MEDITATION

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Blik

Blik

Senior Member
#1
Dec 6, 2016
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2,428
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#1
Should we follow Psalms to meditation or science?

God, our creator, told us of the value of mediation long before science learned of its value. But there is a difference between what science tells us and what the Lord tells us about meditation. Science tells us to empty our minds, and the Lord tells us to fill our mind with the word. The difference in the instructions is proof that God knew science that science is just beginning to catch up with.

At the same time, we can learn the particulars about God’s instructions from science. We learn that the mind operates at different levels that science names. It is only at the most relaxed level that meditation can happen. In scripture that would mean to give up running our own ship with our efforts and giving control over to the Lord.

When we are using words instead of pictures to think we cannot be relaxed enough.

Here is an exercise that will regenerate you and feed your soul. Use the 23rd Psalm to guide your visualization. “The Lord is my Shepard”. Can you see the spirit of God leading all your ways? “I shall not want”. As you picture yourself fully satisfied with the power of the Lord. Do the whole psalm in this way. You will be meditating the Lord’s way.

If you think you don't have the ability to use deep meditation to fill your mind with the word, try this and I will show you that you are able to do it. First sit back and consciously relax. Now see a lemon in your mind. What is it's color? How does it feel? Can you smell it? Now taste it. See!! You did it. Do the same with the 23rd Psalm.

Psalms 2,63,77,119,143. 1 Tim 4:15.
 
posthuman

posthuman

Senior Member
#2
Jul 31, 2013
37,954
13,615
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#2
Blik said:
Science tells us to empty our minds
Click to expand...
i'm not aware of any 'science' that 'tells us' this -- if there is, it's bad science.

there are different forms & philosophies of meditation all around the world. one of the most prolific is well-defined comes from traditions of hinduism & certain forms of buddhism by extension, and it does involve an idea of 'emptying' ones mind completely, with a religious goal of achieving a realization of oneness with all of creation through self-extinguishing.
'good' science would recognize this as only one instance or type within the larger context of 'meditation' as an whole.
'bad' science would not take into account that these 'emptying' or 'vacating' forms of meditation aren't the only ones that exist. i'd call that closer to propaganda or advertising, in the same way people trying to sell you a pill or a jar of coconut oil leave certain information out, trying to make it seem like there's no other possible remedy for whatever ailment they're selling their wares as a cure for.

as an example that even in eastern mysticism, practices of meditation vary, consider zen forms of buddhism, where a person is not told to meditate by emptying themselves of thought, but is given a 'koan,' an adage or riddle to concentrate on ((e.g. 'what is the sound of one hand clapping' or 'if you sit as buddha, you must kill buddha')). this is like the kind of meditation described in the Bible, in contrast to the nepalese buddhist tradition, which, closer to the hindu ideal of nirvana through becoming nothingness, gives its adherents meaningless sounds as mantras to be repeated while meditating ((e.g. 'om' - tho 'om' has meaning in certain contexts)).
the goal in the zen tradition of meditation is to have an active mind, exploring through contemplation a concept/idea to arrive at a profound understanding of it.
the goal in a mantric tradition of meditation is to have a passive mind, rid even of all contemplation, reaching for an awareness that is devoid of one's self or any influence of one's self.

the meditation described in the Bible, and in the OP, is ((in a broad sense)) of the contemplative, self-enriching sort, not of the mantric, self-extinguishing sort. my only objection is that 'science' prefers one sort over the other -- misnomer. southeast asian mysticism prefers one sort, not 'science' .. not honest science, anyway.
 
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