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Christian Meditation Techniques

Fatima Rangwala
Christian meditation techniques keep us in touch with God and help us reflect upon His revelations. It is a structured meditation which not only praise the miracles of God, but also thank Him for bestowing beautiful things in and around humanity, the birth of Jesus Christ and sending him for the redemption of mankind.
It is believed that, in one Godhead, humans are called 'Trinity'―The union of the Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost, eternally in the name of love and relationship. This theory does not strictly revolve around each other, but supremely with God.
The Bible mentions the word meditate ormeditation twenty times. Christian meditation is a cognitive process focusing on the biblical thoughts and reflecting on their meaning to fulfill the deepest yearnings of the soul for the love of God.
Many come to realize that it is through prayer and meditation that one finds serenity, inner peace, bliss, and certainly a path to draw ourselves spiritually closer to God. In our day-to-day life, some find it very hard to sit silently for a few minutes in peace and tranquility. For them, sitting quiet is like watching paint dry.
Soon within them triggers an anxiety attack to speak. But meditation is all about comfortably dwelling in solitude and silence, where the thoughts are within yourself and lone to God. Spend good amount of time with God, reflect on His words all the way, and let Him alter your life for the better.
Here, you will come across some Christian meditation techniques which are similar to Hindu and Buddhist meditation techniques. All of this will be a good start for a spiritual union with the Lord.
The meditation techniques should be practiced daily for anywhere between twenty minutes to an hour by sitting in good solitude. This process should be guided by a spiritual director or a teacher as the instructions would keep the mind from wandering.

Relax in a quiet environment

Choose a place which has an unhurried surrounding. It can be a church, near a mountain whilst watching the sunset, near a waterfall, in a park; any place where you can savor yourself, take time to bask in each sound, smell, or peaceful sight to attempt the communion with the Lord and his creation.

Body Posture

Good postures like kneeling down, sitting straight comfortably or lying flat on your back raise the physical sensations of body, relaxing the mind. Take long or slow deep breaths from the stomach. Muscle relaxing exercises ease out stress and worries.

Focus on an Object

It is important if you focus on things that are outside you, like a symbol, a flower, wind, a word, a scene or painting or a crucifix. This activity will help you hear, smell, feel and scan your environment in every possible way.

Whisper a Silent Prayer

When you conduct all of these actions, in between you should slowly, repeat a prayer; for instance, "Come Lord Jesus", "Jesus have mercy". You can seek to envision the light of the Lord by whispering any desired prayer of your heart.
This way you would express gratitude, love and make yourself aware of the things going outside your mind and within too. Such a feeling would create some moments of silence and enchant your focus on the Lord above.

Listen to Music

One of the very effective ways of meditating is having a musical approach. Though many say that this technique is usually not considered as meditative, but who can deny that, music is the essence of life.
It is one of the magnificent ways to lure yourself to feel the presence of the Almighty. Sit quietly, relax your mind, and listen to some music that would help you do away with all your worries and sink you deeper into the presence of the divine.

Chants

Christianity in earlier times, had undulating and gentle sounds of various chants recited by the Christians as a part of God's worship.
Ever since, there are few chants such as psalmody, gregorian chant, byzantine chant, ambrosian, etc. In modern times, many Christian churches and communities have enriched these gorgeous and exultant styles of chants as a part of their devotion to Him.

Kything- The Art of Spiritual Presence

Of all the meditation techniques, this mighty method gives a powerful spiritual experience to your connection with the Lord, with friends, saints, or with nature.
Meditating this way, often outlines three easy steps: Centering prayer, Focus on the one you want to connect with, God or any person and the third simple step is making a contact through visualization meditation.

1. Centering Prayer

It is a process where one repeats a sacred formula or word to experience the loving awareness of Lord's presence. This certainly is a non-conceptual form of a prayer as compared to the conventional spoken prayers.
All you have to do is choose a word such as "Jesus", "Abba", "Love", "God" or "Shalom" and sit and repeat that word continuously with your eyes closed. This is one of the good meditation technique for beginners, because if it's their first time, these sacred words will not let their thoughts wonder, instead it will bring them back to meditate sincerely.

2. Visualizing God

It is said the visuals that are possible are virtually inexhaustible. This is one of the key ingredients to most of the Christian meditation techniques that are imagined to aid in spirituality. You can imagine yourself with God or see him within you in many forms such as, golden light, in your blood, heart, breath, in fire, in the Bible, etc.

Keep the Bible at Hand

Read the Bible very often and try to interpret its verses and its deliverance, for it is truly said; 'God's word is alive! The more you expose yourself to it, the more it will expose itself to you.'
The Bible is His way of talking to you, more like a message to you. To know Him and listen to Him in a much better way, you have to spend time to hear what He has to say.
The value of meditation is focusing on the contemplation of Lord's words, connecting with him, overwhelming the sufferings and purifying the mind and soul from hatred and ego. This gently fruits the soul and spirit to bring out joy, peace and love.
Psalms 119:99 says that: 'I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation'.
After learning all of these meditation methods, probably then you may follow the guidance to the understanding of God and primarily yourself. Learning these various techniques will help you understand the revelation noises from the Holy spirit and what exactly your heart desires.
Praying and meditating is a relationship between two things―God and you! There is no palpable sensation of God, thence we cannot follow the approach toward Him by laying certain sets and techniques for ourselves. At times, His presence is felt better in the shadows of life and deserts.