Meditation
Based on my experience with directed prayer at church this weekend, I have decided to start meditating. To
make a point to me, God used a little serendipity: I was thinking about my experience this weekend (see previous blog post) and a news report came on. It was about the Good Morning America anchor who had a panic attack on live TV. He had resolved to do something about the stress in his life and found that meditation was the thing to do. He even wrote a book on it called "10% Happier". Here is a link to the news story. http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/dan-harris-panic-attack-anchors-book-10-percent-22861100
To do this for yourself:
1. Sit comfortably with your hands in your lap. I like to sit cross legged but that is not necessary. But you should be sitting up straight.
2. Close your eyes and focus on your breath going in and out. As thoughts come, simply refocus on your breath.
3. Take a phrase from scripture and repeat it to yourself. As your thoughts wander, gently bring yourself back to that phrase. I like the phrase "Do not be afraid, I am with you."
4. Do this for 5 minutes
I will write about my experiences with this. Mediation is found all throughout scripture, though I am not sure if they had quite the same experience of it. Most often, it refers to meditating on the Law (or Hebrew scripture... what we call the Old Testament today). But scripture is full of it - there are too many references in to treat here in a short blog post. Many monastics and saints have practiced meditation throughout the years, so I will be in good company.
"May my mediation be pleasing to Him, for I rejoice in the Lord." Psalm 104:34
make a point to me, God used a little serendipity: I was thinking about my experience this weekend (see previous blog post) and a news report came on. It was about the Good Morning America anchor who had a panic attack on live TV. He had resolved to do something about the stress in his life and found that meditation was the thing to do. He even wrote a book on it called "10% Happier". Here is a link to the news story. http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/dan-harris-panic-attack-anchors-book-10-percent-22861100
To do this for yourself:1. Sit comfortably with your hands in your lap. I like to sit cross legged but that is not necessary. But you should be sitting up straight.
2. Close your eyes and focus on your breath going in and out. As thoughts come, simply refocus on your breath.
3. Take a phrase from scripture and repeat it to yourself. As your thoughts wander, gently bring yourself back to that phrase. I like the phrase "Do not be afraid, I am with you."
4. Do this for 5 minutes
I will write about my experiences with this. Mediation is found all throughout scripture, though I am not sure if they had quite the same experience of it. Most often, it refers to meditating on the Law (or Hebrew scripture... what we call the Old Testament today). But scripture is full of it - there are too many references in to treat here in a short blog post. Many monastics and saints have practiced meditation throughout the years, so I will be in good company.
"May my mediation be pleasing to Him, for I rejoice in the Lord." Psalm 104:34
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