Also considered as a mental prayer, Christian meditation is perhaps the most efficient way to communicate with God. The formal Christian meditation started with the monks. They would read the Bible verses slowly and reflect on the meaning and message of the Scriptures. This early form of meditation is known as the ?divine reading?.
These monks were soon praying on impulse as a result of their reading the Scriptures slowly. Their prayers lead to a mental loving thought on God which they called contemplation.
The development from reading the Bible, to meditating, to praying, to loving thought for God, was described as the ladder of prayer, which was given Latin terms lectio, meditatio, oratio, and contemplatio.
Two Forms of Christian Meditation
There are two forms of Christian meditation during the twentieth century. One form is the Christian meditation using the mantra. Early mantra used was the Maranatha which is Aramaic for ?Come, Lord?. The other form of Christian meditation is the Centering Prayer. This form uses a sacred word to convey one's intention to be in the presence of God. Another part of this contemplative form of prayer is the individual's detachment to his psychological problems.
Five R Method of St. Theresa of Avila for Christian Meditation
The ?Five R? Method of St. Theresa of Avila is a good way to fight obstacles of concentration in prayer. This method includes: Ready; Read; Reflect; Respond; Resolve.
* Ready would mean keeping in mind that you are in God's presence. Think of your faith, trust, and love for him. Be sorry for your sins and ask for your purpose for your meditation.
* Read may mean a favorite passage from the Bible or any other spiritual book, or even just reading a copy of a favorite prayer or looking at a religious picture.
* Reflect means to focus your thoughts on the verse you were reading or the picture you were looking at and answering questions which will motivate you to contemplate deeper.
* Respond is basically the center of the meditation process. This is actually the beginning of a deeper conversation with God. When you have reached this stage, you can now talk to him more freely and openly from the inner depths of your soul.
* Resolve is the goodbye in a conversation. Close it by thanking Him for the time and finish it off with your favorite prayer.
However one chooses to do the Christian meditation, one should keep in mind that it is not as a means for salvation. Like prayer, Christian meditation is a mere form of spiritual discipline, a deeper kind of worship, and a more intimate meeting with God.
