Buddhist Mindfulness and Christian Vigilance.

[Akita Suggagaki]

Orthodox Christianity uses the term 'nepsis'.

Great. Thanks for that. A new door opens. I'll have to go back to the Philokalia. It has been a very long time for me.

BTW; Can you recommend an English translation?

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Great. Thanks for that. A new door opens. I'll have to go back to the Philokalia. It has been a very long time for me.

BTW; Can you recommend an English translation?

I found:

St Hesychios the Priest On Watchfulness and Holiness Written for Theodoulos

1. Watchfulness is a spiritual method which, if sedulously practiced over a long period, completely frees us: with God's help from impassioned thoughts, impassioned words and evil actions. It leads, in so far as this is possible, to a sure knowledge of the inapprehensible God, and helps us to penetrate the divine and hidden mysteries. It enables us to fulfill every divine commandment in the Old and New Testaments and bestows upon us every blessing of the age to come. It is, in the true sense, purity of heart, a state blessed by Christ when He says: 'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God' (Matt. 5:8); and one which, because of its spiritual nobility and beauty - or, rather, because of our negligence - is now extremely rare among monks. Because this is its nature, watchfulness is to be bought only at a great price. But once established in us, it guides us to a true and holy way of life. It teaches us how to activate the three aspects of our soul correctly, and how to keep a firm guard over the senses. It promotes the daily growth of the four principal virtues, and is the basis of our contemplation.

on page 110.

here https://ia802708.us.archive.org/32/items/Philokalia-TheCompleteText/Philokalia-Complete-Text.pdf

 

[Jesse Dornfeld]

Buddhism contradicts Christianity. For example, in Buddhism, the universe is eternal and in Christianity it is finite. There are many other ways they contradict as well. Dr. Gary Habermas said he had almost become a Buddhist but is now the leading expert on the resurrection.

The question about "mindfulness" is whether it includes altered mind states. I think it does and as such would be something we might consider "not being sober-minded." I was a part of a DBT group therapy that focusses on mindfulness. It's actually quite a bit less effective than Christian prayer and such.

In short, there is no need for mindfulness if you are a Christain. What benefits mindfulness gives can be gotten from other means in Christianity.

There's also the possibility that you are opening up yourself to other spirits when practicing meditation. But there is Christian meditation, it's just quite a bit different from eastern meditation. It's more like repeating a verse or passage to yourself over and over rather than being "aware" which can lead to other spirits communicating with you.

 

[IoanC]

Great. Thanks for that. A new door opens. I'll have to go back to the Philokalia. It has been a very long time for me.

BTW; Can you recommend an English translation?

I believe there was only one English translation. I am more used to the Romanian version.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

In short, there is no need for mindfulness if you are a Christain.

I suppose it depends on how you define "mindfulness". As Ionc pointed out "Nepsis" of orthodoxy is essential.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

The question about "mindfulness" is whether it includes altered mind states. I think it does and as such would be something we might consider "not being sober-minded."

What makes you think "mindfulness' includes altered mental states.

And what do you mean by that? Is relaxation an altered mind state? Is Prayer?

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

​

1 Peter 5:8 8 Be sober-minded and alert. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. Nepsate gregoresete 3525nḗphō – properly, to be sober (not drunk), not intoxicated; (figuratively) free from illusion, i.e. from the intoxicating influences of sin (like the impact of selfish passion, greed, etc.). ("be sober, unintoxicated") refers to having presence of mind (clear judgment), enabling someone to be temperate (self-controlled). ("uninfluenced by intoxicants") means to have "one's wits (faculties) about them," which is the opposite of being irrational. 1127grēgoreúō – literally, "stay awake"; (figuratively) be vigilant (responsible, watchful). I do think there is a lot of shared meaning with "Mindfulness"​

 

[ViaCrucis]

From the start of this thread I was thinking of the Hesychast tradition within Orthodoxy. Literally "stillness" as in "be still and know I am God"; an essential component of theoria, being aware of God's presence. In the West it is called contemplatio, which in English is contemplation. The awareness of God; not as an experience but being soberingly conscious of God. Again, "be still and know I am God".

-CryptoLutheran

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

From the start of this thread I was thinking of the Hesychast tradition within Orthodoxy. Literally "stillness" as in "be still and know I am God"; an essential component of theoria, being aware of God's presence. In the West it is called contemplatio, which in English is contemplation. The awareness of God; not as an experience but being soberingly conscious of God. Again, "be still and know I am God".

-CryptoLutheran

Right on with Orthodoxy Hesychia, watchfulness, sobriety and attentiveness. Combines with the Jesus Prayer that seems to be the essence of the mystical practice. I am not so sure about Judaism. But there is this:

Devekut, debekuth, deveikuth or deveikus (Heb. דבקות; Mod. Heb. "dedication", traditionally "clinging on" to God) is a Jewish concept referring to closeness to God. It may refer to a deep, trance-like meditative state attained during Jewish prayer, Torah study, or when performing the 613 mitzvot (the "commandments"). It is particularly associated with the Jewish mystical tradition.

Dhikr is a type of meditation within Islam, meaning remembering and mentioning God, which involves the repetition of the 99 Names of God since the 8th or 9th century.

Sufism uses a meditative procedure like Buddhist concentration, involving high-intensity and sharply focused introspection. In the Oveyssi-Shahmaghsoudi Sufi order, for example, muraqabah takes the form of tamarkoz, "concentration" in Persian.

But back to Christianity. I belong to a mindfulness group and they asked me to give a little presentation comparing and contrasting Buddhist and Christian meditation. Of course the main difference is invoking Jesus in the practice. Otherwise I think there are some major similarities.

As I mentioned, I am most interested in the watchfulness for knee jerk reactions. For example. I opened a can of beans to put in soups I was making. I then sit down to read. My wife comes home, sees the can and begins an interrogation about it, asking questions no one in their right mind would care to know the answers to. I am annoyed. How do I react? Am I watchful and realize what is happening within myself? Do I recognize my annoyance and overcome it before I respond? Am I alert to my own internal thoughts and feelings arising that I do not respond in reflex with snark? Am I keeping watch with Christ? over my thoughts , words and deed?

To me that is a practical Nepsis in daily life. That is "Mindfulness". It can also be practiced in prayer and meditation. And I think that might be where East and West differ. In the east they seem to start with the inner work of meditation and then extend it outward. in the West they seem to start in the outer daily work and then apply it to prayer as well.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

Well I am having some fun doing word searches on things related to "mindfulness" in Biblical texts. I kind of like "gird up the loins of the mind".

• 1 Peter 1:13
  Be Holy
  Therefore, having girded up the loins of the mind (ἀναζωσάμενοι ) and fully sober minded ( νήφοντες ) , set your hope on the grace to be brought to you when Jesus Christ is revealed at his coming.
  
• 1 Peter 4:7
  The end of all things is near. Therefore be clear minded (σωφρονήσατε) and of sober (νήψατε ) so that you may pray (προσευχάς).
  
  
• 1 Peter 5:8
  Be sober minded (Νήψατε) watch (γρηγορήσατε) . The adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

1 Peter 1:13 Vulgate
propter quod succincti lumbos mentis vestrae sobrii perfecte
(Wherefore, having the loins of your mind girt up, being sober)

girded up the loins of the mind (ἀναζωσάμενοι ) and fully sober minded ( νήφοντες )

1 Peter 5:8 Vulgate
sobrii estote vigilate
(Be sober and watch)

sober minded (Νήψατε) watch (γρηγορήσατε)

Greek "nepsis" = Latin sōbrius, from se- (“without”) + ebrius (“intoxicated”)?


Marcum 13:37 dico vigilate I say keep watch.
Matthaeum 26:38 vigilate mecum Keep watch with me.

 

[FireDragon76]

I am interested in some discussion on the similarities and differences. There are many biblical exhortations to be watchful, vigilant, 'Keep watch". In my reading the seem to contain a moral element. Watch that you are ready for the coming. Watch and pay. Watch for the Adversary.

23 Bible Verses about 'Watch'

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your… A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has… Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The… The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over… Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for…

dailyverses.net

• Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
  Matthew 24:42
• Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
  Matthew 26:41
• But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,
  I wait for God my Savior;
  my God will hear me. Micah 7:7
• Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
  Luke 12:15

Meanwhile, Buddhist mindfulness seems to be more about nonjudgmental awareness. Starting with breathing and then thoughts and feelings. Just awareness without guilt or getting involved with them.
As the popular concept of “mindfulness” has grown exponentially over the past three or four decades, the term has been defined and interpreted in all sorts of ways and applied to all aspects of life, from business transactions to eating to sex. Indeed, being “mindful” is often viewed as an end in itself.

That, however, is not a Buddhist idea. It’s worth remembering that the Buddha never said that mindfulness can solve our problems—it’s just one skill among many that he taught on the path leading to cessation of suffering.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness, the English translation of "sati," describes a way of training the mind that is integral to all other elements of Buddhist practice.

tricycle.org

So While Buddhist Mindfulness is the recent trend, Christian vigilance is an ancient and perhaps at times forgotten discipline.

Thoughts?

I studied Zen in the past for several years in the lineage of Thitch Nhat Hanh, under the supervision of a teacher that was taugh by TNH. It wasn't a large group, and it's since disbanded.

Meister Eckhart seemed to have taught something similar to apatheia, similar to Eastern Orthodox spirituality. Apatheia is a dispassionate state that isn't reactive. There are similarities to many mystical traditions in other religions, including Zen. The Christian tradition speaks of the 7 Deadly Sins (or 8-9 vices for Evagrius of Pontus), but in Buddhism these are called kleshas or "poisons, afflictions".

Zen, in some ways, has a more straightforward path towards mystical states of consciousness. However, there is a tendency towards antinomianism and sometimes nihilism in Zen, and the experience is not always stabilized and integrated well. I've been following Doshin Roshi and he talks about integrating Jungian shadow work into his practice.

Currently I'm following Cynthia Bourgeault on the web and youtube, she lived as a hermit for several years. What I liked about the ectlectic "wisdom tradition" approach she takes is that it cuts out alot of the baggage of alot of Christian religions, like Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy, which, while having a deep psychology, also has alot of baggage (having had very little contact with modernity, especially in the case of Orthodoxy) and isn't very serviceable in the modern world in its default state. It's helped me to see that the western traditions might even be superior in some ways, but it's a matter of separating the wheat from the chaff.

If I lived in a place that had an Episcopal diocese that wasn't entrenched in conservative Evangelicalism, I'd probably just be Episcopalian (Lutheranism isn't the best fit for mysticism, and Lutherans have little understanding how spirituality and asceticism relates to mental health. I'm saddened by the number of people in my congregation that have kids on some kind of pill for anxiety or depression. I gave that up years ago after I discovered meditation and Chinese medicine). I went back to meditating frequently during the pandemic, because even before, I found I was becoming unhappy and dissatisfied again, despite my church attendance, and found little spiritual resources in Lutheranism as presented to me. Currently I visit a UCC church that's fairly close to where I live once in a while, and I appreciate that they have a more active spirituality that's less individualistic and otherworldly, but I do miss the high church type liturgy of Lutherans.

Studying the Enneagram years ago has helped me realize seeking approval or people-pleasing is my weakness. I also am interested in biofeedback as a spiritual tool, particularly heartrate variability training. At least for me, it's more effective than spending alot of time on a cushion, but I still do that from time to time.

Having never really studied Buddhism earlier in life, I was surprised to discover that you can in fact be a Buddhist with or without theism. I have known believers who also practiced some concepts of Buddhism as to their "religion." I personally like the mindfulness aspect, as well as the separtion from materialism. There are, of course, some serious contradictions.
We have all heard of the theories about Jesus travelling to India during His early adult years and being exposed to Buddhist philosophy. I have my doubts... but there are some practical compatibilities.

Buddhism is basically transcendental apophaticism. Contrary to some "Buddhist modernists", or the misunderstandings of some modern westerners, Buddhism is not compatible with a materialist worldview. Indeed, in the late ancient period, Buddhist patriarchs like Vasubandhu and Shantideva engaged in a great deal of disputation with Indian materialists.

Some forms of Buddhism, particularly those found in Tibet and East Asia, have concepts roughly analogous to a philosophical concept of God (the "Ground of Being" of Paul Tillich, for instance), and some Buddhas are seen as emanations of absolute reality. Overall, though, I would describe the worldview being somewhere between Berkley's subjective idealism, or Jung's notion of the collective unconscious, with our world of ordinary experience being a kind of structure over that.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

I studied Zen in the past for several years in the lineage of Thitch Nhat Hanh, under the supervision of a teacher that was taugh by TNH. It wasn't a large group, and it's since disbanded.

Meister Eckhart seemed to have taught something similar to apatheia, similar to Eastern Orthodox spirituality. Apatheia is a dispassionate state that isn't reactive. There are similarities to many mystical traditions in other religions, including Zen. The Christian tradition speaks of the 7 Deadly Sins (or 8-9 vices for Evagrius of Pontus), but in Buddhism these are called kleshas or "poisons, afflictions".

Zen, in some ways, has a more straightforward path towards mystical states of consciousness. However, there is a tendency towards antinomianism and sometimes nihilism in Zen, and the experience is not always stabilized and integrated well. I've been following Doshin Roshi and he talks about integrating Jungian shadow work into his practice.

Currently I'm following Cynthia Bourgeault on the web and youtube, she lived as a hermit for several years. What I liked about the ectlectic "wisdom tradition" approach she takes is that it cuts out alot of the baggage of alot of Christian religions, like Catholicism or Eastern Orthodoxy, which, while having a deep psychology, also has alot of baggage (having had very little contact with modernity, especially in the case of Orthodoxy) and isn't very serviceable in the modern world in its default state. It's helped me to see that the western traditions might even be superior in some ways, but it's a matter of separating the wheat from the chaff.

If I lived in a place that had an Episcopal diocese that wasn't entrenched in conservative Evangelicalism, I'd probably just be Episcopalian (Lutheranism isn't the best fit for mysticism, and Lutherans have little understanding how spirituality and asceticism relates to mental health. I'm saddened by the number of people in my congregation that have kids on some kind of pill for anxiety or depression. I gave that up years ago after I discovered meditation and Chinese medicine). I went back to meditating frequently during the pandemic, because even before, I found I was becoming unhappy and dissatisfied again, despite my church attendance, and found little spiritual resources in Lutheranism as presented to me. Currently I visit a UCC church that's fairly close to where I live once in a while, and I appreciate that they have a more active spirituality that's less individualistic and otherworldly, but I do miss the high church type liturgy of Lutherans.

Studying the Enneagram years ago has helped me realize seeking approval or people-pleasing is my weakness. I also am interested in biofeedback as a spiritual tool, particularly heartrate variability training. At least for me, it's more effective than spending alot of time on a cushion, but I still do that from time to time.




Buddhism is basically transcendental apophaticism. Contrary to some "Buddhist modernists", or the misunderstandings of some modern westerners, Buddhism is not compatible with a materialist worldview. Indeed, in the late ancient period, Buddhist patriarchs like Vasubandhu and Shantideva engaged in a great deal of disputation with Indian materialists.

Some forms of Buddhism, particularly those found in Tibet and East Asia, have concepts roughly analogous to a philosophical concept of God (the "Ground of Being" of Paul Tillich, for instance), and some Buddhas are seen as emanations of absolute reality. Overall, though, I would describe the worldview being somewhere between Berkley's subjective idealism, or Jung's notion of the collective unconscious, with our world of ordinary experience being a kind of structure over that.

You have been on quite the journey, Firedragon76. Since you have read Cynthia Bourgeault and Meister Eckhart you might also be interested in Bede Griffiths, Richard Rohr and of course Thomas Merton. My main go to person is Sri Aurobindo be he is like and encyclopedia.

I think with mindfulness" Buddhism starts at ground zero, inside in meditation. And that brings it outside to apply in daily life. Christianity seems to start inside also but with a different intent. It is more active, allowing some thoughts and banishing others. And then also bringing that attentiveness to words and deeds. In short, nonjudgmental or judgmental. Oddly enough, I don't think it matters. In both traditions the practice is to let thoughts go, good or bad. But as I posted earlier, may main interest is to be more alert, aware, mindful, watchful of my inner movements that will find expression in my thoughts, words and deeds. That is how " devil, as a roaring lion" can devour me, when I slip and let my reactive habits come out without my full consent.
Thanks for your posts.

 

[Akita Suggagaki]

I haven't found a way to connect meaning of the Sanscrit words of Buddhism with Biblical Hebrew and Greek words. The English or Chinese translation of Sanscrit words is only the image in mirror, not Sanscrit itself.

I agree. It would take someone extremely well acquainted with the old languages. For example


Sati (from Pali: सति; Sanskrit: स्मृति smṛti) is mindfulness or awareness, a spiritual or psychological faculty (indriya) that forms an essential part of Buddhist practice.

Sati (Buddhism)

Sati (from Pali: सति; Sanskrit: स्मृति smṛti) is mindfulness or awareness, a spiritual or psychological faculty (indriya) that forms an essential part of Buddhist practice. It is the first factor of the Seven Factors of Enlightenment. "Correct" or "right" mindfulness (Pali: sammā-sati, Sanskrit...

encyclopedia.pub

So do we go with "Sati" or "Smriti". and then I did Hebrew word searches and there are serval confusing Hebrew terms. Greek is not so bad. And I notice in the Bible these words can have very different meanings in different contexts.

 

[Pavel Mosko]

I am interested in some discussion on the similarities and differences. There are many biblical exhortations to be watchful, vigilant, 'Keep watch". In my reading the seem to contain a moral element. Watch that you are ready for the coming. Watch and pay. Watch for the Adversary.

23 Bible Verses about 'Watch'

Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your… A thousand years in your sight are like a day that has… Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The… The LORD will keep you from all harm— he will watch over… Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for…

dailyverses.net

• Therefore keep watch, because you do not know on what day your Lord will come.
  Matthew 24:42
• Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.
  Matthew 26:41
• But as for me, I watch in hope for the Lord,
  I wait for God my Savior;
  my God will hear me. Micah 7:7
• Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”
  Luke 12:15

Meanwhile, Buddhist mindfulness seems to be more about nonjudgmental awareness. Starting with breathing and then thoughts and feelings. Just awareness without guilt or getting involved with them.
As the popular concept of “mindfulness” has grown exponentially over the past three or four decades, the term has been defined and interpreted in all sorts of ways and applied to all aspects of life, from business transactions to eating to sex. Indeed, being “mindful” is often viewed as an end in itself.

That, however, is not a Buddhist idea. It’s worth remembering that the Buddha never said that mindfulness can solve our problems—it’s just one skill among many that he taught on the path leading to cessation of suffering.

What is mindfulness?

Mindfulness, the English translation of "sati," describes a way of training the mind that is integral to all other elements of Buddhist practice.

tricycle.org

So While Buddhist Mindfulness is the recent trend, Christian vigilance is an ancient and perhaps at times forgotten discipline.

Thoughts?

I'm a big fan of this kind of topic going back years ago, basically leaving Christianity for a short time (undergraduate years) because of lots of childhood unhappiness with Christian parochial schools and other stuff going on in my local Lutheran church etc. I became an unofficial Taoist in my college years and was surprised coming back to the faith when I realized there are lots of similar kinds of Eastern sentiments in the Bible, and I have noticed that other Christians sometimes have had the same kinds of discoveries like an Eastern Orthodox writer wrote a book called "Christ the Eternal Tao" that closely mirrored some of my personal discoveries on the similarities between the Tao and the Logos etc.


Anyway Yes, I agree and would even add some verses on things like being circumspect,


1 Corinthians 11

28But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup. 29For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body. 30For this cause many are weak and sickly among you, and many sleep. 31For if we would judge ourselves, we should not be judged. 3​

Matthew 7:5 English Standard Version​

5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye.

 

[FireDragon76]

You have been on quite the journey, Firedragon76. Since you have read Cynthia Bourgeault and Meister Eckhart you might also be interested in Bede Griffiths, Richard Rohr and of course Thomas Merton. My main go to person is Sri Aurobindo be he is like and encyclopedia.

I plan to read Aurobindo's Life Divine soon. I'm curious about the similarities to Teilhard de Chardin's philosophy.

I think with mindfulness" Buddhism starts at ground zero, inside in meditation. And that brings it outside to apply in daily life.

That's true though Zen is still Buddhism and is situated within a metanarrative of cosmic liberation, similar to Eastern Christianity, and is practiced by a variety of people, not just people interested in mysticism. Somebody who doesn't appreciate the spiritual aspects of Zen in that regard is missing something. There's alot of potential heartfelt spirituality, even in Zen. For western audiences, I think Thitch Nhat Hanh embodied that more than the kind of Japanese martial Zen that most Americans had been familiar with, that came over to the US in the post-WWII Beat generation. East Asian Buddhism in countries like Taiwan is also heavily focused on practical spirituality, as exemplified through Da Ai (Great Love) and Tzu Chi (Compassion Relief Society), both organizations run by the Ven. Master Cheng Yen.

Also, keep in mind some forms of Buddhism look very similar to Christianity. Jodo Shinshu, a large Buddhist religion in Japan (and the largest Buddhist religious organization in the US), looks similar in many ways to Lutheranism, in that it has a quietistic and otherworldly focus, traditionally. Similar to Luther's thought, it has a background in a mystical approach, but it eschews meditation or other attempts to gain spiritual merit in favor of faith and otherworldly salvation.

And then also bringing that attentiveness to words and deeds. In short, nonjudgmental or judgmental. Oddly enough, I don't think it matters. In both traditions the practice is to let thoughts go, good or bad.

The western churches, outside of the Quakers, has tended to be anti-quietistic and anti-mystical at times. It's not immediately obvious I supposed for a post Vatican II Catholic, but the Catholic Church actually persecuted quietist mystics like Madame Guyon, even though her writings were widely read in Protestant countries in the Pietist movement (including Wesley).

The eastern Church probably had some suppression of mystical texts (the political establishment no doubt didn't care for it, Constantine and Justinian seem to be overly practical minded, and that's putting it nicely), but overally there was more receptivity to mystical theology.

Not coincidentally, BTW, Cynthia Bourgeault (who is currently an Episcopal priest) was raised attending a Quaker school and that included traditional Waiting Worship with her classmates, and that made a lasting impact on her spiritual formation.

If you haven't encountered Howard Thurman before, I would recommend looking into him. There are many recordings of his sermons on Youtube. He was an African-American Baptist minister that studied under Rufus Jones, a Quaker professor who taught theology and philosophy. Thurman also wrote Jesus and the Disinherited In 1949, which was an influential work in the Civil Rights movement.

 

[FireDragon76]

I found:

St Hesychios the Priest On Watchfulness and Holiness Written for Theodoulos

1. Watchfulness is a spiritual method which, if sedulously practiced over a long period, completely frees us: with God's help from impassioned thoughts, impassioned words and evil actions. It leads, in so far as this is possible, to a sure knowledge of the inapprehensible God, and helps us to penetrate the divine and hidden mysteries. It enables us to fulfill every divine commandment in the Old and New Testaments and bestows upon us every blessing of the age to come. It is, in the true sense, purity of heart, a state blessed by Christ when He says: 'Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God' (Matt. 5:8); and one which, because of its spiritual nobility and beauty - or, rather, because of our negligence - is now extremely rare among monks. Because this is its nature, watchfulness is to be bought only at a great price. But once established in us, it guides us to a true and holy way of life. It teaches us how to activate the three aspects of our soul correctly, and how to keep a firm guard over the senses. It promotes the daily growth of the four principal virtues, and is the basis of our contemplation.

on page 110.

here https://ia802708.us.archive.org/32/items/Philokalia-TheCompleteText/Philokalia-Complete-Text.pdf

That has alot of resonance with other mystical traditions around the world, albeit expressed in Christian language. There is a kind of purified intuition that can connect us to a higher consciousness or collectivity. Most people in their ordinary lives do not connect with this kind of intuition, though there is evidence that women experience this more than men.

Years ago I visited an Episcopal congregation, but they had a discussion lead by the priest instead of a sermon, followed by prayer and the Eucharist. I could imagine something like that, combined with the Quaker practice of waiting (so that any kind of discussion was done prayerfully, being in connection with this higher consciousness), to be a path forward for Christian spirituality. It's been recognized by more than a few postmodern thinkers and theologians (like Bonhoeffer, John A.T. Robinson, etc.) that we have reached the stage where external religious hierarchy combined with logocentrism doesn't lead to spiritual transformation, because people instrumentalize religion, instead of engaging in participation and embodiment.

For this change to happen, churches must give up the Constantinian vision that has held it captive for so long, of baptizing the world for political purposes, and not for the sake of the future (the Kingdom is here and now, and yet unmanifest, whereas Constantine set the stage for the Roman Empire to be equivocated to the Kingdom, or to be spiritualized away as an otherworldly existence). People that aren't interested in the project of working for the Kingdom, the Greater World, the Great Unity, etc. (all Christian, Shinto, or Confucian concepts of essentially the same reality) are simply not manifesting the kind of spirituality the world needs right now. They would be better served by engaging in the minimal levels of self-improvement (something akin to Jordan Peterson's "clean your room" approach, before he became seemingly obsessed with worldly politics and regressive traditionalist spirituality), than looking to existing ossified religion to find salvation. This is especially a problem in American Protestantism, where people are engaging in endemic spiritual bypassing and spiritual materialism.

 

[FireDragon76]

I got a Muse neurofeedback headband a few months before the pandemic began, and I used that most days for several years, usually for twenty minutes to an hour a day. Of course I had experience meditating years ago, but using the Muse was helpful in some ways. I could see it being more helpful for an absolute beginner, esp. if one needs "gamification" to stay motivated.

The Muse app plays the sound of rain (or a beach, a city park, or whatever you choose), and the goal is to reduce the rainstorm's intensity so that you hear birds chirping randomly when you do well (intetiontally designed to be distracting- this is supposed to accelerate learning more than unaided meditation). The system that Muse uses was developed by measuring the brainwaves of Tibetan Buddhist monks and feeding the data into a deep learning algorithm to produce a biofeedback profile for training, and there is an initial calibration process at the beginning of each session, where it records a baseline of the sensors.

I also have an emWave machine from Heartmath years ago. It's a little pocket device that you put your thumb on, or attach a sensor to your ear. It has a pacer light to time your breathing, and it gives you feedback on your heart rate variability, with the goal trying to raise it as high as possible. Heart rate variability (HRV) tends to go up when people experience positive thoughts or experiences, and you can use various techniques along with the breathing to raise heartrate variability, such as visualization. If you practice it often enough, it becomes a habit and your HRV remains high and you feel calmer and more centered for a good while afterwards.

HRV has alot of positive health effects, and high HRV is associated with less stress and disease. It may also slow aging in general. HRV tends to decrease as one ages in the general population, but I've found mine has actually increased over the last couple of years (it went up quite a bit during the pandemic after I adopted a plant-based diet), and I can "beat" 3 out of 4 levels without trouble on the emWave device, getting moderately consistent high level of heartrate variability. When I first got the device about a year before the pandemic, I had trouble even on the 2nd level.

Various forms of prayer seem to be associated with higher heartrate variability, based on what I've read and also in experiments I've done in the past. During extensive HRV training, you can start to notice your heart or the center of your body as the focus of your consciousness- it's just naturally drawn there. Now days you can get apps on some celphones using the infrared sensor in the phone. You can also buy Bluetooth heartrate sensors you can put on your finger, or worn as a ring or watch that can be paired with a phone app.

I have been experimenting with measuring the effects of HRV training on the brain with the Muse EEG. So far I notice that HRV training increases alpha waves, but not nearly as much increase in theta waves (associated with dreaming or deep meditation). This is unlike the usual breath-following meditation I learned from TNH's school, where there is a roughly equal increase in theta and alpha waves.

Buddhism contradicts Christianity. For example, in Buddhism, the universe is eternal and in Christianity it is finite. There are many other ways they contradict as well. Dr. Gary Habermas said he had almost become a Buddhist but is now the leading expert on the resurrection.

Buddhism doesn't really have a singular cosmology, there are various stories about the origins of the universe. Some are similar to Jainism, others are similar to Hinduism. It's not a major theme in Buddhism, the Buddha himself was said to have been dismissive of those sorts of questions, focusing on the existential, psychological, or moral, over the metaphysical or cosmological... at least in the early Buddhist texts.

I asked some Buddhists about this a few months ago, about how the evidence for cyclical cosmology is very weak, and they seemed disinterested. Most seemed to believe life was too precious to waste time on what amount to "speculation", and that their time was better spent entrusting themselves to their Buddhist practice.

The question about "mindfulness" is whether it includes altered mind states. I think it does and as such would be something we might consider "not being sober-minded." I was a part of a DBT group therapy that focusses on mindfulness. It's actually quite a bit less effective than Christian prayer and such.

Meditation allows a person to develop more focus, self-reflection, and self-control, and has been demonstrated to reduce anxiety and depression better than many existing therapies, such as antidepressant drugs. In advanced meditators who have meditated for decades, there is a large increase in gamma wave activity in the brain, even during ordinary consciousness. Everybody experiences some gamma wave activity, it's involved with synchronizing activities across the entire brain, and it's most salient in those "eureka!" moments of insight that ordinary people experience from time to time.

Of course there is evidence Christian prayer might be beneficial on the brain as well, especially in people that pray alot, such as monks or nuns, as it appears to reduce age-related cognitive decline and lead to better mental health than those that prayer very little. But this may be due to similarities of focused, intentional prayer with meditation rather than the truth-value of Christian beliefs.

 

[FireDragon76]

BTW, I just discovered John Vervaeke recently and what he discusses is very relevant to this topic, as he himself is a mindfulness practitioner, albeit one of a Neoplatonic metaphysics.

 

[Jacque_Pierre22]

Buddhism contradicts Christianity. For example, in Buddhism, the universe is eternal and in Christianity it is finite. There are many other ways they contradict as well. Dr. Gary Habermas said he had almost become a Buddhist but is now the leading expert on the resurrection.

The question about "mindfulness" is whether it includes altered mind states. I think it does and as such would be something we might consider "not being sober-minded." I was a part of a DBT group therapy that focusses on mindfulness. It's actually quite a bit less effective than Christian prayer and such.

In short, there is no need for mindfulness if you are a Christain. What benefits mindfulness gives can be gotten from other means in Christianity.

There's also the possibility that you are opening up yourself to other spirits when practicing meditation. But there is Christian meditation, it's just quite a bit different from eastern meditation. It's more like repeating a verse or passage to yourself over and over rather than being "aware" which can lead to other spirits communicating with you.

"Buddhism, the universe is eternal and in Christianity it is finite." Yea this is one of the thing's Islamic philosophers always refuted, part of basic Islam when they were forming their new religion. I'm surprised no one does a comparative analysis of Islamic and Buddhist philosophy, or for that matter why Zaytuna doesn't interact with seminaries considering they all study philosophy. I would like to see a seminary that teaches all of it in one place so students can understand all the major religions.