How to Meditate Using Sacred Scripture

Meditation provides many benefits for mind, body and spirit. Yet most people believe meditation be difficult to learn and master. It isn't hard to get started if you use scripture meditation. All sacred traditions, whether Christian, Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist or any other faith have scriptures, writing or poems they hold sacred. By memorizing and meditation on a passage from your own faith's scripture, you can easily begin a meditation regimen and reap the benefits of meditation.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• 15 minutes
• Quiet place
• Chair with straight back
• Short selection of scripture

1. Find a quiet place and 15 minutes of uninterrupted time. Quiet is essnetial. Children knocking on the door, dogs parking or cats leaping into your lap will disrupt your concentration. The best time may be morning, before your family awakens.

2. Choose a short passage from your favorite scripture. If you don't have one or don't know where to begin, Eknath Eswaren edited a book called "God Makes the Rivers to Flow" that contains perfect meditation passages from Christian, Jewish, Hindi, Budhist, Muslim and Native American traditions. Simply go through the book, choose a passage that 'speaks' to you, and mark it for meditation.

3. Sit tall and upright in a chair. You don't need to sit in lotus or meditation position. You don't need fancy meditation cushions, incense or anything like that. Just sit quietly. Using the book, begin to repeat the prayer, passage or words slowly and thoughtfully. When you've completed one recitation, go back to the beginning and start again.

4. The best way to continue meditating is to actually memorize the passage. It's easier than you think! Perhaps you already know a passage. Jews and Christians can begin with a psalm, such as Psalm 23: The Lord is My Shepherd. Christians also know another famous passage, Jesus's prayer: "Our father, who are in heaven..." Hindus may know parts of the Bhagavad Gita. You get the idea. Nearly every religion cherishes a piece of scripture to the extent that most adherents learn it by heart. Repeat whatever piece you know quietly to yourself for fifteen minutes.

5. If you have a section memorized, close your eyes to shut out distractions and slowly, quietly and thoughtfully, repeat the words to yourself. That's it. You've now successfully meditated.

Tips & Warnings

• If you're afraid you will fall asleep, you can set a timer.
• Sit upright...slumping may make you sleepy.

[LettyMaldonado]

on 11/14/2008 Great advice!