Meditation

For some people, traditional prayer forms are not helpful. While words guide many people, there are some of us who seek to go beyond words in a wordy culture in which the more we say, the less meaning exists.

Meditation is practiced not just by eastern religions like Hinduism and Buddhism but most certainly by Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Methods of meditation tend to be similar in many aspects throughout these very different faith traditions.

Meditation is not thinking, in the sense we do it here; it is, simply stated but hard to do, a focus of the soul on the presence of God.


 

Sit comfortably but erect. Some prefer using cushions and sitting cross-legged on the floor, but this is not necessary. It is important, however, to sit straight. Relaxing too much can invite sleepiness and mind-wandering.
 
Focus your attention on each breath, called “centering.” To help this, count “1” each time you exhale, up to “10,” then start over. When you can do this several times without getting lost, you will find yourself moving towards a deeper attention to God.
 

It is sometimes helpful to find a “holy word” to help bring the mind back to God when it wanders (this technique is called “Centering Prayer”). Once you begin to be centered, you do not need to continue to count breaths, but to bring your mind back when you daydream, simply say this word to yourself when you exhale. Suggested words: love, mercy, kindness, God, Jesus, Spirit, shepherd, Father, Mother, Savior.
 

Another way to use words is to pray the Jesus Prayer, or Prayer of the Heart: “Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.” As you breathe in , think, “Jesus Christ, Son of God;” exhaling, think, “Have mercy on me.”
 

Another use of the Jesus Prayer is to pray it for others: “Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on _______.” 

Feel free to let your meditation focus only on your breathing and the awareness of the presence of God. A good goal is to begin your practice with only 3 – 5 minutes per day and let it grow.

Allow yourself, whatever technique you use, to focus more on the presence of God than on perfecting a particular method. The method is used to quiet the mind, center the attention, and invite you into the presence of the always-present God.
 

End your meditation with the Lord’s Prayer. 

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