Communing with God (Meditation and contemplation ) - Essay Example

Communing with God Meditation and contemplation are two things that relate naturally to spirituality. When I hear the word spiritual, I would easilythink of a person who is serious, silent and always doing things in the right way or one who does the right things in the right way. This could tend towards one extreme point of the subject matter. However, there is truth in this perception. Spirituality cannot exist without meditation and contemplation. Although these two terms may be synonymous, defining them can shed more light on this Christian practice and eventually clarify some misconceptions about such tradition. Literally, meditation is defined as: "the act of meditating; continued or extended thought; reflection; contemplation; transcendental meditation; devout religious contemplation or spiritual introspection."1 Contemplation, on the other hand, is defined as: "the act of contemplating; thoughtful observation; full or deep consideration; reflection: religious contemplation; purpose or intention; prospect or expectation."2 Meditation is more of a response to something like after reading a passage in the Bible. Meditation is to study God's Word and to think of ways in which it can be applied in one's day-to-day life. Contemplation is more of reflecting without necessarily using any reading material. It is an act of deep, thoughtful thinking that leads to a renewed mind and heart.3 These two terms often come together and are usually associated with prayer. The Christian faith has prayer as one of its major pillars. One has to communicate with God and vice versa. Humans talk to God in prayer and God talks to humans through the Bible. It is in this manner where meditation and contemplation enter in. Through this exercise, man learns discipline, calmness and a sense of security. Through constant mediation and contemplation, one becomes more "spiritual" and "holy." The Buddhists also practice meditation. This is done to discipline the mind and the body. Yoga is "a school of Hindu philosophy advocating and prescribing a course of physical and mental disciplines for attaining liberation from the material world and union of the self with the Supreme Being or ultimate principle."4 Both the Christians and the Buddhists believe that by subjugating the body through meditation and contemplation, one is able to reach a higher level of spirituality. Why is there a need to subjugate the body and make it submit to one's mind Father Rolheiser's book5 leads the reader to the reason why humans need to commune with God. It also serves as a guide to those who are aspiring to be spiritual. According to Rolheiser, every healthy Christian should possess the four essentials of living such as: "private prayer and private morality; social justice; mellowness of heart and spirit; and community as a constitutive element of true worship."6 We are always "restless, dissatisfied, frustrated, and aching. We are so overcharged with desire that it is hard to come to simple rest. Desire is always stronger than satisfaction."7 About two years ago, I was so depressed and downcast because my mother was lying in the hospital bed for almost a month without any sign of recovery. The doctors kept telling us that if she would cooperate, she could get better. Sleepless nights had really affected me and I became irritable, impatient and irrational. In order to avoid further damage to my relationship with my siblings, I decided to "go away" for a while. I drove some 100 miles from the hospital, stayed in my mother's house and just literally "kill time." When news came that my mother was already in comma and would pass away any moment, I had the urge of going back to her side immediately. However, deep within me is a prompting that even if I get near her that very moment, I could not reverse anything. So I attended a church prayer meeting, listened carefully to the preacher and silently meditated on God's Word. As I sat still in silence, I felt a certain calmness that I have not experienced for a long time. There was this sense of peace and assurance that whatever would happen everything is under God's control and that God knows what is best for us. The next day when I faced the dying body of my mother, I was more composed and calm. I was even able to comfort my brothers and sisters and even arranged for the funeral services without a hint of impatience and irritability that I previously felt. Prayer and meditation did an excellent job on me. Meditation and contemplation after all are vital aspects of a person's life, whether he/she is a Christian or not. It is a good exercise for the heart and mind. It redirects one's focus and calms the troubling emotions within. It is no wonder why many of the Buddhist leaders in the past were able to leave exceptional ideas and guidelines for living like Gandhi8 and Confucius9. I think one cannot be spiritual without practicing meditation and contemplation. These two are as important as breathing for the physical body. One cannot practice or hone his/her ability to control his/her body and physical desires and struggles without spending a time alone with God in prayer and meditation. This is a time when the soul is nourished and the mind is comforted and given rest and nourishment. BIBLIOGRAPHY Cunnigham, L. and Egan, K. Christian Spirituality: Themes from the Tradition. New York: Paulist Press, 1996. Dictionary.reference.com. available from http://dictionary.reference.com. accessed 25 March 2010. Rolheiser, Ronald. The Holy Longing. New York: Doubleday, 1999. Who2. available from http://www.who2.com/ask accessed 25 March 2010. Read More