Tag: transformation through meditation

Obstacles to Meditation and Contemplation: Part 3

Obstacles to Meditation and Contemplation: Part 3

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In recent years, I have been working in Behavioral Health as a chaplain in order to promote spiritual growth as well as other aspects of a healthy and balanced lifestyle.

It is important to share the tools for meditation and contemplation that can often bring hope and sometimes relief to those who are challenged with mental illness, drug and alcohol addiction, grief, depression and anxiety, and related issues. 

Group meditation has been a key component of my spirituality groups. Typically, after an introduction and assurances of inclusiveness of culture and religion, we enter a discussion of those things that we tend to bury deep inside. 

Often this includes grief, anger, forgiveness, fear, guilt, and other emotional trauma. But it sometimes includes spiritual and positive emotional experiences that are deemed too personal to share.

From this discussion, we proceed with a meditation starting at the top of the head and “emptying” ourselves of thoughts, feelings, etc. and working downward to the heart. 

We “open our heart.” 

This completes the meditation, but it is suggested that the individual finish the meditation through the rest of the body, in a quiet place, later in the day.

We then share what those in the group experienced in the brief 5-minute meditation. This sharing is often revealing and sometimes brings out stories and group members ministering to one another. 

A handout on meditation (similar to the one at the beginning of this website and in the Obstacles to Meditation and Contemplation: Part 4) and scripture provides an ongoing reference for the patient to reflect on if he or she so chooses.

Check out Obstacles to Meditation and Contemplation: Part 1 and Check out Obstacles to Meditation and Contemplation: Part 2 and Obstacles to Meditation and Contemplation: Part 4

Transforming Meditation: Part 2

Transforming Meditation: Part 2

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Before I had an opportunity to actually write down the four-day spiritual plan for Lydia, I met her daughter in a long, empty corridor joining two buildings at the nursing home. The daughter lived in the mountains of a Western state.  From earlier conversations, I knew that she held a sort of “new age” belief, neither affirming nor denying God, but choosing to find wonder and mystery in nature.  

I told her that, with the approval of my supervisor, yet to be obtained, I planned to continue to work with her mother over the next few days. I began to explain to her that my approach to her mother was based on the love that God has for each one of us a child of God.  If her mother could realize this, then she could also realize her self-worth. 

The daughter then told me that she no longer had any love for her mother, her mother had never been able to show any love for her, and she only was there because her mother had become dependent on her and she felt duty-bound. As she said this, her eyes filled with tears.  

I suggested that we just let God work in the situation and remain open to what God had in mind for herself and her mother. We agreed that she would meet with the mother and me daily. 

Next, I wrote out the spiritual care plan and shared it with my CPE Supervisor. He reviewed and agreed to the plan, making adjustments here and there. The spiritual care plan was designed to spend approximately an hour a day over the next four days with the mother and daughter. 

The plan was a spiritual journey leading up to the operation to assist the mother to overcome anger, fear, and lack of forgiveness in order to experience God’s love. A specific objective was the healing of the mother and the reconciling love of the mother and daughter. 

A scripture reading that I chose for the mother to stay with her throughout the journey was, “You must lay aside your former way of life and the old self, which deteriorates through illusion and desire, and acquire a fresh, spiritual way of thinking.” (Ephesians 4:22-23)  

This reading was selected on the premise that she first had to forgive herself for accepting the illusion that she was not worthy of God’s love and giving up her “power,” only then, could she forgive those who had abused her. Also, it was apparent in her current condition, Lydia was incapable of showing love or other emotion to anyone else.  

At an earlier meeting, I had suggested to the mother that she tell the daughter that she loved her. In the presence of the daughter, all the mother could say, after some prompting from me, was, “I appreciate you” and that without feeling or conviction.  Once Lydia agreed to take the spiritual journey to heal, we met each day for the next four days.  

Please click here to link to Transforming Meditation: Part 1, Transforming Meditation: Part 3, and Transforming Meditation: Part 4