Christian Contemplative Tradition - Contemplative Outreach, Ltd.

Notice the last line: Christian contemplation is not a suspension of all activity (i.e. not eastern meditation), but a reduction of all activity to just one: consent to God's presence. In Christian contemplation, one is not emptying the mind, but focusing on God's presence. Since God is ubiquitous, it is possible.

If you are really interested there is a rich Christian tradition on contemplation to be mined.

Fair warning: many Protestants have no idea what they're talking about on this matter. Your sources are going to be early church, Eastern Orthodox, and Catholic. Christian contemplation is just one more example of how Protestants eat the peel and throw out the banana when it comes to spiritual practice and disciplines. I say that as a Protestant.

Elfkind · Sep 30, 2020

I'd like to add that the main difference between prayer, to seek the Holy Spirit, to find peace, and Buddhist meditation, is that the former is about Jesus, the latter is about ourselves and how we can obtain salvation through our own effort. Buddhism is crystal clear in this, that we are our own savior. So if I seem to express a very close-minded opinion about meditation, it is simply that I talk from experience as a Buddhist how this go against how helpless we really are without Jesus, and don't wish my worst enemy to become so lost as I was before I realized that Jesus was real, and a living God.

So I'd like to simply make it clear that meditation is perfectly OK if it is something we do to find a way to get closer to God, but if it is some kind of method to achieve peace of mind, wisdom etc. and something where Jesus turn into something irrelevant, then nothing of this will be found, but peace and Jesus will become distant things in our lives at the same time. That's my view on it.

rockytopva · Sep 30, 2020

My meditation of him shall be sweet: I will be glad in the Lord. - psalms 104:34

Redwingfan9 · Sep 30, 2020

( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°) said:
Have you not read the scripture about how God tells us to meditate upon the Word?

Christian meditation isn't sitting still in place and going into an unthinking trance. When the psalms tell us to meditate on God's law, it means we study it, think about it and apply it in every aspect of our lives. There is a vast difference between this and eastern meditation which is unthinking and emotional.

tturt · Sep 30, 2020

"So keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always." Phillippians 4:8

Is meditation wrong for a Christian?

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