Christian Meditation
Christian meditation is typically used by Catholics. By reciting a mantra, usually a dedication to Mary, Jesus or God, those of the Christian faith will often feel an increased spirituality, as well as a sense of calm. Like many other religions, including Buddhism, Islamic, and Hindu, Christian meditations use a repeated prayer, or series of prayers, to calm their spirits and commune with God.
In Christian meditation, a rosary is used. A rosary contains fifty-four different beads, with an additional five beads as well as a crucifix. The crucifix has the central most position in the prayer bead chain. The rosary is held, and beads may be counted if desired. In many cases, the rosary is used as an object of comfort and a symbol of belief.
Unlike Hindu, Buddhism and Islamic, Christian meditation is not a private matter. In many cases, group worship will have short sessions of meditation, where those in the congregation will pray or repeat the mantras and tenents held dear to the church. While some sects of monks will meditate as a group, many people who worship through meditation will do so in the privacy of their own homes, with their Mala strands kept secret from everyone they know.
Unlike other religions, Christian meditation is not typically used to gain enlightenment or pursue wisdom. The sessions of meditations are often shorter, with fewer repetitions and less time needed. In addition to this, there are usually less sessions of Christian meditation. However, the foundations of Christian meditation often lead to worshipers using aspects of other styles of meditation in order to help clear their thoughts and soothe their spirits.
Some forms of Christian meditation are more strict than others. In Eastern Orthodox, the number of beads in the prayer strands are different, and only certain types of members of the church are permitted to take part in Christian meditation. This practice is often viewed with scorn by other religious groups, where the belief that all people may commune with their deity is quite strong. As only specific types of clergy are permitted prayer strands and allowed to participate in Christian meditation, many of the rituals associated with these meditations are not known to the general public.
In many cases, if you are interested in Christian meditation, you can receive guidance from those within your church. However, if you attend a church that does not participate in meditations, you can begin your own rituals. Often, it is the act of attempting to meditate that makes a difference in the Christian religion, and not necessarily how the meditations are completed.