Spirituality X
Bishop Roger
Now that we have begun to develop a ‘spiritual’ mind-set and had a little practice in developing and maintaining that we can consider the next thing to do, which is to start to meditate. I consider that meditation is the bedrock of the spiritual life (though no perhaps for everyone – you will soon discover if it’s for you). However we must remember that meditation is not prayer.
Prayer we build onto the bedrock of meditation and we will come to that at a later stage. It is important to realise that neither of these, nor any of the other matters which we will consider in due course, can force God to come to us, but they will make it easier for us if and when He does come (as Jesus. who is God in our Trinitarian religion, has promised that he will). If we attempt to use any of our ‘techniques’ to force God’s action we have strayed into the realm of the magicians, where technique is all, and God’s generous love counts for little, even though the techniques and action we use may in many ways seem similar.
Meditation is both difficult and easy. It is very easy to do, but it is necessary to keep at it despite the difficulties that we may find in controlling the mind, which is what meditation is attempting to do. If you are new to it you will be amazed at the tricks and wriggles that your mind will do to avoid this control. It is not for nothing that meditation teachers in all religions have called it the ‘monkey mind’.
It may surprise you, as it does many of those who have followed Eastern religions or the ‘New age’ ways to realize that Christianity has always had available the techniques of spiritual exercise which are thought only to be found elsewhere. Unfortunately they have been hidden often in monasteries and ‘esoteric’ orders, but now, perhaps in response to the ‘New Agers’ the are being publicised again, and within the mainstream Churches particularly are even becoming fashionable!
Enough of the explanation – what do we do? First of all we must choose a suitable time because meditation, at least in the first instance, is a specific exercise which should be done daily or even twice daily if you have time. It can, of course, be done at any time, but it really needs a minimum of twenty free minutes. The best time is early morning just after awakening. Next is early evening after work and when you have wound down from the day’s traumas, and the third best time is, according to the teachers, around mid-day. So choose, and stick to your time as far as your circumstances allow.
Now find a place, anywhere relatively quiet will do. It is best if you can use the same place regularly. (You may read that using the same place builds up ‘beneficial vibrations’. Maybe, or not, but it does affect the mental attitude we are trying to develop).Take off the ‘phone and try to avoid other disturbances. Remember Our Lord’s advice to ‘Go into your room and close the door’.
The position you use is immaterial. Your body will be quiet – it’s your brain where all the action is. However lying down (yes, you can meditate thus) may lead you to sleep – not harmful but not helpful to our intent either. Standing, at least at first, may be too demanding on the body, so sitting is probably best. If you know how, and can do it with ease then the ‘lotus position’ is exceptionally good - but you may have to be exceptionally good to realize it! So sitting in a chair is the norm for most of us.
The seat should be soft, but the back upright and firm – on the whole easy chairs are not suitable. Sit straight, feet on the floor, hands resting on the thighs (palms up or down as you choose). The head sits firmly and upright not inclined in any direction, and the spine feels straight. Lightly circle the trunk two or three times and you will find a balanced position to sit in. Take a couple of deep breaths then leave your breathing to attend to itself for the moment. The eyes are best closed to start, but you may prefer to have them half open to allow your gaze to fix on a spot on the floor about two metres (6 feet) in front of you.
We now begin a basic exercise – counting the breath. Breathe in to a count of ‘one’, and then out also to a count of ‘one’. Just ordinary breaths, no athleticism involved. Then repeat until to have done four breaths. Then start 
again at one, and so on. I hope you were successful in reaching four without thinking of anything else – your next meal, your job or whatever. If you are like most people you will have wandered away from the count, but the aim of this exercise is to say with, and only with the count. Some teachers suggest counting to ten breaths, but four makes it easier to control the ‘monkey’. In twenty minutes you will probably have lost your concentration many times. Don’t worry, just bring your mind back to the breath-count as soon as you notice it wander.
This is where you find temptation to give up – ‘I can’t do this’. Please don’t. This exercise, though simple and very basic to meditation, is frighteningly difficult to start with, but persevered with will bring great rewards even in your ordinary daily life. Remember what is said of all skills, ‘Practice makes perfect’. So keep on on the trail until the next installment.
There are many books of instruction on meditation. I have read many and they do vary. There are few Christian ones, but one of the best is Christian Meditation, experiencing the Presence of God by James Finley (an ex Trappist student of Thomas Merton) published by HarperCollins, New York 2005 available from Amazon UK from £4.05. A wider-ranging non-Christian one is How to Meditate, by Lawrence Leshan (who was one of my meditation teachers)published by Little, Brown also from Amazon UK at £5.24. These two are well worth having in your library and probably all you need on this subject.
+Roger