Meditation

Ommmmm...the topic for today's reflection is meditation.  But hold off on the yoga pants and sitting cross-legged--first because those things are pretty unforgiving and my legs are about as limber as the tin man's, but second, because that's not really the kind of meditation we're talking about.

The kind of mediation most people are more familiar focuses on the emptying of the mind; forgetting our own selves and personalities and becoming one with the the cosmos.  Meditation with God does, in fact, urge an emptying of the mind, but also the desire to be filled with the presence of God.  It may seem daunting to be so close in spirit to the great Being, Himself.  That's because it is.  But it's important for us to breech that "safe distance" we like to keep between us and God.  We're always asking others to be the middle man between us and God.  This just causes is to become complacent; satisfied without ever entering into the presence of the only One who can truly satisfy.    

Meditation is also an opportunity to shut out those things of the world, of culture, that separate us from God. But that does not mean that God cannot be found in our culture, either.  I know that sounds like a contradiction--maybe it is.  But I just take it to mean that there's that crap-culture that certainly does not bring us any closer to God.  But finding God in culture is also one of those beautiful ways that we can meditate on God's glory in our every day life.  For example, one my my favorite culture mediums is movies.  I love being able to see  the immaculate detail that goes into the lighting, the tone, the script, the camera angles, everything!  I find myself often pausing to thank God for giving people such talent to make a beautiful picture.  

For my practice of this discipline this week, I decided to use a method suggested by Richard Foster in Celebration of Discipline.  It's called "palms down, palms up."  "Begin by placing your palms down as a symbolic indication of your desire to turn over any concerns you may have to God...Whatever it is that weighs on your mind or is a concern to you, just say, 'palms down.' Release it...After several moments of surrender, turn your palms up as a symbol of your desire to receive from the Lord (31)."  I mentioned in a previous post that I struggle with worry and anxiety, so this seemed like a fitting exercise--and it was.  I began by mentioning specifically those things that were weighing down my heart.  Things I wasn't even consciously aware I was worried about came to light.  But I released them.  And in their place I opened by heart to receive peace from God.  I allowed the words of Jesus to flood over me; "My peace I give to you (John 14:27)."

It wasn't long before the distractions of the world and of my own mind made it impossible to concentrate any longer.  But in the words of Foster, "...be patient with yourself.  Besides, you are learning a discipline for which you have received no training."  So I will continue to train in the discipline of meditation, and I will continue to grow.  

Peace,

Steph