How To Meditate - Christian Meditation

Chad Dupuis's picture
Submitted by Chad Dupuis on Mon, 12/27/2010 - 21:34

There are hosts of medical studies, volumes of books, and many conversations to be had regarding meditation.  In essence, however, meditation is a very simple technique.  It opens a path towards having greater control over your thoughts and ultimately your actions.  While from a Christian perspective it is quite easy to think altruistically about loving your neighbor as yourself [MAK:12:31], it is another matter entirely to have the mental capacity and ego-control to do so.

As we are all aware, our minds can be quite problematic.  Instead of simply acting out of Christian love and compassion for others we are very often tied up in our own mental worlds full of judgement, resentment, busy thoughts, lust, desire...  you name it, it has passed through our minds.  While it is true that many of our thoughts are positive towards ourselves and others, it is equally true that many are not.  And perhaps more importantly many times we are not thinking about others at all...

Meditation is simply a technique to allow us to bring more peace to our minds so we can share that with others.  If we are so consumed by ourselves and our world, what room is there for those that need our help?  What room is there for God?

Meditation is simple...

You sit and breathe.  You let your thoughts come and go - not attaching to them nor driving them away.  

Just 10-30 minutes once or twice a day will start to make a huge difference in your life generally, your prayer life, and your interactions with others.  

But it's not really that simple!

It's true, it's not that simple.  A principle rule of meditation is that it is not "relaxing", nor is it "concentrating" - meditation is meditation.  Too relaxing and you are just resting, like watching tv or reading a book.  Too focused and you are simply being overly analytical, watching your mind far too closely.

The balance between relaxation and concentration is an ongoing one but there is a simple technique to help - counting the breath.  While other methods such as centering prayer may use a mantra aid, this, in my opinion, is difficult for beginners to learn the difference between relaxation and excessive concentration.  Breath counting is easy because it requires limited mental work (as counting is easy)  and you are not attached in any way to the numbers as you might be with a phrase.

How to count the breath

As you exhale silently count 1, then the next exhale 2, and so forth.  When you get to 10 start over at 1.  *If you lose your way or drift off in thought (this will happen often!), simply return to 1....

This technique allows you to easily guide yourself between relaxation and concentration.  If you are always getting to 10 you are too focused and if you get to 2 and then drift off or think about your day for 15 minutes (it will happen) you are too relaxed or preoccupied.  As you practice in this way you will learn more about your mind.

I would suggest starting your meditation with a prayer inviting God to help you ease your mind to follow his word more closely in your life.  Then let all of that go and simply be...  Afterwards give thanks for the freedom and the time you have to draw closer to God.

While it does take a little time out of your schedule and it takes devotion to benefit from meditation you will derive more from this simple practice than nearly anything else you could do in that small amount of time.  After a few months of practice you will start to see changes in your health, outlook, actions and awareness allowing you to live more fully.   

Don't get discouraged if your mind seems crazy when you start trying to calm it down.  Every mind starts that way and everyone get their mind calmed down.  You just have to practice.  You will have good days and bad days, good months and bad months, but all the while you are gaining control of your mind.  And this is an important step towards acting with Christian love and compassion.