How Do You Meditate?

[Knit-n-stitch]

How do you clear your mind to meditate?

I always have thoughts running through my mind. It is hard for me to not let my mind wonder.

 

[KevinK]

I just jump in here:

 

[Angel]

Focusing on your breath, eyes closed.

If I'm meditating on scripture, I repeat the sentence thinking carefully about the specific words and their definitions.

If I am meditating on worship music I listen carefully to the words, focusing on them instead of the music.

 

[Knit-n-stitch]

I just jump in here:

I like the Star Wars theme, and the purple lights.
I would probably end up pretending to fly an X-wing and talking in a Yoda voice.

 

[Knit-n-stitch]

Focusing on your breath, eyes closed.

If I'm meditating on scripture, I repeat the sentence thinking carefully about the specific words and their definitions.

If I am meditating on worship music I listen carefully to the words, focusing on them instead of the music.

Thanks Angel! That's what I try to do, it is easier for me if I am trying to meditate on scripture, or something specific. But I am like...
"In the beginning there was light...
Bright light, Gizmo!... light?? Did I pay the electric bill....
Sometimes it is worse that others.

 

[JohnDB]

First I get a sword...one of those replicas of the civil war era with the cords and tassels.

Then carefully I climb to the top of the table taking care not to scratch the surface with my sword.

I then stand up and put the sword up with my arm stretched up as high as it will go.

Then I shout, "There can be only one".

Yeah....that's how I do it.

 

[Malachi]

How do you clear your mind to meditate?

It is a mistake to think you must clear your mind in order to meditate. Quite the opposite. You must focus your mind and CONCENTRATE on a portion of Scripture or a teaching of Christ.

Eastern religions teach people to empty their minds. However, the Bible never tells us to do so. Please study Psalm 119.

 

[for_his_glory]

I meditate just by talking to Jesus and looking around my yard and the forest that surrounds me and find so much peace in my heart that I know all things are good that comes from the Lord.

 

[LovethroughDove]

I agree with Malachi. It is meditating is understanding why God said what he said.

Joshua 1:8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night , so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.

It is letting the Holy Spirit guide you into all understanding.

John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

 

[Knit-n-stitch]

It is a mistake to think you must clear your mind in order to meditate. Quite the opposite. You must focus your mind and CONCENTRATE on a portion of Scripture or a teaching of Christ.

Eastern religions teach people to empty their minds. However, the Bible never tells us to do so. Please study Psalm 119.

It is a mistake to think you must clear your mind in order to meditate. Quite the opposite. You must focus your mind and CONCENTRATE on a portion of Scripture or a teaching of Christ.

Eastern religions teach people to empty their minds. However, the Bible never tells us to do so. Please study Psalm 119.

That makes sense, I guess it would be better to say I need to know how to focus. I do spend time thinking about scripture and it's meaning.

 

[Knit-n-stitch]

I meditate just by talking to Jesus and looking around my yard and the forest that surrounds me and find so much peace in my heart that I know all things are good that comes from the Lord.

I do the same thing. Some people are confused at how I can look at a flower petal or leaf in detail and seem to enjoy it. To me it is miraculous!

 

[Knit-n-stitch]

I agree with Malachi. It is meditating is understanding why God said what he said.

Joshua 1:8 Do not let this Book of the Law depart from your mouth; meditate on it day and night , so that you may be careful to do everything written in it.

It is letting the Holy Spirit guide you into all understanding.

John 16:13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

Thank you, those Scriptures are exactly what I was looking for.

 

[Pizza]

I never try to "clear my mind" and really don't understand why someone would want to do that.

My greatest 'meditation' are my 2 to 5 hour walks in the woods.

But I DO tend to close my eyes and 'pray' the songs in church. THat is, when we sing songs in church, you won't see me looking around, you will see me with my eyes closed, concentrating on the prayerful words of the song.

 

[Runner]

Buddhist meditation is not about emptying the mind. At its most basic level, it's about taming the "monkey mind" that rules our lives - the inner cacophony of disjointed worries, fears and pointless chatter that dominates most peoples' days, to the point that they are completely out of touch with the present moment. If most people could read a 500-page second-by-second description of the disjointed thoughts that have passed through their minds over the past week, they would wonder why they hadn't been committed to an asylum. Try paying attention to all the places your mind wanders over the course of a mere 30 minutes, and how little any of them have to do with the reality of the present moment; it's quite a sobering exercise. The objective of basic-level Buddhist meditation is to reduce this out-of-control inner chatter and achieve a level of mindfulness that will carry over to daily life. The initial focus is usually on the breath; when the mind wanders or becomes distracted, the individual does not fight it but merely brings the focus back to the breath. (I'm obviously not promoting Buddhist meditation since it is inseparable from the religion; my point is just that the technique is basically the same across all religions.)

The book of Eastern Orthodox theology that I happen to be reading likewise emphasizes that a blank mind is not a tool or goal of meditation. The Orthodox focus on the Jesus Prayer: "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner" - first for basically the same reason the Buddhists focus on the breath (to silence the inner cacophony), then gradually to internalize the profound meaning.

I don't think many people, including me, are really good candidates for formal meditation in the sense of, "Now I am going to sit and meditate for 20 minutes." However, I often reach a meditative state on long walks or long runs. By this I mean a state where the inner cacophony is silenced and the Holy Spirit can be heard more clearly. This state can be achieved by meditating on specific Bible verses, but more often I'm just trying to maintain the prayerful attitude of thanksgiving described in 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 (NASB): "Rejoice always; pray without ceasing; in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus."

Edit: I forgot to say that the classic of Christian contemplation/meditation is The Cloud of Unknowing, written by an unknown mystic in the 14th Century. In a good modern translation, it is very easy to read - and the technique he describes is basically identical to Buddhist meditation, but obviously in a Christian context.