Many questing young people and stressed older people nowadays seek relaxation through meditation. They look for it in Hindu, Buddhist and other Eastern religions. They are often surprised to learn that there is such a way within the Christian tradition, a way that is known as contemplation.

Ray Simpson
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Many questing young people and stressed older people nowadays seek relaxation through meditation. They look for it in Hindu, Buddhist and other Eastern religions. They are often surprised to learn that there is such a way within the Christian tradition, a way that is known as contemplation. Contemplation is not a new thing in the world of Christianity.

The practice of reflection on the meaning of our lives has been around for thousands of years. It was common practice in monasteries in Europe during the Middle Ages, when monks would spend hours in silent prayer to God. But this meditation has fallen out of favor in recent years, especially among Christians who have come to see it as non-productive or even demeaning.

This idea that contemplation is an inferior practice, however, is dangerously wrong. As Christians, we believe that our lives are reflections of God’s love in action. And so when we reflect on our own lives, when we ask ourselves “What does it mean to be human?” or “What does God look like?” we are engaging in the very same practice that Jesus himself engaged in when he prayed at the foot of his cross.

The teachings of Jesus are so much about loving one another and holding each other up—they aren’t about trying to make friends with God or get God to like you, but about loving God and loving your neighbor and how we can do good things for others and lift them up.

Source: Exploring Celtic Spirituality

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  1. Contemplative prayer is natural, unprogrammed; it is perpetual openness to God, so that in the openness his concerns can flow in and out of our minds as he wills.
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