Different Ways Of Meditation
By
The Man Who Saw God Face To Face
Raphael Okechukwu Nweze
God is everywhere, even as the sun is everywhere by its light.
This is a very important duty, which many neglect to their own deceit
and detriment. - The utter negligence of the modern Christians to seek God
where He may be found! – in quietness, in silence,
in solitude, in meditation, in spirit and in truth.
Some Words Of Guidance On The Practice Of Meditation
Meditation as a spiritual discipline should be taking serious.
Jesus said, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.' “Matthew 4:4
You feed on the word of God by hearing it, by reading it and by mediating on it.
The Roles Of Spiritual Directors
When the student is ready,
The master shall appear.
Having a spiritual director is very essential. A Spiritual director is a person who is spiritually awake, enlightened and experienced –one who is well-traveled on the path of experiencing God, who knows and understands meditation and other spiritual activities, as well as the workings of the Presence of God in and upon the soul.
Spiritual direction can take the form of regular meeting, prayer session, teachings, correspondence or by reading books written by a master soul.
I must warn you that spiritual directors are indeed very few and hard to find. Do not mind all the reverends and ministers of God, who are called spiritual directors. Most of them do not even know the meaning of spirit or spiritual director. Instead, they are feasting on the ignorance of the masses, and enjoying public honours and respect. And many of them are busy frustrating the works of the Holy Spirit.
Methods Of Meditation
Use any or some of the following methods of meditation:
- Listening, by listening to a song or music praisng God or teaching about God. This method is very good for those who are always actively engaged, busy like drivers, machine operators, traders, etc. The music keeps them in the presence of God and also scares away evil spirits from their environments.
- Chanting, by repeating the names of God. Some teach you to chant the name of your religious founder, Mary or Saint. It is wrong to do so. Repetitive methods are usually very easy. It may be calling the name of God or repeating a verse of the holy book. The calm repetition of a word, phrase, or short verse calms the mind, ignites the spirit and solves problems. Eventually, it allows one to begin entering into silent Presence of God.
- Singing in spirit. In spiritual churches, "the Holy Spirit flows" when people begin singing praises to God. Angels manifest, and the Holy Spirit moves some people to minister to others. This is a very effective way of inviting God in the midst of the congregations.
At times, some individuals sing or pray loud at night. Some shout their songs and prayers. Well, you may do so if live alone. However, it is better to do things silently or quietly in spirit and in truth. Do not disturb the neighbourhood by shouting your songs and prayers.
- Visualization, by picturing quietness, God or heaven.
- Thinking, by spending time thinking about God, His qualities or accounts of His wonderful works.
- Mindfulness – God consciousness, by always mindful of God. You do this by remembering God.
- Being in the present moment. Be aware of where you are, what you're doing, and that God is there with you, even as the sun is there with as light.
- Every act is a rite. Regard every action as service offering to God.
- Every act is a prayer. While doing your everyday work, remember God.
- Practicing the Presence of God—Being aware that God is with you always, around and within you throughout the day.
- Full time devotion to God, by staying in a Godly environment or by morking as a minister of God.
- Rest, by relaxing in a quiet environment, like church, garden, wilderness, river side, inside the bedroom, etc.
- Body scan, by paying attention to different parts of your body, one by one. By so doing, you discover those parts of the body that are tensed up, and then relax them.
- Focus on the breath, by paying attention to breathe intake and outflow. Slow down the rate of breathing. See How To Breath.
- Environment scan, by paying attention to different parts or sounds in an environment.
- Focus on a fixed object or sound, by paying attention on one particular object for a long time.
- Blank mind method, by keeping everything out your mind. Just sit or lye down, quietly, without thinking of anything.
- Guided meditation, by which a senior can guide a junior in matters of religion. The senior may give prayers or verses and chapters of scriptures for reading, prayers, meditation or study.
- Kything - The Art of Spiritual Presence:
- Center yourself in God.
- Lovingly focus on God, and
- Try to visualize God or remember previous events in which you experienced Him.
- For best results, just observe quiet time, without thinking of anything or worrying about any issues of life.
Avoid Confusion
Read the following report, and then read the comment after it.
Reporter: When you pray, what do you say to God?
Mother Theresa: Nothing. I just listen.
Reporter: What does God say to you?
Mother Theresa: Nothing. God just listens, too.
And if you don't understand that, I can't explain
it to you.
—Mother Teresa of Calcutta
(source: In Limine)
The above narration only leaves people more confused. Truly, there are many who do not know what they profess or teach. It is dangerous, and misleading. It is quite unfortunate that many a times, such false teachings as the one above are composed and spread to the ignorant masses, who are seeking for God. Everybody, including all religious leaders, should study Spiritual Science. When you pray or meditate, God speaks to you in various ways. See the text below.
How God Speaks To People
God speaks to people in many ways:
- God speaks to humanity through mediums: dreams, visions, trances, oracle, signs and wonders.
- He speaks to us through telepathy, by inspiration, which is the light of Holy Spirit, which radiates from the heart of God to the hearts of all creation.
- God speaks through waves: light, sounds, vibration, magnetism and resonance.
- God speaks to us through nature: animals, plants, winds, lands, clouds, etc. The breeze that blows unto you brings news and messages from distant places to you. That is why we have speaking winds, singing stones, talking plants, etc. The real problem is that people are not spiritually awake, enlightened and experienced to recognize and respond to the Holy Spirit.
- God also speaks to us by the visitation of Angels or by transfiguration, whereby an ordinary human being is transformed to have heavenly experience.
- Above all, God speaks to us in spirit, in silence, by (long distance communication by telpathy, thought).