| As a community of Evangelical Christians, we | | | | We have abandoned the fullness of Biblical truth, |
| have abdicated our role as leaders in the area of | | | | and abandoned at least some of our role in |
| meditation. This is especially disturbing as seekers | | | | sharing that truth. |
| leave the Christian faith, looking for depth and | | | | In rejecting meditation, we reject the clear |
| meaning elsewhere. Meditation is one of the | | | | examples of the Bible. Throughout Jesus' ministry |
| fastest growing areas of personal and spiritual | | | | we see Him withdrawing for periods of prayer |
| growth. Recent estimates suggest 10 million | | | | and meditation. Jesus spent at least one extended |
| Americans practice some form of meditation. | | | | period of time on retreat, a time of solitude, |
| In my field of Behavioral Medicine, we teach the | | | | prayer and meditation as well as fasting. We are |
| physical components of meditation and use guided | | | | told to "Be still, and know that I am God." The |
| imagery because of the positive impact on health. | | | | Psalmist thirsted for God's presence, and found it |
| Studies show improvement in everything from | | | | through meditation on His word. |
| anxiety, depression, and fibromyalgia, to immune | | | | Yet still we refuse. |
| functioning, cancer survival and heart disease. This | | | | In rejecting guided imagery, we reject large |
| should not be a surprise to us. Living in the way | | | | sections of the Bible. The much-loved 23rd Psalm |
| God has designed for us always results in our | | | | is a beautiful example of a guided imagery |
| good! | | | | meditation. The Psalms are powerful and |
| But there is much more to meditation than the | | | | comforting because they guide us to Him with |
| physical benefits of living in the paths He created | | | | imagery which touches our hearts and speaks to |
| for us. True meditation is resting in the presence | | | | our souls when we are in need. Yet guided |
| of God, open to His transforming Word--an | | | | imagery is considered dangerous, as if we were |
| experience of power and depth. Meditation | | | | somehow tainted by the emotional connection it |
| softens our hard shells. As we meditate, we | | | | brings. As Christians, we should be using imagery |
| become more open to experiencing the presence | | | | in our own prayers and meditation, and also to |
| of God in our Bible study, and in our daily lives. | | | | connect with the hearts of those who are |
| We become more transparent, more fully | | | | searching. |
| present. | | | | Evangelical Christians belong in the marketplace of |
| Christians have known and practiced meditation | | | | current ideas. We have truth to share. Our Lord is |
| for centuries. From the Desert Fathers and | | | | the source of ultimate relationship and meaning. |
| Mothers to Contemplative Prayer, from Lectio | | | | We have been given healthy physical pathways, |
| Divina to practicing the presence-Christians | | | | and transforming interpersonal change, but we |
| throughout history have meditated as they | | | | also have meditation made more full, the Breath |
| deepened their walk with the Lord | | | | of Life to deepen our own breath, to move us |
| Yet instead of celebrating the meditation of our | | | | into ever deepening relationship with God. |
| faith, many Evangelical Christians react with fear | | | | We have the gift of the outstretched arms of |
| or ridicule to any mention of the practice. Some | | | | the God of all creation who, "rich in mercy, |
| fear Eastern and New Age influences. Some fear | | | | because of the great love with which He loved us, |
| loss of control, or even openness to demons. The | | | | even when we were dead in our transgressions |
| Catholic community does have groups teaching | | | | made us alive together with Him". Who else can |
| and practicing meditation, but it is hard for wary | | | | claim such a deep well of radical acceptance and |
| Evangelicals to move outside their denominational | | | | loving-kindness? |
| boundaries. Meditation, along with its many | | | | We can go to the same restoring well Jesus drew |
| benefits, is relegated to "them, not us". | | | | on, as we walk with the Lord in prayer and |
| Instead of functioning as a path drawing people to | | | | meditation. We are called to live in the radical |
| Christ and nourishing their relationship with Him, | | | | acceptance and loving-kindness of our grace-gifted |
| meditation and guided imagery have become a | | | | acceptance by God. We have been given |
| path to Buddhist, New Age and secular teachers | | | | emotional comfort and healing through the guided |
| such as Deepak Chopra, Jon Cabat-Zinn and the | | | | imagery of the Bible. |
| Dalai Lama, who teach radical acceptance and | | | | We have a gift to share. Meditation is a part of |
| lovingkindness, but with no true basis for love, no | | | | that gift. How can we refuse to enjoy it? How |
| way to reconcile truth and goodness and the | | | | can we not share it with those in need? |
| reality of sin. | | | | |