I brush my teeth twice a day for good oral hygiene. I typically eat three times a day for sustenance (and hopefully good nutrition). I try to drink plenty of liquids each day to keep my body hydrated. I change my underwear...never mind...we won't go there. Point being, there are certain things I do fairly routinely to take good care of myself. I'm pretty certain you do, too. However, how much do you "brush your brain.?"* Mental and Spiritual health are two things I believe are intertwined or, at least, ought to be.
Enter stage right - mindfulness for the Christian. The meditative arts have been around a long time. Eastern meditation dates back to at least the Buddha (circa 624 BC) and probably earlier. Christian forms of meditation, what are called the contemplative arts, have been part of the early church probably from the beginning of the Church, but certainly by the 6th century AD. Contemplative prayer was a mainstay of many (if not all) of the monastic communities. And some may rightfully argue that the concept of meditating was clearly a part of the Old Testament era, making it predate even Buddha.**
Fast forward to the modern era. I have already presented, in an earlier blog post, how Eastern mediation and specifically mindful meditation made their way into Western culture. Going on 40 years now we have seen mindfulness develop through the vehicle of modern mental health until today it finds itself well anchored in a number of facets of our society (i.e.; physical and mental health medicine, military and para-military organizations, sports, and corporate wellness). A Christian form of this, known by such names a contemplative prayer, centering prayer, and Lectio Divina, have followed a parallel track
What I find interesting for my purposes, which, you might remember, are to integrate mindfulness concepts with the Christian walk so as to add a new dimension of vitality to one's personal walk with God, is that currently there are some in Christian academia and ministry that are exploring this similarly. It falls under the rubric of Spiritual Formation. Most interesting to me are the glaring parallels between some of the techniques (or tools) taught in mindful meditation and centering prayer.
For example, one of the first things I personally learned in my mindfulness journey was the formal breathing meditation. This is frequently taught early in most of the programs that utilize mindfulness in their treatment modalities ( e.g.; Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction - MBSR; Dialectical Behavioral therapy - DBT; Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy - MBCT). But, I wish to point out the clear parallels between the guidelines for a breathing meditation and centering prayer (a Christian spiritual practice).
Mindful Breathing Meditation Centering Prayer***
1. Focus on your breath. 1. Choose a "sacred word" on which to focus.
2. Sit comfortably with eyes closed 2. Sit comfortably with eye closed
and silently follow your breath in and silently introduce your "sacred word."
and out.
3. When engaged with your thoughts 3. When engaged with your thoughts
return gently to your breath. return gently to the "sacred word."
4. Repeat for any length of time and 4. Repeat for approx. 20 minutes, twice a day
at least once or twice a day.
The reported outcome of the former is the cultivation of one's ability to stay focused in the present moment and become more intimate with oneself. The outcome of the latter is to cultivate one's ability to stay focused in the present moment and become more intimate with God. This is, admittedly, a simplification of both practices. We might think of it this way: Mindfulness is more about attention where Centering Prayer is more about intention.
Alas, to my point. This unique ability that God has created in the human brain can obviously be used for secular or sacred purposes. But it is still the same ability. For me, as a Christian, my use of mindfulness concepts and tools is about intention. I desire to take this God-given ability and use it to foster my conscious contact and intimacy with God. That is my definition of a vital Christian life.
* This notion of "brushing your brain" is not my creation, but I simply cannot remember where I first encountered it.
** It is not the purview of this forum, at this time, to go in depth into Old Testament Theology or History. At some later time I will likely re-visit the idea of meditation in the Bible.
*** This is an approximate recitation of Fr. Thomas Keating's teaching on how to do Centering Prayer.
