The San Damiano Crucifix
Thoughts on
Meditation
by
Fr. Rich Hasselbach
To hear
the Lord calling to us - as He does and is constantly - we need to
take the time to quite our minds and hearts; we need to listen.
That is what meditation is - listening patiently for the Lord to
speak to us. And when we do, wonderful and wondrous things can
happen!
It was while meditating before the crucifix in the little chapel of
St. Damian (San Damiano) on the outskirts of Assisi, that the young
Francis Bernadone heard the Lord speak to him: "Francis, rebuild my
house, which is falling into ruin." Francis looked around, the
little chapel he was praying in was in disrepair. He took the voice
literally and (as any good teenager would) he filched some cloth
from his merchant father, sold it at a bargain price, and bought
bricks and mortar to 'rebuild' San Damiano. Only with time did
Francis of Assisi understand that his real call was not to repair a
chapel, but to bring new life and vitality into the entire Church -
a church that had become rich and corrupt.
The Lord wills to speak to each of us as surely as he wished to
speak to Francis, but to hear the voice, to receive the call, we
must first LISTEN. If prayer is 'speaking to God,' meditation is
'listening' -- it is the practice of regularly quieting our minds
so that we can hear the Lord speak in the 'still, small voice' that
often goes unheard in the noise, clutter, and confusion of our
everyday life.
Meditation is a discipline
- if we only meditate episodically, it won't hurt us, but it won't
help us much either. To be effective, meditation must be practiced
as a discipline - preferably daily, but at least every other day -
until it becomes a habit.
In our action oriented world, some think of meditation as a waste
of time. That is a mistake. There is a growing body of literature
establishing that meditation, as a mental discipline, helps us
improve our mental acuity, enhance our physical health, and sharpen
our intuition. Meditation, as a spiritual practice, also helps us
to understand who we are, and to deepen our sense of connectedness
with those around us and with the whole world. It helps us grow in
love and understanding, then it leads us back into the world, as it
led St. Francis of Assisi, to make a difference.
All meditation involves certain common elements:
1.
Solitude or Quiet - To
meditate well we need to find a quite place and time. Many meditate
early in the morning before starting the day, or right before
bedtime. Think about the best time for you, and then make it YOUR
time.
2.
Repetition of a sacred word or phrase or prayer - A mantra is common to most forms of meditation.
A mantra is simply the repetition of a sacred word or phrase, or
the focused repetition of a prayer. For example, the
Prayer of the
Heart, or
Jesus
Prayer, involves the
repetition of the phrase "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy
on me a sinner." Centering
prayer asks us to
identify a sacred word - such as 'abba,' and to repeat that in a
focused way; and the Indian teacher Eknath Easwaran, who you can
learn more about in the Spiritual Growth Section below, suggests
praying a prayer such as the Peace Prayer of St. Francis
over and over in meditation. NOTE -
in addition to times of meditation, the sacred word or phrase can
be repeated throughout the day - when driving, working, walking,
exercising, etc.
3.
Single focus in the present moment
- The mind is restless and it tends
to wander into the past or the future. It leads us to memories -
either bitter or sweet, it leads us to worry about the future or
plan for it; and it allows us to be lured into 'temptations' to sin
or wander from the path of the soul. To control the mind,
meditation suggests that we focus on a single point - (say the
flame of a candle or (as St. Francis shows us) on a cross or
crucifix, so that the mind enters a state of one pointedness, and
remains fixed in the PRESENT, which is, after all, the only moment
we ever really live in.
4.
Control of Breathing - The
breath is of central importance to all forms of Eastern meditation,
and to most forms of Western meditation as well. Deep abdominal
breathing is both healthy and invigorating, and the breath is also
a symbol of life - it is that which knits the inner person with the
outer world.
5.
Control of the Body - The
posture is important in meditation. In the East it is common to sit
in the Lotus position, a posture that is not comfortable for most
Westerners, and impossible to get into for this Westerner. But
sitting erect in a straight backed chair or on a stool, with your
head up and eyes either open or focused on your single point.
6.
Regular Practice - Meditation
(I can't stress it enough) should be practiced regularly - for 20
to 30 minutes daily or even twice a day - to be effective. We need
to be patient, after years of noise, it takes a while for us to
settle down and learn the ways of the spirit. It took St. Francis
years to truly understand the call he heard at San Damiano. Be
Patient, and trust in God's plan for you, and in His Love for
you.
7.
Meditation with Others - There
is a certain energy in meditating with others. It is especially
effective, I believe, when spouses meditate together, and even when
families gather for meditation. Meditation is a way of walking the
spiritual journey with another or others who we love. It is a way
of deepening love and understanding - and of communicating silently
with those dearest to us.
In the links that follow you will find different methods that will
help you meditate effectively. While I have attached different
methods, I recommend that you choose ONE that makes sense to you
and concentrate on practicing it.