What is Christian Meditation?

Some definitions of meditation are to ruminate, concentrate, focus, or ponder. If you think about it, these are activities that most people do all the time.

The fact is that we ALL meditate.

The big question is, “What are you meditating on?”

Research shows that the average person has 70k thoughts in a day and 90% of them are both negative and subconscious, meaning we often aren't aware of what we're thinking about. It’s no wonder that many Christians live with fear, worry, and stress.

But if were meditating according to the scripture, we’re meditating on the good things of God day and night. According to Joshua 1:8, when we meditate on God, we create success in our lives.

Christian meditation is meditating on God, his character, his presence, and his word with focused attention and concentration.

In the simplest terms, Christian meditation is "being with God."

Day Two: Is Christian Meditation Biblical?

The short answer is yes.

The Bible actually encourages us to meditate, to be still and quiet before the Lord. We are also encouraged to dwell, abide, and wait in God’s presence.

Some scriptures allude to meditation include:

Psalms chapter 4: 4 that persuades us, “When you are in your beds, search your hearts and be silent.”

David desired in Psalms 104: 34, that his “meditations be pleasing to the Lord.”

Isaiah declared in Chapter 50:4, “He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught.”

Psalms 46:10 declares, “Be still and know that I am God.

We also learn from scripture that Moses spent 40 days on the mountain abiding and learning from God (Exodus 34-35).

Paul received revelation and saw visions from heaven (2 Corinthians 12).

According to Luke 5:16 and Mark 1:35, even Jesus did some form of meditation by each day by spending quiet time with God. It tells us that everyday He went to a solitary place to pray.

I believe that is was during times of Biblical meditation that the disciples and prophets received many of their visions and revelations from God. Also, many of the influential apostles and prophets spent extended and solitary times with God before starting their life-changing ministries.

If we want to be like God, we must spend time with Him.

We must get to know Him in a personal way.

Day Three:  Why Meditate?

There are numerous mental, emotional, and physical benefits of meditation.

Today I will share with you 4 benefits of a regular Christian meditation practice.

1. Meditation can help to renew the mind and overcome negative thinking. When we meditate, we bring our unconscious thoughts to the conscious mind. Once we become aware of them, we can alter, release, or surrender them to God for healing.

2. Reduces stress and anxiety. Research shows that a regular meditation practice can significantly reduce our stress triggers. Did you know that 90% of all disease is rooted or exacerbated by stress? Many doctors are now recommending meditation and yoga to combat the negative affects of stress on the mind and body.

3. Promotes inner and outer healing. The WHO and CDC both state on their websites that 80-85% of all disease has an emotional root. Many doctors may treat the physical aspects of disease but fail to look at the emotional root or causes. Once we discover what is paining us emotionally, we can offer it to God for healing.

4. Helps us draw closer to God. The Bible says that in God’s presence is fullness of joy. Christian meditation creates greater space for God in our lives, by removing the mental clutter, worldliness, and distractions that get in the way of us knowing and experiencing God in a greater way.

Two powerful components of meditation are mindfulness and the breath.

What is mindfulness? Mindfulness is simply how present are you? How in the moment are you? You are as mindful as you are present. Many people live in the past, the future, or cycle between the two.  A consistent meditation practice helps to create self-awareness by observing and then training our minds to let go of destructive thoughts and mindsets.

The 2nd component is the breath.  During meditation, the breath can become an anchor and assist in regulating our emotions. The breath is a powerful healing force and tool that can move negative energy, anxiety and stress from our body.

Day Four: How to Meditate as a Christian?

There are various ways that Christians can meditate that completely honor God and their faith. These include mindfulness meditation, sacred word meditation, scripture meditation, Jesus prayer meditation, and guided Christian meditation. I will now briefly cover each of these.

The simplest form of meditation is Mindfulness. During mindfulness meditation, your breath is your anchor or primary focus.  When thoughts arise, and they will, you just notice them without judgment or attachment.  Instead of identifying with them, just observe them. You can watch them until they dissolve, wipe them away like wiping words off of a chalkboard, or just bring your focus back to your breath. Mindfulness meditation is great for training the mind and detaching from unproductive thoughts.

Another techniques is Sacred Word Meditation which is sometimes called mantra meditation. Building upon the mindfulness meditation, sacred word meditation includes introducing a sacred word or phrase into your meditation session. Words or phrases like Jesus, Yeshua, Love, Peace, peace be still, Holy Spirit, rest in Christ are some examples.  During the meditation, integrate your sacred word with your breath, silently repeating it each time you inhale or exhale. Another alternative is to focus on your breath and to silently say your sacred word anytime you’ve noticed that your mind has wandered off in thought.

The next technique is Scripture or passage meditation.  Scripture meditation is very similar to Sacred Word Meditation, except instead of meditating on a word, you meditate on an entire scripture or passages very slowly and in alignment with your breath (one word at a time).  Scripture meditation is a great way to hide God’s Word in your heart, and allows these scriptures to sink deep down into your spirit. My favorite passages to meditate on are:  The Lord’s Prayer and the 23rd Psalms, The Lord is My Shepherd.  

Another meditation technique established by the early church leaders is, The Jesus Prayer Meditation which is repeating silently in alignment with your breath: "Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy upon me." Some people also use this prayer meditation in conjunction with prayer beads. To do the Jesus Prayer, with a gentle inhale, silently repeat in your mind, "Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy upon me," and then exhale. You can also add the words, a sinner, if you like. You can do the verse even more slowly over several breaths as well. If you are using prayer beads, with each verse, touch or move a bead forward. Let the words penetrate in your hearts. When you mind wanders off, come back to your verse and the touch of the bead.

The early church desert men and women were seeking a way to pray without ceasing that is encouraged in many scriptures throughout the Bible. They wanted a inner prayer they could silently repeat during times of silence and that would penetrate their hearts, and that they could recite throughout the day, and continually experience God's presence.  In fact, they tried meditating on many different scriptures, including the Psalms but came to agree upon the Jesus Prayer passage: "Lord Jesus, Son of God, have mercy upon me,"  because many Biblical encounters with Jesus all started with this phrase. The Jesus Prayer proclaims our faith and humbles us by asking mercy and humbly placing our dependency upon God.  In next session, you can listen to audio Early Christian Spirituality and the Jesus Prayer, to learn more about early Church leaders and this powerful meditation.

Lastly, is Guided Christian meditation.  A guided meditation is narrated and often includes a progressive relaxation and is created around a specific theme, topic, and scriptures.  You can find guided Christian meditations on healing, peace, abundance and more. Guided meditation is great for beginners who often feel they might not be meditating correctly. By following a guided meditation, it takes out the guesswork out of it. All you have to do is sit down and relax and follow the instructions of the meditation author. Guided Christian meditations are also easier to do, as you’re less likely to be as distracted, as the narration and music act as powerful anchors for the mind.

Day Five: How NOT to Meditate as a Christian?

Meditation can be both secular and spiritual. Mindfulness meditation is an example of a secular meditation that is void of any religious beliefs or spiritual overtones.

However in the occult and new age movement, many people use meditation as a way to reach enlightenment.

Our Bible tells us, that God is a spirit and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth.

We live in a spiritual world and in order to really walk with God, we must not only embrace the logos of the word, but also the experiential or spiritual aspects of God, otherwise, we’re just carnal Christians. We may know lots of scripture but be devoid of power. We may go to church but have no real and growing relationship with Christ.

However, we must know that there is a fine line in the spiritual world. Satan parades as an angel of light. The Bible tells us that satan is the god of this world and the prince of the air. Many things are happening in the spiritual world that we simply can’t just see. Therefore, it is important that we use discernment and not be deceived into participating in new age or occult practices.

Here are some ways NOT to meditate?

Do not meditate to find enlightenment!  We became enlightened (or born of the spirit) when we accepted Jesus into our hearts and declared Him as our personal Lord and Savior. Invite Christ into your meditation with prayer. Keep your eyes on Jesus and seek HIM only and not some enlightened experience.

Do not meditate to enter into an altered state of reality or consciousness.  Keep your meditation practice grounded in Christ alone.  Instead, use your meditation time to spend quiet and quality time with God and enjoy his presence.  Just like with Paul or John, God may take you to the 3rd heaven or give you vibrant visions, but that’s probably not the norm. In my 15 plus years of meditating, nothing like that has ever happened to me.  During your meditation time, let your main desire be to fellowship with God and enjoy His loving presence.

Do not meditate to find a supernatural experience.  There are lots of new age practices out there like lucid dreaming or astral projection. Activities like these are encouraged and often praised in the occult and new age.  These can lead to demonic oppression and possession. Don’t open the door to unfamiliar spirits roaming in other dimensions. Again, keep your meditation practiced grounded in Christ.  

As a Christian meditator, always keep your heart and intention on drawing closer to God and abiding with Him. We can be spiritual and keep our feet on the ground!

LISTEN TO AUDIO: The Practice of Spiritual Awakening: Tools for Conscious Living in Daily Life by Ted Nottingham. (This is a wonderful Biblical teaching how mindfulness and meditation can bring us to spiritual awakening and break the prison of the mind).

Day Six: Let’s Meditate

Today, I will guide you through one of my most popular guided Christian Meditations: Control Negative Thoughts.  I always encourage Christians to start with this meditation because I believe the majority of our issues begin within our minds. The Bible tells us “that as a man thinks in his heart so is he.”  We’ve all been conditioned to think a certain way. However, much of this conditioning is keeping us bound when Jesus wants to set us free.

This meditation is about 20 minutes long, so sit back and relax.  Take this time and give yourself permission to connect with yourself and Father God.  Before beginning, rate on a scale of 1-10 how peaceful you feel inside. Afterwards, rate yourself again.  In your journal, write down any inspirations that God may be saying to you.

Let’s begin. When you’re ready, press the play button below in the next section.

Check out more Christian Meditation audios.

Day Seven: Creating a Maintaining a Daily Routine

You have learned a lot about Christian meditation and even meditated! However, if you want to gain all of the benefits of Christian Meditation, you have to practice it on a regular basis. Although you may feel and see the benefits right away, it could take up to 6-weeks before you really notice a difference and they begin to stick.

One of the best ways to start and maintain a practice is to meditate as a part of your daily morning quiet time routine.

A daily quiet time morning routine can consist of reading a devotional like Jesus Calling, checking in with yourself, setting an intention for your day, journaling and more. This is a great time to include meditation to help you start your day from a place of inner peace and purpose.

For some additional quiet time ideas, be sure and download my Christian Meditation Quick Start Guide. Here are a few tips to help you get started:

• Make a daily date with God and calendar it. We’re less likely to break a date that we’ve scheduled in.

• Be consistent with the days and times you schedule so you can gain momentum and turn it into a habit. Remember that your success is in your routine, so build routines that enhance your life.

• Find a quiet and comfortable place or create one. A room, comfy chair, or corner of the house can all be a sacred space to meditate and abide with God.

• Show up everyday. The days you don’t FEEL like meditating or spending time with God are the days you need to the most. Everything we do has an accumulative effect and once we stop we tend to go back to our old habits.  Even if some days you’re rushed for time, just show up to read your devotional, a few scriptures, or do a 5-minute meditation to keep integrity in your practice. Sometimes I’ll just sit in my chair and do nothing, but even then, I feel the presence of God.

• Feel okay with changing or mixing things up. My daily routine changes as I do. You’re not required to do the same thing everyday. Let the Holy Spirit lead you.

• Don’t be legalistic or beat yourself up if you miss a day or more. Just start again when you can. The more time you spend with God, the more the Holy Spirit will draw you unto Him.

  
  

Download the Quick Start Guide.

Also, check out this 20-Minute Spiritual Morning Routine Video on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-eZeeCq5zg

I wanted to make this video because I know that many people are both hurting and searching for meaning in their life. I definitely don't have all the answers, but I do know that you don't have to go it all alone.

If you are going through this course desperately looking for a way to create more peace in your life or to release stress and anxiety, and you don't have a personal relationship with Jesus, Christian meditation is only PART of the answer.

I am not talking about religion, dogma, rules, or tradition. A relationship with Jesus is not based upon going to church or being holier than thou. Instead it is a GIFT of God. When I think of the word salvation and my relationship with Jesus. I believe that Jesus saved me from the illusions of this world so that although I am in the world, I don’t have to put my hope in it. In addition, I can rely on Father God instead of trying to do it all myself.

We are all on a spiritual journey. I believe that journey is to find Father God through Jesus Christ. I like to call Him Yeshua, his Hebrew name. I know that all of the meditation in the world can never take the place of knowing God and having Him live in my heart. However, Christian meditation does help us to experience Him more fully and in greater ways.

If you don't know Jesus, I want to invite you to ask Him into your life and heart today. Then ask Him to take your burdens away. The Bible says that Jesus is our advocate. He wants us to cast all of our cares upon Him. I know it may seem or feel unnatural. When we ask Jesus to abide with us, something supernatural happens. The Bible says that we become born again, born of God's spirit. God may be knocking on your heart, open the door to him today.

If you are interested in being spiritually reborn, then take a few moments to pray this simple prayer below. Afterwards, continue to listen to God living inside of you and spend time with Him by abiding in his presence. I also recommend purchasing the daily devotional Jesus Calling (you'll love it) and reading the gospel of Matthew (in the Bible) to learn more about Jesus and his character.

Here is the prayer you can pray:

Dear Jesus,

I feel that something is missing in my life and that something may be you. I'm not even sure if I believe but I'm willing to take this leap of faith to find out if you are really there, really real. If you are, I hope that you are hearing my prayer to you now. I ask that you forgive me of any wrongdoing in my past and cleanse me with your love. Please come into my heart and my life, take away my pain, and guide my footsteps. I want to be spiritual reborn and experience your love, peace, and joy. In your name, Amen.

**Once we invite Jesus into our lives, we will regularly be under spiritual attack, especially in our minds.  Christian meditation and other tools help us to renew our minds and grow stronger in Christ. We come to God with a past and pain, we need to allow God to heal us from within by his transforming word and spirit.

Ain’t No Stopping Us Now! If you grew up in the 80s, you’ll know that this was a popular song I used to love.

The Bible tells us that God has given us everything we need to lead a Holy life, but are we taking advantage of it? The old adage goes, you can lead a horse to water but you can’t make him drink it.

You’ve spent the last 7 days learning about Christian meditation and all it’ benefits and hopefully you’re convinced that Christian meditation should be a part of your life.

I have practiced Christian meditation for almost 15 years now and it has completely transformed my life and relationship with God. In fact, it was Christian meditation and the tools that I share in my programs that helped me overcome a 4-year battle with depression when nothing else helped, not even prayer. At the time, I didn’t realize most of my depression stemmed from my mind and my own stinkin’ thinkin'.

But it's not only me, I have received 100s of testimonials from others whose lives have also been transformed by this wonderful practice! Healing is accessible to you, if you want and are willing to work for it. Even Jesus asked each person, "Do you want to be healed?" He often gave them an assignment to do as an act of their faith.

If you want to overcoming negative thinking, reducing stress, drawing closer to God, and finding healing, you are in the right place. I don’t believe in accidents!

If you’d let me, I’d love to be your Christian meditation coach!

I have MANY resources to support you on your spiritual journey as a Christian meditator.  You just need to find the right one for you. Don’t let this momentum you started die out, but keep it going and growing, so that you can continue to reap the benefits.

In this video, I’d like to share with you a few resources that have changed Christian’s lives all over the world.

Whenever we start a new habit or activity, sometimes it’s hard to go it alone.  Many times we fall back into our old habits, even though we know we can benefit from making specific changes in our life.

Many of the program and courses I offer, will help you to make these changes with more ease and determination.

I’m excited to share them with you. As you are listening, write down any that resonate with you, check them out more closely and when you find one that feels right,  get started. 

Make a date with yourself and make your own spiritual self care a priority. You are as only as good to others as you are to yourself.  When you are happy and at peace, you spread that joy and peace to those around you.

Below are a list of resources available to you. Many of these have free trials, so you can try them out first before making a small investment.

Christian Meditation Audios

Downloads, CDs, Bundles, & Listening Library (with Challenge)

Christian Meditation Courses

A Date with God

Help Me God Change My Life (Detox Your Life & Awaken Your Inner Spirit)

Abiding in Christ Christian Meditation Course

Certification Course starts in 2019 (Abiding in Christ Course Prerequiste)

Christian Meditation Membership

Courses, webinars, videos, listening library, group calls, and more.

Personal Meditation Coaching with Rhonda

Includes One FREE Month of Christian Meditation Academy

Christian Meditation Retreats

Be Still Retreat- Italy- June 15-22, 2019

Unplug Personal Getaway with God Retreat kit

Christian Yoga Instructors

No Prep Yoga Plans

Here are links to my products pages, so take a look at the products that interest you most.

Products Library

Products by Categories

Most of all, keep going and growing. Nothing is more important than taking care of yourself and growing in relationship with yourself and Christ.

If you enjoyed this mini-course, I’d love to hear from you and be able to add your comments to my testimonial section.  Please send me an email at thechristianmeditator@yahoo.com.

Be sure and take the exit survey and share this course with others who would benefit from it.

Last but not least, join my FB group: Christians Who Meditate. I have over 1000 members and growing and you’ll receive a daily dose of encouragement.

Have a great day.

Blessings Rhonda

P.S. Come back tomorrow for our FINAL mini-course wrap up. :-)

Course Wrap Up: If you enjoyed this course, I'd love to hear from you. My email is thechristianmeditator@yahoo.com. Also, don't forget to rate and comment on this course in Udemy! God bless you on your continuing spiritual journey.