Can Mindful Meditation be a Thin Place?

Celtic Christians (NO!!! I 'm not talking about the Boston basketball team). This Celtic - pronounced KEL-tik - carried on a tradition passed down from the early Druid days. The pagan Druids believed certain geographical locations brought one closer to the 'spirit world.'  When the Celtics converted to Christianity somewhere in the early 5th century, these places became sacred sites where one could be closer to the Holy Spirit and receive guidance. These 'thin places,' as they were called, were "places that give us an opening into the magnificence of God" (adapted from Sylvia Maddox). Eric Weiner in his book Man Seeks God said of such places, "I dream of places that beguile and inspire, sedate and stir, places where, for a few blessed moments I loosen the death grip on life, and can breathe again."
And the contemporary poet, Sharlande Sledge, offers this description:

'Thin Places,' the Celts call this space, 

both seen and unseen, 

Where the door between the world

And the next is cracked open for a moment

And the light is not all on the other side.

God shaped space. Holy

Whatever is said of these thin places, they are a place of an immediacy of experience and a hallowed space and time. 

In my last post (yes, I am aware it was two years ago) I spoke of using mindful meditation as a means of spiritual transformation; as a way of drowning out distractions and potentially allowing me to be more present and available to the Holy Spirit. As I breathe in and out I become aware of any distracting thoughts or images and return to my meditative state by saying to myself the secret word (or mantra, if you will) that helps direct my attention back to my breathing; back to a place of non-striving (Ps. 46:10) where I just listen; listen to the Spirit's still small voice (I Ki 19:12). I begin and end this season of contemplation with prayer (I typically say the Lord's Prayer at the end). I often precede it with a time in the Scriptures (Josh. 1:8; Ps. 1:2). For me, this experience is becoming one of my thin places. I still enjoy others as well, but this is becoming a befitting place- a place of an immediacy of experience and a hallowed space and time. A place I can visit whenever I wish, wherever I wish. Is it the only way to feel close to God? Of course not! But I have found that in the hustle bustle of daily life, it is a way that is readily available to me. I sometimes also begin with an image. I see a scene where I am in a meadow lush with green grass. And I am walking up an incline where at the crest there is a beautiful old oak tree. Sitting under the oak tree is Jesus. As I arrive, he stands and embraces me with his arms in a gesture of love and welcome. He is glad to see me. And in this "God-shaped space" nothing seems to matter  so much. Being with Jesus is the ultimate thin place. For he said of himself, "The Kingdom of God is among you" (Lk. 17:21) and "...whoever has seen me has seen the Father" (Jn. 14:9). It doesn't get any thinner than that!

As I was writing this post, I Googled 'contemplative arts,' looking for some information, and lo and behold, this picture popped up. I laughed out loud and like to think Jesus was laughing with me.