May 17, 2008 3:24 PM
Christian meditation / Contemplative prayer
Remember when we were discussing the confusion going on with Oprah (The Church of Oprah and Oprah finds the New Age, ditches the Savior)? That discussion was very timely as one of the moms who's been reading here for years - a strong Christian - had become curious about the New Age and was beginning to experience a lot of internal conflict about whether the Bible was true in the way she had believed it to be.
This resulted in some very heavy and very real battles as she struggled to let go of some of the spiritual powers she had begun to appropriate. But through it all, she felt God leading her back to the simplicity of the truth.
Still, Nilda (who gave me her permission to share this story) has been searching for a more contemplative, meditative experience of God. We have been discussing what forms of meditation are compatible with Christianity - that is, when you know that you are not trying to tune in to your own inner divinity, but trying to worship God. Interestingly enough, this is becoming a hot "new topic" in evangelical inspirational books this year - several of which were dedicated to helping moderns understand the classical approach lectio divina (see this article from Christianity Today).
Here Nilda writes on a book she found helpful:
Hey Momma C:Just a quick note to let you know I have found, amongst some of my books, a book that my mom gave me long time ago; it is called CELEBRATION OF DISCIPLINE by Richard J. Foster. I am so thankful that God reminded me and prompted me to read this book; I have been experiencing a deep, almost unbearable longing for God in my life, but in a very deep and new way. Just going to church was not cutting it for me. I really believe that is one of the reasons why it was easy for me to look at, or be lured by, A New Earth.
As I begun to read the book I mentioned above, I was floored when I read the phrase (I’m translating it, since I’m reading it in Spanish) “Grace is free, but is not cheap”. By that he means that we are saved by grace, but that we need to work in developing certain Christian disciplines, in order to enjoy a truly, deeply, spiritual Christian life.
He divides the book into three categories: inward disciplines, outward disciplines and corporate disciplines.
As part of the inward disciplines he mentions meditation, prayer, fasting and study.
He explains the difference from Christian meditation and “pagan” meditation in a very clear and understandable way; he mentions how, sadly, many churches have abandoned practices that a few centuries ago where part of every Christian’s devotional life; he presents that part of the reason many are drawn to seek eastern meditation is perhaps because Christian churches have abandoned such practices that were once vital to the Christian life.
I’m sending you a link for you to review; perhaps other readers would benefit from reading this book, in light of all the attention new age is getting now days, with the Oprah show.
I’ve come to realize that our heritage is one full of practices and disciplines that would take us to a very deep level of intimacy with God; we don’t need to be “Christianizing” any of the disciplines other religions present; all we have to do is stop living a superficial, have-it-your-way, drive-by, kind of Christianity and really dig into our own heritage; this book presents a very easy-to-read introduction to such disciplines, but I also found the article you sent me, about “lectio divina” very useful and inspiring; I have also read the practice of Adoration, practiced in many Catholic Churches, to be right along side this book.
I’ve also come to understand that practicing these disciplines is not “works”, as we are so used to dismiss them in evangelical circles; the only argument I can present from now on is the same as the author of this book mentions: GRACE IS FREE, BUT IT IS NOT CHEAP.
May God bless you today.
Love,
Nilda.
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Comments
The way I became Catholic was through an intense experience of contemplative prayer. If it was not for that experience I don't think I could have ever fully believed that God was real...and would have ended up with a much more shallow faith than I have now.
It was during Adoration that I experienced it....an intense knowing that I was in the presence of a Holy God.
That experience, and the lesser experiences I have had since serve to remind me that the spiritual reality is more real than anything in my life.
I don't believe that there is a technique that can guarantee an experience of contemplative prayer. I believe it is just a gift that God gives to those He wills it. But, of course, we have to really really want it. Sometimes we say we want a deeper prayer life but we really don't, because we don't put any effort into it and a part of us is scared of that kind of real intimacy between us and God. We also don't want to be humbled, and we know that if we really open ourselves up and let ourselves be examined by the Spirit we are going to be humbled.
The deeper ones experience of contemplative prayer, the more aware they are of their absolute nothingness before God.
Posted by: paigeu | May 18, 2008 10:25 AM
May I suggest the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius? These retreats are offered at Our Lady of Bethesda Retreat Center in Maryland. They are silent, 3-day retreats led by a Priest that follow the Spiritual Exercises of St. Ignatius and allow you to Encounter Christ as never before! This isn't some "mountain top" experience, but a true change of heart which allows you to mature in your faith and deepen your intimacy with Christ.
Posted by: Melissa | May 18, 2008 11:41 AM
As I read the beginning of this post, before the letter from Nilda, I immediately thought of Celebration of Discipline. The Psalms are full of mentions of meditating on God's word. The way I see it, Eastern meditation is an "Easternization" of a Judeo-Christian practice. ;) Like all good things, God did it first.
Posted by: Michelle Potter | May 18, 2008 5:07 PM
I read "Celebration of Discipline" in college with a women's mentoring group. It has the best explanation of the discipline of fasting that I've ever read. I highly recommend it!
Posted by: Becky Miller | May 19, 2008 4:22 AM
Orthodox Christianity has a long tradition of meditative prayer. I started meditating about a year ago when I took a mindfulness-based stress reduction class. I loved it and it totally changed my ability to handle stress. However, it was very secular and led me to think Christianity had to have something similar and better. Since I grew up an evangelical, I had no real experience with meditative prayer. Not long after, a member of my church offered a class on hesychasm, the ancient prayer form taught in the Philokalia. It was amazing! I practice hesychastic prayer occasionally and find it a very deep experience. There are lots of books on it, but I'd have to dig out my stuff to tell you which ones to read. :)
People are often so afraid of anything that seems "New Age-y" and of course, true New Age thinking can be very dangerous. But we've become so separated from the traditional practices of the Church that some of these things have fallen from our collective memory and now seem "foreign" when they actually are part of our heritage. Personally, I'm very glad to see a resurgence in developing deeper, more intimate relationships and experiences with God that are not emotion-based, but are based on (very difficult) practices and disciplines that feed our spirits and promote spiritual maturity.
Posted by: Lucy | May 19, 2008 9:09 AM
In checking out the reviews at Amazon, I went to the negative reviews first - that's something I usually do because sometimes it actually tells you more when you hear from those who hate a book rather than those who love it.
There were two groups who disliked the book: anti-Catholics and gays. The anti-Catholics objected to the spiritual practices as being too "Catholic" and the gays objected to the author being "homophobic" because he says that marriage is intended for a man and a woman.
Posted by: barbara | May 19, 2008 9:14 AM
I checked out this book awhile ago from our local library. Unfortunately I was not able to get through the whole thing before the due date, but I really enjoyed what I read. I had read his book called "Prayer" last year and it was very enlightening. Prayer is definitely an area that I have to constantly be diligent, it just doesn't come naturally to me.
Posted by: Jen K. | May 20, 2008 9:03 AM
Thanks for your comments ladies!
I'm halfway done with the book, and it keeps getting better and better. The first four disciplines talk about prayer, meditation, fasting and study. Very interesting and easy to read and understand.
The challenge is to actually apply everything I'm reading.
However, the next disciplines are just as awesome: living a simple life, striving for solitude, service......just writing about it makes my heart leap; something really deep inside me resonates strongly with this study. As if I have been hungering for this for so long, without even knowing it. Like fresh water in a parched land.
I am so intrigued by the 3 day silent retreat. I think that would be so awesome. I remember my Pastor mentioning he participated in something like that. He said they all felt silly the first day, because the tendency to talk was so strong, but he said that by the last day the feeling and the reverence in the place was so tangible and the presence of God was so strong. He said it was a transforming experience.
So Melissa, is that the name of a book, "Spiritual excercises of St. Ignatius"? Perhaps you could give me more information about it?
Thank you again for all the comments. I'm learning a lot, and I'm being encouraged.
Posted by: LadyLovas | May 20, 2008 11:06 AM
