 Christian meditation and Traditional Meditation, Two Sides of Different Coins
Christian meditation is similar to traditional forms of meditation in some respects, but is different than others in a two particularly profound ways. Most traditional forms of meditation require that the practitioner empty their minds of conscious thoughts so as to achieve a higher level of spiritual awareness and to achieve a feeling of well-being. Also, the goal here is to elevate the human, to achieve a higher state of being for the person, himself on a individual level. One is trying for personal improvement, for a personal enlightenment which seems to place mankind in the center of things. This is the opposite of christian
meditation which always puts God first.
Hindu meditation is a form of traditional meditation wherein people frequently use a mantra, a repeated, nonsensical word or phrase to help empty their minds of distracting conscious thoughts. Through an involved repetition of the mantra, one is forced to abandon the conscious thoughts that are creating feelings of unease. Also, it is hoped that this relief will bring about a state of higher spiritual awareness in the person as well. It is interesting to note that the repeated phrases are frequently nonsense, as opposed to the practices of christian meditation which focus of the truths, the beautiful logic of God.
As opposed to an emptying of the mind, christian meditation attempts to fill oneself up with an awareness of God's teachings and his wisdom as opposed to not being aware of one's own
consciousness. The goal of christian meditation is to ponder upon God's truths as they relate universally to the life of the individual and of God's other children. It is important to note that one is also not focused upon achieving a personally higher state of being as a person, but a better understanding of God for himself and others.
Traditional meditation may have the right goal in mind, but it falls short since all of us fall short of God's grace. Though we may be able to achieve a higher state of being through meditation, we are all merely human beings, and thus will all still be sinners in the end. The only important truths to reflect upon are those of God, and christian meditation is merely the act of setting time aside to do so. There are numerous instances in the Bible where we are told to not only pray to God, but also to ponder upon his teaching's insights.
"Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable - if anything is excellent or praiseworthy - think about such things. - (Philippians 4:8). Christian meditation seems to fall into step with this line of thinking, as it is oriented upon the task of achieving a higher awareness of God's role in all our lives, and a completely natural addition to one's prayers. Christian meditation merely requires one to focus those natural efforts into a study of God's word and it is though this study and contemplation that we can see faith
blossom anew within ourselves.
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