A fascinating article from the secular media on meditation and its dangers. Please also take some time and read the related articles I have provided links for below this article. Some are written by Christian authors, one by a Catholic priest, and others by people who actively participate in meditation but warn of its dangers. It isn’t hard to see that dark and deceiving spiritual forces are at work in many contexts where meditation is practiced. With such a diverse range of sources providing detailed warnings to the public, why are we allowing these dangerous practices to be taught to our children in schools?
The Dark Knight of the Soul
Set back on quiet College Hill in Providence, Rhode Island, sits a dignified, four story, 19th-century house that belongs to Dr. Willoughby Britton. Inside, it is warm, spacious, and organized. The shelves are stocked with organic foods. A solid wood dining room table seats up to 12. Plants are ubiquitous. Comfortable pillows are never far from reach. The basement—with its own bed, living space, and private bathroom—often hosts a rotating cast of yogis and meditation teachers. Britton’s own living space and office are on the second floor. The real sanctuary, however, is on the third floor, where people come from all over to rent rooms, work with Britton, and rest. But they’re not there to restore themselves with meditation—they’re recovering from it.
Read the rest of the article here.
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A selection of related articles for further consideration:
Out of Your Mind: Meditation and Visualization by Marcia Montenegro
Mindfulness and Children by Marcia Montenegro
Can Meditation Be Bad For You? by Mary Garden, The Humanist
Meditation Dangers: Things You Should Know and Prepare For by Simona Rich
Innocent Yoga? by John Ankerberg
The Dangers of Centering Prayer by Rev’d John Dreher of the Catholic Education Resource Centre (‘centering prayer’ is a Catholic mystic tradition, and is essentially ‘christianized’ meditation)
Constructive feedback and relevant testimonies are welcome in response to any of these articles. It appears that there is a big push within the scientific world to prove that meditation has all sorts of health and anti-aging benefits, and if successful such research will only further the cause of providing spiritual direction in the guise of medical treatment or social development.
How can you claim to represent a Christian view on meditation while quoting an article from The Humanist? Apparently you are unfamiliar with Psalm 1 which says
1
Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2
but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3
That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.
If you believe that Christian meditation is the same as eastern forms of meditation, you are sorely mistaken. Psalms are filled with references to meditation. Please don’t tell me that the psalmist was mistaken.
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Hi Perry,
My sincere apologies for the long delay in replying.
There is a growing expression of concern about the dangers of meditation practices, even within the secular community (hence my links to such articles). As these practices are increasingly being promoted and taught to children in our schools, it is of particular concern to me.
As for biblical references to meditation, clearly they relate to the active use of one’s mind. We can’t very well ‘meditate’ on the Word of God in the eastern way which is what the Catholic mystics and emergent church folk most often promote. Meditation on the content, meaning and truth of God’s word is of necessity part of the Christian life, but requires us to use our minds and to study and reflect on the whole of God’s counsel. (Repetition for the purpose of memorizing Scripture is another practice altogether, and definitely profitable.)
I am not sure what it is you are taking exception to, except perhaps that in a previous comment on another article, I notice you mention that you practice lectio divina. As this practice has its roots in the Roman Catholic mystic tradition, clearly it is not going to be something I promote here at The Narrowing Path. So if by ‘Christian meditation’ you mean the meditation practices of the Catholic mystics, the charismatic movement or the emergent church then I have to disagree that they are the same as the ‘meditation’ the Psalmist speaks of. The practices of those who teach falsely are not necessary for Christians to engage in, and there is plenty of evidence to suggest that the ones we are discussing are in fact deeply influenced by eastern religion and Gnosticism, going back many centuries.
Obviously, I do not know what your particular beliefs are so I am not in any way replying to be critical of you personally. I appreciate the effort you have made in commenting on some of the articles here at TNP, and hope that you found at least some of the articles helpful!
Thanks,
Sherryn
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