tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post4904910290791630439..comments2024-03-28T11:58:31.928+00:00Comments on Bruce Charlton's Notions: Three obstacles to Christian meditation - and the difference between prayer and meditation (note added with specific relevance to Mormon Christians)Bruce Charltonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09615189090601688535noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post-44107645426740680362014-10-15T19:06:47.674+01:002014-10-15T19:06:47.674+01:00@MA - No, none of these - just as I describe (I do...@MA - No, none of these - just as I describe (I don't really 'use' meditation - it is something I do, rather than use). Bruce Charltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09615189090601688535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post-33441044622686911822014-10-15T16:58:08.851+01:002014-10-15T16:58:08.851+01:00May I inquire which type of Christian meditation y...May I inquire which type of Christian meditation you are using? Are you using the Christian mantra method associated with John Main - repeating "Maranatha"? Or Jesus Prayer? Are you using the "Centering Prayer" associated with Thomas Keating? (http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/category/category/centering-prayer)Mercurius Aulicushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05130901970855873480noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post-68239794051421509502014-10-13T06:02:04.111+01:002014-10-13T06:02:04.111+01:00@WZ - They could alternate - first prayer (talking...@WZ - They could alternate - first prayer (talking) then meditation (listening for an answer). Bruce Charltonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09615189090601688535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post-1003667038741102292014-10-12T22:46:15.878+01:002014-10-12T22:46:15.878+01:00I think of 'prayer' as I'm doing most ...I think of 'prayer' as I'm doing most of the talking, 'meditation' as I'm mostly listening. A balanced conversation has both?William Zeitlerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01700471993844407817noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post-35661719086658968142014-10-12T20:18:10.652+01:002014-10-12T20:18:10.652+01:00@BruceCarlton
Wonderful description of the differ...@BruceCarlton<br /><br />Wonderful description of the difference between meditation and prayer.<br /><br />Deep insights illuminate during meditation - a system with dogma and creed would discourage it.<br /><br />Understandably.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4683970826895755480.post-54956875460114832142014-10-12T18:53:31.870+01:002014-10-12T18:53:31.870+01:00I believe meditation is a key practice for any spi...I believe meditation is a key practice for any spiritual aspirant. The issue may be in the Christian tradition, the practice has a broken lineage going back to the Desert Fathers. And yet, there have been mystics (e.g. Meister Eckhart, St. Teresa of Avila, Thomas Merton) along the way that went against the grain of Church on this practice. Also at odds are some of the metaphysical assumptions that have been co-opted by the Eastern approach (which has a strong lineage around meditation). In place of salvaging the self (which is seen as a source of suffering), one is expected to transcend it (or in more extreme cases annihilate it). This doesn't sit well with a Christians where the Incarnation is seen as the intersection of God and man - where man is seen as a conduit for God in history and not out of it. While I have heard some Eastern teachers attempt to find ecumenical ways to deal with this, there still exists a subtle bias. Until this changes, meditation may be seen as too secular/Eastern for Christians and not worth their time.tedhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07354048695798015131noreply@blogger.com