| According to the Bible, Christians must meditate | | | | four stages of meditation, namely lectio, |
| as a part of their inherent spiritual growth. It | | | | meditatio, oratio, and contemplatio. In the first or |
| mentions that all true Christians must meditate on | | | | the lectio stage, mediators choose a passage |
| God's word during all times of the day. The Old | | | | from the Bible and read it purposefully. The next |
| Testament includes two Hebrew words for | | | | stage is known as the meditatio stage where |
| meditation, Haga and Sihach, which respectively | | | | meditators ponder over the meaning of the text. |
| mean to meditate or ponder, and to muse or | | | | The third stage involves oratio or affective |
| contemplate. These words can also be interpreted | | | | prayer where meditators pray to God to reveal |
| to mean as dwell, diligently consider, and heed and | | | | the truth. The fourth stage is contemplatio or |
| prove that meditation indeed is a part of | | | | contemplation and here meditators rest in God's |
| Christianity. Christian meditation recognize three | | | | presence. |
| times of the day when Christians can tune into | | | | Most Christian leaders describe meditation as a |
| God's Word. These times are just before falling | | | | focused thinking process where meditators are |
| asleep, upon awaking and any other a specific | | | | required to make a serious effort by selecting a |
| time each day. | | | | verse and reflecting on it. According to them, it is |
| Ample historic evidence of the practice of many | | | | God's will that His children must think about His |
| forms of Christian meditations has been found. A | | | | word; this makes meditation an important |
| form of meditation that has been used since at | | | | exercise of their minds. Christian meditations are |
| least the fourth century is the "lectio divina." | | | | aimed at transformation of life to make |
| Lectio divina refers to sacred reading and involves | | | | meditators like Jesus Christ. |