Meditation | Pt. 3

MEDITATION

This will be my third and final practice of the spiritual discipline of meditation. It's been an interesting journey so far to say the least and I am excited to be taking part in these things. I've come to the conclusion that there is a fine line to be drawn when it comes to meditation. Things like the "lotus" position and the like come from Zen Buddhist practices. While there may be some "good things" in other religions practices those "good things" stem from truth and have been distorted. The only source of anything good and true is Jesus Christ. All truth comes from Him. He is truth (John 14:6)

Todays meditation comes in the form of focusing on an aspect of creation to reveal something about the nature of the Creator. I will specifically be focusing on the fish in my fish tank. I have some Fruit Salad Tetras: (2 - Blueberry & Pineapple); a Rainbow Tailed Guppy (Cobra); and a Suckerfish (OS X Leopard).

Any aspect of creation will do. "Choose something in the created order: tree, plant, bird, leaf, cloud", you get the point. I'll only be doing this meditation for today, however Richard Foster recommends exercising this meditation for about 5-10 minutes a day for a few days and in addition to one of the first two meditations I've already blogged about in my previous 2 posts.

This meditation begins much like the others with focusing on breathing by slowly inhaling and exhaling. After arriving at a state of openness and calm ask God to fill your mind with truths about Him from His creation. Focus in on the one aspect of creation you have chosen. What thoughts does it bring to mind about God? Spend some time meditating on those things. End this meditation with a time of praise and thanksgiving to God for what He has revealed to you and for what He has still to reveal.

THE EXPERIENCE

I began this meditation sitting down in a chair at my kitchen/dining room table, closed my eyes, and slowly began to inhale and exhale focusing myself on hearing from God. I opened my eyes and just watched my fish for a while. The first thing that came to my attention was Cobra. Being a Rainbow Tailed Guppy means you come with a really bright tail. He's by far the most colorful and fidgety of all the fish in my tank and the patterns on his tail are simply beautiful. I began thinking about how amazing of an artist God is to create just this one fish to be so breath taking. Then I thought about how Cobra is just one of probably millions or billions of guppies and there must be more like him and some maybe even more intricately patterned as well.

The Fruit Salad Tetras in my tank are quite different from Cobra as are they all different from the OS X Leopard AKA Sucker Fish. They each have unique characteristics and qualities about them that make them pleasing to watch and marvel at.

I pondered this idea of God being a unique and creative artist and different races and faces started flying through my imagination. There are so many people in this world. Each one unique in his or her own way. Each one beautiful and created by a Creator who loves them and longs to know them personally as Savior and Lord. Every person on the planet has something about them, a characteristic or quality that makes them pleasing for God to watch and marvel at.

God marvels at me.

He created me and shaped me and molded me to who I am.

He is continually feeding me and molding me into who I will become.

There's a line in the song Our God Reigns by the band Delirious? in which singer Martin Smith croons

"God didn't screw up when He made you. He's a Father who loves to parade you."

It's so comforting to know that God created me how I am for His purpose and His pleasure.

Huh. Who would've thought all this from fish.

Meditation | Pt. 2

"The inner reality of the spiritual world is available to all who are willing to search for it."

- Richard Foster

MEDITATION

The meditation I'll be taking part in tonight is aimed at centering oneself by concentrating on breathing.

The meditation begins once again in a seated position whether in a chair or on the floor is your choice. "Slowly become conscious of your breathing. Inhale deeply (through your nose), slowly tilting your head back as far as it will go. Then exhale (through your mouth) allowing your head slowly to come forward until your chin nearly rests on your chest.

Do this for several moments, praying inwardly something like this: Lord, I exhale my spiritual apathy, I inhale Your light and life. Then after doing this for a few moments become silent outwardly and inwardly."

Focus your attentions on Christ living within you. If your mind wanders from this ""exhale" the matter into the arms of the Master and draw in His divine breathe of peace. Then listen once again."

Close your time in meditation with a moment of praise and thanksgiving to God for who He is and what He has done and is going to do in your life.

THE EXPERIENCE

I found a comfortable spot on my bed sitting in the lotus position for this exercise. At first it made me really sleepy so I had to move to the floor to keep from wanting to doze off.

As I began breathing slowly in and out for this meditation I began to feel very calm and focused. I could hear the fountain in the pond behind our apartments splashing through my bedroom window. I inhaled and exhaled many things in prayer and meditation to God. I inhaled His strength, His courage, His peace, His love, His forgiving heart, His sacrifice on the cross, His victory over death and the grave. I exhaled my insecurities, my selfishness, my inhibitions in sharing my faith more, my sometimes quick temper.

I then stilled my body and my mind and focused only on the cross. I focused on the image of Jesus being crucified and then thoughts of forgiveness and dirtiness came over me. I am so filthy and unworthy of Christ's cross. I am (as David Crowder sings in the song Wholly Yours) full of earth, stained with dirt, prone to depravity. When Christ is everything that is bright and clean, the antonym of me, divinity.

But, the truest sign of grace was this... from wounded hands... redemption fell down... liberating man.

I closed my time quietly singing the words to that song.

When I opened my eyes I felt slightly lightheaded and very very calm. This could be the physical aspect of moving my head back and forth in that manner inhaling and exhaling for so long more than it was anything "spiritual" but, my heart and mind were focused on Christ.

I don't know that I'd recommend this meditation as it seems to disorient more than focus, especially for the young believer. However I will say that it's beneficial for the more mature believer who can differentiate between "feelings" and the Holy Spirit actually speaking and moving.

All quotations taken from The Celebration Of Discipline by Richard Foster

Meditation | Pt. 3 is Tomorrow.

Blessings.

Meditation | Pt. 1

MEDITATION

"The inner world of meditation is most easily entered through the door of the imagination." "We simply must become convinced of the importance of thinking and experiencing in images."

- Richard Foster

For my first meditation practice I will be taking part in an exercise Richard Foster calls "palms down, palms up". In this meditation you "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"" mentally releasing those things through your palms.

"After several moments of surrendering those things turn your palms up as a symbol of your desire to receive from the Lord." Whatever you would like God to give you concerning the things that weighed you down: peace, patience, love for an individual, or a spirit of forgiveness. Whatever you need say "palms up" and focus on those things for the remainder of the meditation in complete silence. To not ask for anything of God out loud in prayer. "Allow the Lord to continue with you spirit, to love you. If impressions or directions come, fine; if not, fine."

Richard recommends doing this meditation sitting, on the floor or in a chair it doesn't matter as long as it's comfortable and not distracting.

As far as time goes, it's really up to you. You can meditate for as long or as little as you want. I'm going to be planning on around 5-10 minutes for this first meditation, but I'm not watching the clock either.

I'll be doing this meditation without music at all. If you have to have music only use instrumental music at a very low volume for the "palms down" portion of the meditation.

THE EXPERIENCE

I sat down in the middle of my living room floor, in the lotus position. I said a brief prayer asking God to help me to focus because after about a minute of sitting there it seemed like I had a million itches to scratch or specks in my eyes I needed to dig out. So finally after all that I placed my palms onto my knees and began to breathe in and out through my nose deeply and slowly.

I focused my mind on the things that have been weighing me down. I won't list them here for obvious reasons. After about a minute of focusing on those things I moved the palms of my hands out in front of my knees hovering over the floor in front of mean and I said out loud "Jesus, I release the things to Your power and authority. Amen." At that moment I felt a physical sense of calm and release as a light "buzzing" feeling ran from the center of my back around my arms and out through my finger tips. Now this could have been the ceiling fan giving me the chills or a moving of the Holy Spirit in physical form through this meditation exercise, but regardless it's part of this experience. You can call it what you want.

I remained silent for about 2 minutes after that. I then prayed a prayer in my mind, "Father, give me the courage and strength to truly release those weights over to you and not revisit them over and over in my mind." I turned my palms up and sat silently meditating. Images of Christ on the cross began to flood my mind. I was reminded of the courage and strength that it took for Jesus to bear that cross for my sin. The cross is enough for my sin and I need to remember that Jesus is enough for me to rest in and not let these things weigh me down. He will give me the courage and strength through the Holy Spirit to conquer these things.

I closed out my time with a quiet, "Amen." Going for just a bit over 5 minutes after looking on the clock it seemed like I had been sitting here longer. It will get easier with time.

Tomorrow is Meditation | Pt. 2

Blessings.

All quotes taken from "The Celebration of Discipline" by Richard Foster.

Spiritual Disciplines | An Introduction

As I mentioned in my last post I will be blogging through some personal experiences of various spiritual disciplines, in response to the reading of The Celebration Of Discipline by Richard Foster. I am mainly doing this for my own personal growth and for a Pastoral Leadership course I'm taking online but felt it might be interesting or beneficial for some of you out there. I'll be including the type of discipline I'm doing in each post and my experiences after partaking in each discipline. Enjoy.

The Four Disciplines I'll Be Taking Part In Are:

MEDITATION

FASTING

SOLITUDE

WATCHING