Meditation has become an increasingly popular practice in recent years, with advocates touting its many benefits for mental and physical health. However, some Christians have reservations about adopting meditation techniques, unsure if the practice aligns with their faith. In exploring this question, we’ll look at the history of meditation in Christianity, biblical references to meditation, concerns some Christians have about adopting Eastern meditation practices, and tips for how Christians can develop their own biblical meditation habits.
The history of meditation in Christianity
While the popularity of meditation has surged in modern times, the practice actually has ancient roots in the Christian tradition. As early as the 3rd century AD, Christian monks and ascetics retreated into the deserts of Egypt, Palestine, and Syria to seek God through prayer and scripture meditation. These early “Desert Fathers” influenced later monastic orders and Christian mystical practices.
Throughout the Middle Ages, monks, nuns, and mystics within the Catholic and Orthodox churches developed sacred reading and prayer exercises designed to foster continuous meditation on scripture and the interior life. Devotional meditations on Christ’s life also grew in popularity. The goal was to tranquilly reflect on God through unceasing prayer.
In the 12th century, Guigo II, a Carthusian monk, outlined a four-step approach to meditation in his work The Ladder of Monks, even using the term “meditation” to describe it. The steps were lectio (reading scripture), meditatio (meditation on the textual meaning), oratio (prayer and internalization), and contemplatio (contemplation of God). This became a classic method of Christian meditation. Other monks and mystics, like Bernard of Clairvaux, built on these contemplative practices.
The Protestant Reformation later drove a resurgence in Christian meditation, as people were encouraged to study scripture for themselves. Puritans like Thomas Manton encouraged meditation upon the word as a devotional practice. Other Protestant reformers including Martin Luther, John Calvin, and John Wesley promoted forms of biblical and devotional meditation.
So while the popularity of meditation has flourished today partly through exposure to Eastern religions, the practice has longstanding roots within the Christian tradition as well.
Biblical references to meditation
Not only does Christian history show the practice of meditation, the Bible contains many exhortations to meditate. Passages include:
- The Book of Psalms is filled with verses about meditation, contemplation, and reflection on God’s word. For example, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked…but his delight is in the law of the Lord, and on his law he meditates day and night” (Psalm 1:1-2).
- In Joshua 1:8, God commands Joshua, “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it.”
- Isaac meditated in a field as he waited to meet his bride Rebekah in Genesis 24:63.
- The Virgin Mary “treasured up all these things and pondered them in her heart” in Luke 2:19 as she learned about her newborn son Jesus.
- Paul instructs Timothy to practice meditative exercises: “Practice these things, immerse yourself in them, so that all may see your progress” (1 Timothy 4:15).
- The Apostle Philip meditatively contemplated the meaning of Isaiah 53 before meeting an Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:30-31.
As these examples show, the Bible often commends reflection, contemplation, and meditation, especially on scripture and the mysteries of God. Practiced properly, such habits can lead to spiritual growth, wisdom, and obedient living.
Concerns some Christians have about Eastern meditation
If meditation has such deep roots in the Christian tradition, why do some believers look on it with suspicion? Often this is because Eastern meditation practices have now become so popular and visible.
Mindfulness meditation derives from Buddhist philosophy. Yoga meditation stems from Hindu origins. Both have become staple practices at gyms, clinics, and schools across North America.
Understandably, some Christians are concerned about adopting practices so closely tied to Eastern religions with very different understandings of concepts like enlightenment, energy, and the self. They also point out potential physical risks from attempting intense meditative states.
Other Christians argue that just as yoga postures can be practiced as simple stretches and exercises void of any Hindu associations, so meditation methods can also be adapted and utilized according to Christian values and teachings.
But those with concerns counter that even if trying to “Christianize” these practices, one will inevitably encounter teachings, mantras, and imagery from Eastern faiths that clash with a biblical worldview.
Eastern meditation also focuses very much on emptying the mind. But Christian meditation fundamentally involves filling the mind with scripture and the attributes of God. So trying to detach and empty the mind is seen by some as an unbiblical approach.
Lastly, some Christians point out that we already have rich, longstanding traditions of Christian meditation within the convents and monasteries of our own faith. They ask, why venture into risky waters of Eastern mysticism when our own Christian heritage has its own time-tested methods?
These are some of the major concerns that lead certain Christians to avoid adopting popular secular and Eastern meditation practices, opting to stay rooted in biblical meditation traditions instead.
How Christians can develop biblical meditation habits
Here are some simple tips for Christians looking to establish their own healthy meditation habits rooted in the Bible and Christian tradition:
- Set aside quiet time to intentionally meditate on scripture each morning, afternoon, or evening. Start with just 10-15 minutes.
- Pick a soothing environment without distractions to meditate in, and get comfortable. You may want peaceful worship music playing softly in the background.
- Choose a biblical passage to slowly read and reflect on, repeatedly murmuring it to yourself. The Psalms and the life of Jesus in the Gospels are great books to meditate through.
- As you read the passage, close your eyes and use your imagination to visualize the scene. Picture yourself present in the Scripture. What do you see, hear, feel, smell, and taste in this imagined moment?
- Pray through the passage, having a conversation with God about the Scripture. Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal spiritual insights to you. Write down any reflections in a prayer journal.
- Repeat a holy word or phrase (e.g. “Jesus”, “Maranatha”, “Speak Lord for your servant is listening”) to renew your mind between focused thoughts.
- Conclude by giving thanks and praying the passage back to God. Then go through your day mindfully applying your meditations.
By consistently practicing meditative prayer using Scripture in this way, Christians can cultivate calm, renew their minds, grow closer to God, and let his Word permeate their thoughts and actions all throughout the day.
Conclusion
Meditation indeed has an ancient tradition within Christianity, as seen from the Bible and Christian history. At its best, the practice centers on sustained reflection on scripture and prayerful communion with God. While some believers are wary of secular, Eastern versions commonly practiced today, Christians can develop their own healthy biblical meditation habits. Through Bible reading, imaginative prayer, and other worshipful disciplines, Christian meditation allows for a deepening oneness with Christ.