Is meditation wrong for a Christian?

RaymondG · Oct 8, 2020

Akita Suggagaki said:
Yes, there are people who will say it is wrong to just sit, relax, be attentive to breath and to simply let thoughts come and go until there is restful calmness.

Maybe it is the wording...... Maybe we can try just saying relax and try not to think so much.......the breathing will happen on it's own....

SubjectObject · Oct 8, 2020

I haven't read the whole thread, but the first thing that comes to mind is the word Selah that occurs frequently in the psalms which is a musical term means pause and meditate on what was just said/heard.KJV Psalms 4: 4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.“ still” was translated from a word meaning to be still, as in clear your mind

StillGods · Oct 8, 2020

RaymondG said:
Yes, they are believers......Believers of the same thing that you believe: meditation is wrong. And there is nothing wrong with believing this........Issues could arise, however, when we try to get others to believe what we believe....if we happen to be wrong....

they may not be believers, might just be everyday people who are not into the spiritual side of things so they leave before the meditation type stuff.
there is also a danger in saying meditation is ok for believers aswell, because for some people it can open doors to things that are not good. if in doubt dont.

Akita Suggagaki · Oct 8, 2020

StillGods said:
because for some people it can open doors to things that are not good

Like what?

StillGods · Oct 8, 2020

Akita Suggagaki said:
Like what?

is that a serious question?
there are dangers for some people, I'm sad that you do not see that.

Akita Suggagaki · Oct 8, 2020

StillGods said:
is that a serious question?
there are dangers for some people, I'm sad that you do not see that.

Yes, serious. What dangers in meditation?

Ok. I did find this on Google Scholar. It will take a while to evaluate.
http://www.atpweb.org/jtparchive/trps-22-90-01-017.pdf

Akita Suggagaki · Oct 9, 2020

Wow! That was quite a challenging article to read by Mark Epstein. Mark Epstein is an American author and psychotherapist who integrates Buddha's teachings with Sigmund Freud's approaches to trauma. He often writes about the interface of Buddhism and psychotherapy. Most of it over my head. I am not a psychotherapist. I think I will write to him though.

"They point out the potential dangers of meditation for those who have therapy work to do, the flooding from the unconscious that can be stimulated, the inappropriateness of meditation for those with problems maintaining a sense of identity."

"You have to be somebody before you can be nobody"

Other dangers relate to how one misunderstands their experience.

Akita Suggagaki · Oct 10, 2020

So another danger is that the physiological and mental peace that one encounters can be interpreted as something holy. It can be interpreted as the Holy Spirit or presence of Christ rather than a natural step along the way that really has nothing to do with holiness.

Akita Suggagaki · Oct 11, 2020

As you can tell, I am pretty much into meditation and have been since about 1973. I read about what it does in the brain, I have tried many different methods, and the article above was especially helpful in knowing the psychodynamics of it. I want to read more of this Mark Epstein. But right now I am in the midst of a James. H. Austin book.

You see, I think the Eastern religions have a lot to offer on the inner journey. They have road maps and terminology that the West does not have. When it comes to pure mental hygiene there is so much there we can benefit from. BUT it is pure mechanical, like learning and playing an instrument. To be complete I need to bring God into it. And I have studied the great Christian mystics but I find the approach through Zen and Yoga to be more instructive in how the brain and mind work.

So there is great psychological and physical benefit but in my view spiritually empty and impersonal. So most of my life has been exploring the questions of, "How does Christ fit into my meditation and how does meditation fit into my journey with Christ?"

St. John of the Cross and St Bonaventure have been my Christian companions but they are pretty difficult to follow. And, meditation may not be for everyone because learning about our inner selves can be very rough going. When we sit and observe the inner processes it can be dark and deep. But it is what it is. We are who we are.

But meditation is not just about sitting in silence. All the rest of our life must be supportive, the work we do, our interaction with others, our prayer, our reading, every thing we do as disciples of Jesus, as followers of Christ, it all comes with us when we go deeply inward. I am 65. I have been on this journey with Christ as long as I can remember. It was Christ who led me to the interior work. In fact it is he who does the work. I just sit and watch. I would say it is a vocation. In the silence of my heart I sit and wait, "like a child at rest in its mother's arms, even so my soul". It takes patience and faith and discipline.

pescador · Oct 11, 2020

Meditation is fine...

StillGods · Oct 11, 2020

Non Biblical meditation is not ok for believers.

Tigger45 · Oct 11, 2020

Psalm 46:10

“Be still and know that I am God...”

Quieting your mind and basking in the Lord’s presence is healthy and spiritually edifying.

pescador · Oct 11, 2020

StillGods said:
Non Biblical meditation is not ok for believers.

So people shouldn't think???

StillGods · Oct 11, 2020

pescador said:
So people shouldn't think???

Guided meditations, chakra meditation, transcendental meditation etc etc that sort of thing, is not for believers.

zippy2006 · Oct 11, 2020

Akita Suggagaki said:
So there is great psychological and physical benefit but in my view spiritually empty and impersonal. So most of my life has been exploring the questions of, "How does Christ fit into my meditation and how does meditation fit into my journey with Christ?"

This would be an interesting thread topic if a place could be found where it would be taken seriously.

(I will be busy for the next week or two, but would contribute to such a thread after that.)

pescador · Oct 11, 2020

StillGods said:
Guided meditations, chakra meditation, transcendental meditation etc etc that sort of thing, is not for believers.

Why not? I have meditated as a Christian in a "guided" setting. It is an excellent way to calm yourself, shut out all extraneous "chatter", and focus on the Spirit. I don't really care what others focus on, but taking time to listen to the guiding of the Spirit is very worthwhile.

zippy2006 · Oct 11, 2020

Matthew Fox has some interesting thoughts on Aquinas' relation to contemplation:

The first text he is referring to can be found here:

https://individual.utoronto.ca/pking/translations/AQUINAS.Exposition_of_Hebdomads.pdf

(@public hermit may find this interesting)

StillGods · Oct 11, 2020

pescador said:
Why not? I have meditated as a Christian in a "guided" setting. It is an excellent way to calm yourself, shut out all extraneous "chatter", and focus on the Spirit. I don't really care what others focus on, but taking time to listen to the guiding of the Spirit is very worthwhile.

For me it's too much like spacing out and dangerous for me to be honest, maybe it's because of past but it's too easy to enter another realm so it's not good.
Listening to the guiding of the Spirit when feeling hungry people on the street, raising money for kids in an orphanage, practical stuff where God is guiding me is when I see the Spirit moving and feel closest to Him.

Akita Suggagaki · Oct 11, 2020

StillGods said:
For me it's too much like spacing out and dangerous for me to be honest, maybe it's because of past but it's too easy to enter another realm so it's not good

I can appreciate your concern. But by different realm do you mean of your own psyche or cosmic?

StillGods · Oct 11, 2020

Akita Suggagaki said:
I can appreciate your concern. But by different realm do you mean of your own psyche or cosmic?

Difficult to explain to be honest but God and myself know - He's pulled me back before stopped me going there, so I dont even bother with all that breathing and meditation type stuff, because it's more productive in my relationship with God to spend time with Him while doing practical feeding the hungry and helping raise money for the orphanage type activities where He is active.

Is meditation wrong for a Christian?

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