Meditating with Presbyterians
Early this past spring, I attended a three day workshop offered by the Committee on Ministry of Peace River Presbytery. Most of it was expected and helpful. Yet on the last day the presenter, from the Lombard Mennonite Peace Center, began to talk about Systems Theory and Spirituality for the church leader. I wondered if I was dreaming.
During the course of the day, he used the teachings of Fr. John Main to instruct us in meditation techniques for anxious pastors of anxious congregations. At one point we all gathered to spend half an hour meditating together in the sanctuary.
Not being new to meditation I thought to myself:"wow, this is great,a workshop with a built-in relaxation time!" But when we returned to our most uncomfortable meeting room to de-brief our experience... I realized that this time of group meditation was profoundly different than when I set aside time to meditate alone. I listened as one participant spoke about sounds I never heard. Another commented on the movement within the room. Another recounted hearing an airplane overhead. I sat quietly in amazement, because although my hearing is good... I heard none of it. Often while meditating alone at home or in the chapel I hear those things too. But that day, in that space, with those people, immersed in prayer... I realized I'd been aware of none of it. I attribute the phenomena to the Scripture "when two or more are gather in my name... there I am in the midst of them." I felt totally enfolded in the presence of God's Spirit.
That experience has sent me on a 6-month journey researching and reading about meditation and in particular its Christian tradition and practice. I wondered why its a 'suspect' practice in some mainline denominations, openly practiced in others and anathema in others. I've read Main and Freeman, Merton and Foster. I've continued in a daily discipline of meditation and offered it as I could as part of many of my classes and retreats.
But I'm convinced and maybe its becoming a conviction, that meditation like worship is to be practiced in community. That this most intimate of times with God, is meant to be lived out with others in the Body of Christ. That a collective of hearts and souls and minds together seeking God's face is a more palpably fruitful experience than solitary meditation.
So I'm gathering a group, inviting any who will come, to a weekly time of meditation. We'll learn a little, meditate a little, close with a "compline-esque" time of prayer. I read recently about a woman who decided to begin an AA group in her rural town. She went to the assigned place once a week and sat alone for almost a year. Then one other person came... then another. May I have the gifts of such persistence and courage. Blessings and joy, The Celtic Monk
During the course of the day, he used the teachings of Fr. John Main to instruct us in meditation techniques for anxious pastors of anxious congregations. At one point we all gathered to spend half an hour meditating together in the sanctuary.
Not being new to meditation I thought to myself:"wow, this is great,a workshop with a built-in relaxation time!" But when we returned to our most uncomfortable meeting room to de-brief our experience... I realized that this time of group meditation was profoundly different than when I set aside time to meditate alone. I listened as one participant spoke about sounds I never heard. Another commented on the movement within the room. Another recounted hearing an airplane overhead. I sat quietly in amazement, because although my hearing is good... I heard none of it. Often while meditating alone at home or in the chapel I hear those things too. But that day, in that space, with those people, immersed in prayer... I realized I'd been aware of none of it. I attribute the phenomena to the Scripture "when two or more are gather in my name... there I am in the midst of them." I felt totally enfolded in the presence of God's Spirit.
That experience has sent me on a 6-month journey researching and reading about meditation and in particular its Christian tradition and practice. I wondered why its a 'suspect' practice in some mainline denominations, openly practiced in others and anathema in others. I've read Main and Freeman, Merton and Foster. I've continued in a daily discipline of meditation and offered it as I could as part of many of my classes and retreats.
But I'm convinced and maybe its becoming a conviction, that meditation like worship is to be practiced in community. That this most intimate of times with God, is meant to be lived out with others in the Body of Christ. That a collective of hearts and souls and minds together seeking God's face is a more palpably fruitful experience than solitary meditation.
So I'm gathering a group, inviting any who will come, to a weekly time of meditation. We'll learn a little, meditate a little, close with a "compline-esque" time of prayer. I read recently about a woman who decided to begin an AA group in her rural town. She went to the assigned place once a week and sat alone for almost a year. Then one other person came... then another. May I have the gifts of such persistence and courage. Blessings and joy, The Celtic Monk
I hope you will let your "long distance" followers know when you will be "practicing." I heard a doctor on Charlie Rose yesterday talking about the human brain. He pointed out that only a small portion of the brain is actually involved in what we consider to be consciousness. An example he gave was that if the part of the brain that allows sight is damaged, (as opposed to the optic nerve) other parts of the brain allow a person to reach out and pick up a glass of water that they can't actually see. We are only just beginning to understand our unconscious, let alone the subconscious abilities.
ReplyDeleteAnd as Herman would say, "So how can it hurt?"
A.