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Meditation is a core activity for human
beings, regardless of religious or cultural background. So
much has been written about meditation: what it is, how to do
it, its religious context or spiritual significance, its
health benefits. Why the countless words written on this
inherently simple thing? Because while simple, meditation is
not easy. Although a fundamental act of being human, it also
connects us to the sacred, which will always be mysterious,
and perhaps a little dangerous.
The dictionary defines meditation as,
"a private devotion or spiritual exercise consisting in
deep continued reflection on a religious theme." Its root
is med, the same as for many words expressing the
notion of thought or care. It is related to the Latin word mederi,
"to heal," which also underlies all the English
"medical" words. Thus, we see that purpose of
meditation is healing, the repair of our broken connection
between the soul and the divine, or between the mask we
present to the world and our true self.
No matter what our childhood
experiences were like—primarily positive or negative—most
of us experience a sense of division between our true self and
the Holy, or what we call God. Jewish and Christian sacred
literature describe this separation in the story of Adam and
Eve found in the Book of Genesis. In this ancient myth, the
first Woman and Man inhabit the Garden of Eden, which
symbolizes perfect unity with God. They were unconscious,
"not knowing good and evil." The serpent offers
knowledge of good and evil, and promises Eve that she and Adam
will "be like gods." The price of consciousness,
which follows Eve’s eating of the apple, is their expulsion
from Paradise. The first Woman and Man, and by implication
their descendants, must now seek their lost unity with God
throughout their lives.
Many small children express an easy
understanding of their connectedness to their true selves and
to the divine. However, it seems to be part of the human
condition to lose this ability as we mature. As adults, we
have to develop a conscious discipline of making the time and
space to seek the Holy and find our center.
Other religious traditions promote
meditation for different reasons, but each one has some sort
of meditation practice. Eastern religions, such as Buddhism
and Hinduism, teach various kinds of sitting meditation and
yoga techniques. These practices often make use of tools such
as a mantra, incense, candles, meditation mats and devotional
statues. Christian meditation may use the repetition of a
particular short prayer, as well as candles and statues for
mental focus.
The important thing to remember is
that meditation is not the external objects or materials. It
doesn’t matter what tools you use, or if you use none at
all. The purpose is to commit to find the time and place to
consecrate ("make holy") every part of your life.
Each person must find his or her own "right way" to
do this.
For many people, choosing a room or
corner of a room to dedicate to their sacred journey serves to
reinforce this commitment. Look around your home and try out
various places until you find one that feels right. The
perfect place may be out-of-doors in nature, or even at your
office. Choose your sacred place and honor your intention by
stating it out loud. You might say, "This is the place
where I can bring all of myself to sit in God’s
presence." It’s helpful to place objects that support
your spiritual journey into your special place. These could be
a personal altar, photos of loved ones, statues, candles, or
books. As your needs change, the things you bring there will
change as well. Your intention will become a part of your
sacred place, and even walking past it or thinking about it
can connect you for a moment to your true self.
Many people meditate who have no
religious affiliation or particular spiritual path. Meditation
has been proven to have numerous positive effects on physical
and mental health. While a spiritual goal is not necessary for
meditation practice, it often finds its way quietly into the
mind even when not sought.
Is meditation the same as prayer? It
can be for many people. The goal of prayer, like meditation,
is unity with the Holy. Julian of Norwich, the remarkable
woman mystic who wrote in the fourteenth century, said of
prayer:
"When our courteous Lord of his
special grace
shows himself to our soul,
we have what we desire,
and then for that time we do not see
what more we should pray for,
but all our intention
and all our powers
are wholly directed to contemplating
him.
And as I see it, this is an exalted
and
Imperceptible prayer;
For the whole reason we pray
Is to be united into the vision and
contemplation
Of him to whom we pray."
RESOURCES:
Wherever You Go, There You Are:
Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life
(Jon Kabat-Zinn)
After the Ecstasy, the Laundry
(Jack Kornfield)
Meditation Made Easy
(Lorin Roche)
Peace is Every Step
(Thich Nhat Hanh)
Altars Made Easy
(Peg Streep)
© Copyright Michele
Ritan. All Rights Reserved.
Michele Ritan has studied world
religions and spirituality for many years. She majored in
Bible and Religion in college and authored an honors thesis
entitled "Biblical and Near Eastern Perspectives on
Death." Raised in the Reform Jewish tradition, Michele
has experienced other faiths and spiritual paths as an
adult.
Sacred space and altar creation are Michele’s special interests. When she had difficulty finding personal altars in both retail stores and on the internet, Michele decided to create a source for them herself. She hopes to develop further educational content for
the site as well as to expand the product line of tools for
meditation from a broad range of spiritual traditions.
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