What is Christian Meditation?

“Meditation is a universal path employed by seekers of God throughout history in their quest to penetrate surface appearances and come to grips with the Real. Meditation is not intellectual effort to master certain ideas about God. Its purpose is not to acquire or to deepen our speculative knowledge of God or of revelation. Rather than seeking to know about God through words, thoughts, and images, the meditator is seeking to experience God directly with the awareness of loving faith and God's indwelling presence.”

-Fr. Tom Ryan

 Featured Articles

Explore our writers’ persectives on meditation in our Wonderings blog

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Unity in Diversity: Yoga’s gift to the Ecumenical Community
Unity in Diversity: Yoga’s gift to the Ecumenical Community

I believe it is a rare privilege to experience spiritual friendship with people who hold different worldviews. This privilege demands we put the doctrine, dogma and creeds that hold together our own unique identity into its proper place. I don’t know how it would be possible to do this without yoga and meditation.

Yoga and Lent VIII: The Samadhi of Jesus
Yoga and Lent VIII: The Samadhi of Jesus

Fr. Clooney's Yoga and Lent series concludes with a Holy Saturday reflection on samadhi (a state of concentration) alongside Jesus' death and resurrection.

Yoga and Lent VII: The Contemplative Gaze
Yoga and Lent VII: The Contemplative Gaze

When Patanjali writes of “holding” and “meditating,” he turns out to be offering us a gift, first regarding the practice – we learn to be moral, detached, to sit, breath, let go, attend, hold our gaze, just there – and then regarding the inner states of contemplation to which we aspire as Christians.

Yoga and Lent VI: Sit, Breathe, Let Go
Yoga and Lent VI: Sit, Breathe, Let Go

We might consider that an excellent Lenten practice, even for its last weeks, would be to sit, and breathe, and let that breathing dispel illusions about what and who we are. 

Yoga and Lent IV: To See As Wisdom Sees
Yoga and Lent IV: To See As Wisdom Sees

Fr. Clooney shares a discussion on the 8 limbs of yoga and how they may be incorporated into our Lenten observances.

The Practice of Yoga and the Practice of Lent: I
The Practice of Yoga and the Practice of Lent: I

It is Lent once more, and as I’ve often done in the past, I will take up a theme that I will return to every now and then between now and Easter. ... This time I will focus on what the Yoga Sutras ask us to do...

Seeking Connection: A 15 minute Three Point Awareness Practice
Seeking Connection: A 15 minute Three Point Awareness Practice

This three point meditation practice is a reminder to orient ourselves towards right relationships in various aspects of our being human.

Staying Consequences
Staying Consequences

Applying the tools of yoga and seeking daily direction from Christ helped Doreen resolve the tension regarding where to live for the rest of their twelve year old daughter’s growing up years.

Light a Candle
Light a Candle

Take a few moments to candle gaze.

Mary's Cape - A Guided Rest for Renewal Among Advent Busyness
Mary's Cape - A Guided Rest for Renewal Among Advent Busyness

Doreen offers a 20 minute Rest for Advent or any time you are in need of nourishment.

Fr. Tom's Address to CPY Community
Fr. Tom's Address to CPY Community

Fr. Tom offers a foundational address to Christians who practice yoga.

Merton and Contemplative Prayer: How it applies to yoga
Merton and Contemplative Prayer: How it applies to yoga

While once considered the purview of ascetics and monks, Thomas Merton found a more accessible way for lay Christians to achieve mystical experiences by way of contemplative prayer practices.

Three Methods of Christian Meditation
Three Methods of Christian Meditation

Contemplative prayer is a process of interior transformation, a relationship initiated by God and leading, if we consent, to divine union. If meditation/contemplative prayer (raja yoga) is not an integral part of your hatha yoga practice, one might say that you’re missing the best part!

From Emotion to Action: A First Step in Taking Your Contemplative Practice Off the Mat
From Emotion to Action: A First Step in Taking Your Contemplative Practice Off the Mat

The call to “Act Now” can be daunting and scary and confusing. Sometimes the sheer urgency can be a block. Amy discusses how she uses contemplative practices to fuel action.

Merton and Mysticism: How it Applies to Yoga
Merton and Mysticism: How it Applies to Yoga

A Course in Christian Mysticism provides something of a textbook for Catholics seeking to cultivate mystical experience through theological study.

Take Us On a Walk: a Meditation on the Trinity
Take Us On a Walk: a Meditation on the Trinity

Listen to an audio embodied sermon for Trinity Sunday.

Yoga Vespers Webinar, Part 3
Yoga Vespers Webinar, Part 3

Our final installment of our three part series on Christian Prayer can be found here.

Yoga Vespers Webinar, Part 2
Yoga Vespers Webinar, Part 2

Catch up on week 2 of our webinar series.

Yoga Vespers Webinar, Part 1
Yoga Vespers Webinar, Part 1

In case you missed the live event, catch up on part 1 of our 3 part Yoga Vespers series here, and signup to participate live next week.

Postures of the Heart: Approaching Life with a Spirit of Inquiry
Postures of the Heart: Approaching Life with a Spirit of Inquiry

How can our yoga practice serve us during the Coronavirus? Is it possible that if we move into this unprecedented time in our lives with curious observations and teachable hearts, that there might be the potential for tremendous healing in the midst of a pandemic?