Christian meditation
Overview
Christian meditation is a particular form of meditation taught by John Main OSB (1926 - 1982). In 1975 John Main OSB began the Christian Meditation Centre in London and this was the start of the World Community for Christian Meditation.
Christian meditation is a very simple and ancient tradition of prayer.
According to John Main, the greatest challenge of meditation for modern people is simplicity. We are trained to respect complexity. Yet simplicity is not easy to learn and, therefore, it requires discipline. Although he was insistent on the need to practise meditation as an interior and daily discipline, not just as a technique of self-enhancement, he also stressed the need for patience and gentleness in learning the discipline.
From Coming Home: Christian meditation for children.
Praying with a mantra
The World Community for Christian Meditation recommends the mantra, "Marantha". This ancient Christian prayer-word means Come, Lord Jesus.
Say it as four equal syllables - Ma - ra - na - tha. Breathe normally and give your full attention to the word as you say it, silently, gently, faithfully and - above all - simply.
Preparing to meditate
Reflective calming music may be played while the students prepare for Meditation. Teachers may lead the students in a preparatory tensing and relaxing of parts of the body.
A Christian Meditation Experience
Leader:
Let us prepare to meditate…...
Sit on your chair. Sit with your back against the chair. Feel your feet on the floor. Gently close your eyes and come to stillness. Become aware of your breathing. Notice the pattern as you breathe in and out. Slow your breathing and listen to your breathing.
Breathe in…..1234. Breathe out ….1234…..
(continue this process until you can sense that students are coming to a readiness to meditate)
Meditation
Sound a chime 3 times. Let us begin to meditate.
Let us say MA RA NA THA together 5 times.
Now slowly and carefully say the word MA RA NA THA in your mind. Listen to the word.
Breathe in on the MA RA breathe out on the NA THA.
When you think about other things come back to this word and say it again and again.
Silence
(Decide on a time that you believe the students are ready to meditate for. Begin with one minute and gradually increase the number of minutes to correspond with the students chronological age; e.g. 10 year old students would meditate for a maximum of 10 minutes.)
Sound the chimes to signal the end of meditation. Teachers need to supervise their class and do not meditate at the same time as their students.
Reflection
Open eyes and spend time reflecting, listening to a short quote or passage from scripture or saying a prayer together. e.g
Loving God, you know all our needs and you listen to our prayers. Help us to be people of love and peace in our school community. We make this prayer through Christ our Lord. Amen.