WHAT IS CHRISTIAN MEDITATION?
Summary
TLDRThe script discusses the Christian perspective on meditation, cautioning against practices like Transcendental Meditation that may lead to demonic influence. It contrasts this with Christian meditation, which involves sober, focused reflection on scripture or religious themes to achieve clarity and obedience to God. The speaker emphasizes the importance of discerning divine guidance from personal impulses, consulting spiritual leaders, and maintaining humility in the pursuit of deeper knowledge of God.
Takeaways
- 🙏 Christians should avoid meditation practices that alter consciousness, as they may expose them to demonic influence, according to the speaker.
- 😇 The speaker warns that even positive feelings from meditation can be deceptive, as they may be induced by the devil masquerading as an angel of light.
- 📚 The speaker recommends reading the writings of Clous Kenneth to understand the occult nature of certain meditation practices.
- 🎓 The script distinguishes between Christian meditation (or contemplation) and other forms of meditation, emphasizing the importance of sober, controlled thinking.
- 👼 Christian meditation is described as an effortful and disciplined practice, focused on imposing order and clarity to one's thoughts, rather than seeking abstract intellectualism.
- 🧘♂️ The speaker advises against being misled by sudden ideas or fantasies, suggesting that they may not be from God but rather from one's own impulses or demonic influence.
- 🤔 Discerning God's guidance in thoughts requires sharing them with a spiritual father and testing them against the teachings of the church and the Holy Tradition.
- 🌟 Moments of inspiration or deeper understanding during prayer or scripture reading are seen as potential divine revelations, but they must be cautiously received and tested.
- 🛑 The speaker cautions against the dangers of self-deception and the formation of heresies from individual interpretations of scripture without proper discernment.
- 💡 True knowledge of God comes through divine revelation to the heart, not through human intellect or personal constructs, emphasizing the need for humility in contemplation.
- 🕊️ The ultimate goal of Christian meditation is to deepen one's knowledge of God's truth, leading to greater obedience and repentance, aligning with the teachings of the church.
Q & A
Why should Christians avoid certain forms of meditation according to the transcript?
-The transcript suggests that Christians should avoid certain forms of meditation, particularly those associated with Buddhism and Hinduism, as they may expose practitioners to demonic activity and influence. It implies that these practices can lead to a state of altered consciousness that is incompatible with Christian beliefs.
What is the difference between meditation practices in Buddhism and Hinduism and Christian meditation as described in the transcript?
-The transcript differentiates between the 'emptying of the mind' approach of Buddhist and Hindu meditation and Christian meditation, which is more about contemplation and reflection on religious themes. Christian meditation is described as a 'sober' and focused thought process, not seeking to alter consciousness but to impose order and clarity on one's thoughts.
What does the transcript suggest about the nature of feelings experienced during meditation?
-The transcript warns that feelings of peace and positivity during meditation can be deceptive, as they may be induced by demonic forces. It advises Christians to be cautious and not to be misled by such feelings, as they may not be divine but rather a form of deception.
What role does the concept of 'sobriety' play in Christian meditation as discussed in the transcript?
-In the context of Christian meditation, 'sobriety' refers to a controlled and disciplined form of thinking. It is about maintaining focus on a single point or thought, resisting distractions, and not allowing the mind to leap from topic to topic impulsively.
How does the transcript describe the process of Christian contemplation or meditation?
-The transcript describes Christian contemplation as an effortful and focused process, where one imposes order on the mind and reflects on a single subject, such as a Bible verse or a prayer. It is about seeking clarity, peace, and a deeper understanding of one's faith and actions.
What is the importance of sharing thoughts and conclusions with a spiritual father in the context of Christian meditation as per the transcript?
-The transcript emphasizes the importance of sharing thoughts and conclusions with a spiritual father to discern whether they are divinely inspired or potentially influenced by demonic forces. This sharing helps in avoiding self-deception and ensures that one's meditation aligns with the teachings of the Church.
How can one discern whether their thoughts during meditation are from God or not, according to the transcript?
-The transcript suggests that thoughts from God should lead to greater clarity, peace, and a resolve for repentance and obedience. They should result in a deeper reflection on one's life and a call to change in a way that aligns with Christian teachings.
What does the transcript say about the ultimate purpose of Christian meditation?
-The ultimate purpose of Christian meditation, as described in the transcript, is to discover God's truth and to grow in the knowledge of God. It should lead to a deeper understanding of the divine and a more obedient and Christ-centered life.
How does the transcript address the issue of potential heresies arising from individual interpretations of scripture?
-The transcript warns of the dangers of heresies that can arise from individual interpretations of scripture without proper discernment. It advises that any personal conclusions should be tested against the teachings of the Church Fathers and the Holy Tradition of the Church.
What is the role of humility in Christian meditation as discussed in the transcript?
-The transcript highlights the importance of humility in Christian meditation, acknowledging the limitations of human understanding and the need to be open to divine revelation. It suggests that a humble heart is more receptive to God's truth and less prone to self-deception.
How does the transcript relate the concept of 'purity of heart' to the knowledge of God?
-The transcript refers to the teaching of Christ that 'blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God,' implying that purity of heart is essential for true knowledge of God. It suggests that a pure heart is more capable of discerning divine guidance and less likely to be deceived by one's own thoughts or feelings.
Outlines
🙏 Christian Meditation vs. Transcendental Practices
The first paragraph discusses the Christian perspective on meditation, warning against forms that alter consciousness, such as those found in Buddhism and Hinduism, as potentially demonic. It contrasts these with Christian meditation, which involves contemplation and reflection on spiritual matters. The speaker emphasizes the importance of sobriety and control in Christian thought, citing St. Theophan the Recluse on the disorder of everyday thoughts and the need for imposing order through Christian meditation. The paragraph also mentions the potential for demonic deception in feelings of peace from meditation and the value of reading about the occult nature of such practices.
🧘♂️ Cultivating Thought Control and Discernment in Christian Meditation
The second paragraph delves into the struggle of controlling thoughts during prayer and meditation. It suggests focusing on a single point or subject, such as a Bible verse, to bring order to the mind. The speaker advises against being misled by positive but potentially demonic thoughts and emphasizes the importance of sharing these thoughts with a spiritual father for guidance. The paragraph also discusses the discernment of God's guidance from personal impulses, the role of clarity, peace, and obedience in evaluating thoughts, and the importance of testing personal revelations against church teachings and traditions.
🌟 Divine Revelation and the Danger of Heresy in Christian Contemplation
The third paragraph addresses the moments of inspiration that can occur during Christian meditation, where scripture or an icon might reveal deeper meanings. It cautions against the potential for heresy that arises from individuals interpreting these moments as divine revelation without proper discernment. The speaker stresses the importance of testing personal insights against the teachings of the church fathers and the Holy Tradition, and seeking guidance from spiritual leaders like priests and bishops. The paragraph also touches on the human capacity for self-deception and the need for humility in contemplation.
🕊️ The Role of Humility and Purification in True Christian Knowledge of God
The final paragraph emphasizes the limitations of human understanding and the need for humility in seeking knowledge of God. It discusses the role of divine revelation in knowing God, rather than intellectual constructs, and the importance of recognizing the mysteries of God that surpass human comprehension. The speaker highlights the teachings that eternal life involves an endless deepening of understanding of God. The paragraph concludes with the idea that purity of heart, not intellectual prowess, allows for true knowledge of God, and the importance of discerning divine inspiration from personal delusions.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Transcendental Meditation
💡Demonic Activity
💡Christian Meditation
💡Contemplation
💡Sobriety of Heart
💡Repentance
💡Spiritual Father
💡Divine Revelation
💡Heresy
💡Purity of Heart
💡Humility
Highlights
Christians should avoid forms of meditation that alter consciousness due to potential demonic influence.
Some practitioners experience peace from meditation, but it could be deceptive as the devil can mimic positive feelings.
Christian meditation differs from Buddhist or Hindu practices and should be approached with caution.
The term 'contemplation' may be more appropriate for Christians than 'meditation' to avoid connotations with Eastern practices.
Christian contemplation is described as a sober, controlled form of thinking, unlike the chaotic nature of everyday thoughts.
St Theophan the Recluse likens uncontrolled thoughts to flies buzzing around, emphasizing the need for order in Christian meditation.
Christian meditation involves focusing on a single point or thought to impose order on the mind.
Christian meditation is not about impressing others but about following a single line of thought under God's guidance.
Discerning God's guidance from one's own thoughts or demonic influence requires sharing with a spiritual father and testing against church teachings.
Christian meditation should lead to clarity, peace, and a call to greater obedience and repentance.
The church fathers view moments of inspiration during meditation as a form of divine revelation to the heart.
Individuals must be cautious about accepting thoughts as divine revelation, testing them against Scripture and church tradition.
The capacity for self-deception is inherent in humans, and humility is essential in discerning true divine guidance.
The ultimate purpose of Christian meditation is to discover God's truth and to deepen one's relationship with Him.
The heart, not the intellect, is the key to knowing God, as taught by Christ in the Sermon on the Mount.
Humility and the purification of the heart are crucial for true understanding and experiencing of divine revelation.
Christian meditation should lead to obedience and participation in the mysteries of the church, not just intellectual understanding.
The knowledge of God is a never-ending journey, with eternal life involving a continuous deepening into the mystery of God.
Transcripts
Christians must avoid all forms of
Transcendental Meditation all forms of
meditation intended to change our state
of mind alter our
Consciousness
because to pursue these
activities to meditate in a Buddhist or
Hindu way as Christians we believe it
exposes us to demonic activity demonic
influence now of course there are many
practitioners of
meditation who will describe their
feelings of Peace the the positive
feelings they they say they receive from
meditation but we must remember the
devil canot only masquerade as an angel
of
Light but the devil can provide all
kinds of positive feelings create all
kinds of feelings within us and even
mimic healing for a while and we must
not be misled by any of this any of this
demonic
activity to know more specifically about
the the occult nature of these kinds of
meditation it's worth reading the
writings of
clous clous Kenneth who describes his
own firsthand experience of this kind of
demonic activity be kind
meditation but
Christians often use the word meditation
in terms of Christian
meditation and it's good for us to
understand clearly what is meant by this
and how it is different from these other
kinds of transcendental forms of
meditation these the so-called emptying
of the Mind emptying of the self and
so well first of all we should remember
that in the gospels we read how the
mother of
God after the miraculous birth of
Christ is described as pondering
contemplating all of these things she
carried all the events the enunciation
the the appearance of the Angel
the the Virgin birth and so on
she contemplated these things in our
heart and
contemplation is really a better word
for us today to use rather than
meditation because for all of us now
meditation has taken on these these
connotations of Hinduism and Buddhism
and so on and let us be
clear we cannot we cannot call ourselves
Christian Buddhists or Christian
Hindus the the practices of these kinds
of meditation are entirely incompatible
with the Christian
faith so we mustn't be deceived by this
but let's think then what is this this
Christian meditation this
Christian pondering this Christian
reflection this different type of
meditation well the Christian Church
fathers
describe contemplation and Christian
meditation and distinguish it from our
regular kind of
thinking as something sober they use the
word sober to describe the kind of
thinking involved in this form of
meditation and by so would they
mean it's controlled it doesn't leap
around from topic to topic it doesn't
react to impulses or the stimuli of
whatever happens to be going on around
us at that
moment St theophan the
recluse says our everyday thoughts are
very often like flies that Buzz around
us they are unchosen they're unwanted
and they just crash into our
lives
randomly
and St theophan the recluse says to us
that Christian meditation Christian
contemplation is really about imposing
order where there is
disorder imposing order where there is
chaos in the mind and so often
for all of us our minds can descend into
a kind of chaos when they're allowed to
run
free when they're not controlled when
they're not
focused
and St thean the
recluse teaches us
that this kind of thinking requires
struggle it requires effort and he goes
as far to say it is it is part of our
aesthetic life it is an aesthetical
struggle to contemplate and think this
way something that we are all called
to distracting thoughts of
course are something that many people
find very
disturbing especially when they try to
pray and suddenly their mind is leaping
around from thought to
thought so let's think a little
about what it is we can do to learn this
control of our thoughts to be able to
direct our mind to bring order where
there's
disorder well first just as we struggle
to repent of
sin
so we must make an effort to resist the
the sudden ideas and Fantasies that
appear to Spring from nowhere at times
and this requires commitment it
requires us to focus on a single point a
single object a single subject it may be
a line from the Bible it may be a verse
or a few words from A Hymn or a prayer
maybe an icon it may be something of the
Life of Christ but we focus and
think in a disciplined sober way about
this one thing and even when thoughts
that come to us that may appear though
they are
tangental positive
good we must guard ourselves we must
struggle to maintain this
Focus now as an aesthetical
act Christian
meditation doesn't seek
to find
impressive highly intellectual thoughts
thoughts that we can share and impress
to other people this is not Christian
meditation Christian meditation is
really about following a a single line
of thought we pray under God's
guidance but then of course it raises
the question how do we know how do we
discern what is God's guidance in our
thoughts and what is really just an
Impulse or a product of our feelings
or God protect us even demonic influence
where the demons are leading us in a
line of thought and and misleading us
telling us that it's good it's positive
and even of
God so how do we know it's God that is
guiding us in our thoughts well the way
we judge this first of all is to share
our thoughts and our
conclusions with our spiritual
father the devil the devil wants us to
conceal our thoughts conceal these
conclusions we reach the devil wants us
to tell nobody keep them secret let them
grow
there we must
share any thoughts of this kind with our
spiritual
father but also of course we can examine
the conclusions that we
reach the
thoughts that come to us do they bring
us to a place of clarity these thoughts
do they bring us to conclusions where we
have greater Clarity and peace and
resolve about repentance do our thoughts
lead us to a place where we reflect more
deeply on the way we're living and call
us to obedience to a greater degree how
we must change our
lives Christian
meditation is not about abstract
Concepts this kind of meditation this
kind of
contemplation is about changing the the
reality that having a concrete effect on
the things of Our Lives not just
disappearing into hypotheticals and and
intellectual
musings it should lead us to Greater
obedience to God this is the true test
of these kinds of thoughts and we will
know they are of God when they could
lead us to repentance and
obedience now we all know the experience
I'm
sure of
reading perhaps a prayer a piece of the
Holy scriptures and something we've read
many many times will will suddenly leap
out at us the words will suddenly open
to us and we will recognize a deeper
meaning in those words words that have
felt so familiar to us in the
past now the church fathers understand
this as a form of inspiration a small
form a small form of divine revelation
to the heart
a a form of encouragement from
God and the church fathers say when
these moments happen we should try to
focus focus on that that text that that
icon that thought that has inspired us
that has warmed our heart let it linger
with us and let it let the warmth that
it brings to our heart
grow now the ultimate purpose of course
of all our
thinking is to
discover God's truth this is why we have
thought at all we think in order to
discover the truth of
God and these phrases that open up to us
their their hidden depth can be revealed
to us by God when
God shows more of himself to us because
this is what's taking place God is
revealing something of himself to to us
in that moment because Christ is
truth and we should receive these these
moments as blessings something precious
something to to focus our minds on focus
our minds on what God may be giving to
us in that
moment but we must be careful about
these there there are thousands
thousands upon
thousands of protestant groups Christian
groups and
these many thousands of protestant
groups again have many thousands of of
doctrines because
individuals have felt inspired when
they've read read sections of the Bible
they felt inspired and they felt they've
got a new interpretation or that they
recognized the truth of that particular
passage and following this impulse
they've been led into heresy and there
are thousands upon thousands of heresies
that have been the consequence of this
approach anything that comes to us this
way must always be tested against the
teachings of the fathers the the
tradition of the church we must we must
look to the the conclusions that the
church itself has been led to by the
Holy Spirit and any conclusions we reach
individually must always be put to the
test both against scripture and against
the holy traditions of the
church and perhaps we don't have the
expertise of the can of the church to do
this well then take take these questions
these issues these thoughts to our
priest and many priests including myself
are no experts in canon law and and
great theology so it may be necessary to
then go to our Bishop if our priest
can't find the answer for
us but we all
have a great
capacity to fool ourselves to deceive
ourselves we all have a capacity to
convince ourselves that what really is
just a feeling or an impulse from our
own heart is divine revelation is divine
inspiration and we must be very careful
every human being to some
degree is actually experiencing a level
of prelest every one of us we all every
one of us live in a state of delusion
and deception to some degree about our
sin
about the lack of Holiness in our own
heart and so
on and many of us live with prelest
about God himself and about our
Salvation many people walk around
convinced that they are already saved
and that the struggle and the race that
St Paul and Christ himself called us to
is done it's
completed
completely opposed to the teaching of
the church and of Holy Scripture
so we all have this great capacity to
deceive
ourselves and which is why we must be
very careful about how we accept and
discern these thoughts and conclusions
that we reach when we are contemplating
things
and this is what the church fathers when
they refer to the soberness of heart are
referring to soberness of heart is
guarding ourselves from what is what is
our own creation and not God not God's
guidance our faith must be based not on
what we've
constructed our faith is not founded on
intellectual
ideas in this sense that God is somehow
dissected and and explained through the
intellect the human
intellect everything we truly know of
God is revealed to us by the Holy
Spirit we see it in the Life of Christ
everything that we know of God is
revealed to us by God the Living God and
the constructs of the human intellect
are nothing more than that now of course
we we interpret many things and God has
given us many Saints and wise teachers
who do interpret we look at the church
fathers and we give thanks for that that
explanation and and understanding of of
Holy scripture to guard us in our own
reading
But ultimately everything that man knows
of God is revealed to us by
God we
are incapable of course of forming
conclusions about God absolutely and
completely and in this we must have
humility in all our thinking and
contemplation it is necessary to be
humble and to recognize that there there
are many things that we will never
understand
not only in this life but even in
eternity we are taught that eternal
life will itself be forever entering
deeper into the mystery of
God so our knowledge of God will never
ever come to an end we will always be
growing in the knowledge of God entering
more deeply into that mystery of Christ
and so any conclusions that we reach in
this life can in no
way establish boundaries for who and
what God
is and we must be humble about this we
must accept not only we as individuals
but Humanity
itself is living ultimately with great
Mysteries mysteries about God that God
is perpetually drawing us deeper
into but our Lord tells us with respect
to the heart blessed are the pure in
heart for they shall see God blessed are
the pure in heart for they shall see God
Christ here is teaching us that it
isn't a highly educated
intellect that knows God it is the heart
that is
purified
and we must ask ourselves to what degree
we
feel worthy of many of these thoughts it
the soberness of our thinking must be
partly am I worthy of reaching the
conclusions I think I've reached to to
be aware of the Revelation that God I
believe has given to me and by looking
at our hearts we may recognize just how
impure our hearts
are and recognizing the impurity of our
hearts should humble us and help us to
discern where we are being deceived in
our own
thinking so let's seek yes the things of
God to know him more
deeply but also to obey him more
completely this is why we should seek to
know God not out of Pride not out of
curiosity curiosity and pride will not
lead us deeper into the mysteries of God
but the purification of the heart
obedience repentance participation in
the mysteries of the church this is how
we end enter deeper into the mystery of
Christ we must struggle we must we must
struggle to be able to
receive God's free
Grace because we must always know that
all true knowledge of
God is divine revelation to the
heart e
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