Catholic practicing Buddhist meditation?

[Aloysium]

. . .
There’s nothing dangerous about sitting quietly while repeating the name of Jesus and seeking to be in his presence.

If it is all methods of prayer are dangerous.

Jim

I can understand someone expressing reservations about this form of prayer/meditation.

I am not sure there is anything protective about the saying the word “Jesus”, if a particular person is prone to entering into trances and psychologically dissociating, which could be a rather unpleasant experience. One has to have some knowledge of who Jesus is, if one is calling Him.

Seeking His presence would mean different things to different people. I’m not actually sure what it means to me. If I want to be in His presence, I attend mass and participate in the eucharist.

Someone may mistakenly think that his own ego is Jesus - that could be dangerous. One may think that they are seeking His presence when all they are doing is trying to get emotionally high. He may be more present when one sees dirt or is in pain.

What is being described is different from other forms of prayer. I don’t go up to someone and repeatedly say their name. Also, some people can have bad experiences even with simple relaxation techniques, but not saying the rosary etc.

I’m not sure either way, but just wanted to add my :twocents:

 

[Michael_Mayo]

I can understand someone expressing reservations about this form of prayer/meditation.

I am not sure there is anything protective about the saying the word “Jesus”, if a particular person is prone to entering into trances and psychologically dissociating, which could be a rather unpleasant experience. One has to have some knowledge of who Jesus is, if one is calling Him.

Seeking His presence would mean different things to different people. I’m not actually sure what it means to me. If I want to be in His presence, I attend mass and participate in the eucharist.

Someone may mistakenly think that his own ego is Jesus - that could be dangerous. One may think that they are seeking His presence when all they are doing is trying to get emotionally high. He may be more present when one sees dirt or is in pain.

What is being described is different from other forms of prayer. I don’t go up to someone and repeatedly say their name. Also, some people can have bad experiences even with simple relaxation techniques, but not saying the rosary etc.

I’m not sure either way, but just wanted to add my :twocents:

Then again people can get scrupulous about the rosary or any prayer practice. And any prayer practice needs the fullness of a balanced spiritual life involving not only “prayer” but charity, patience, etc.

That’s my :twocents: more.

 

[nuntym]

• JMJ +

I can understand someone expressing reservations about this form of prayer/meditation.

I am not sure there is anything protective about the saying the word “Jesus”, if a particular person is prone to entering into trances and psychologically dissociating, which could be a rather unpleasant experience. One has to have some knowledge of who Jesus is, if one is calling Him.

Seeking His presence would mean different things to different people. I’m not actually sure what it means to me. If I want to be in His presence, I attend mass and participate in the eucharist.

Someone may mistakenly think that his own ego is Jesus - that could be dangerous. One may think that they are seeking His presence when all they are doing is trying to get emotionally high. He may be more present when one sees dirt or is in pain.

What is being described is different from other forms of prayer. I don’t go up to someone and repeatedly say their name. Also, some people can have bad experiences even with simple relaxation techniques, but not saying the rosary etc.

I’m not sure either way, but just wanted to add my :twocents:

Thanks.

nuntym;

Huh ?

I don’t remember that being the reason I turned to prayer when I was a beginner. It was my desire to grow closer to Jesus.

One’s desire to grow closer to Jesus is always there; however, many can fail due to not being able to distinguish one’s self from God.

I believe it can and I’ve ,known people who came to Christ through Centering Prayer.

I’ve seen people come to Jesus through all sorts of ways outside of traditional prayers and sacraments.

Christ draws the person to Himself, and He does it from where they are.

Heck, I was drawn to Jesus through the preaching of Oral Roberts.

Jim

That’s why I said “ordinarily”, i.e. not evreyone, but the majority.

Then again people can get scrupulous about the rosary or any prayer practice. And any prayer practice needs the fullness of a balanced spiritual life involving not only “prayer” but charity, patience, etc.

That’s my :twocents: more.

That’s why I keep on saying “plus asceticism.”

You know what, I give up. Unsubscribing.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Aloysium

I am not sure there is anything protective about the saying the word “Jesus”, if a particular person is prone to entering into trances and psychologically dissociating, which could be a rather unpleasant experience. One has to have some knowledge of who Jesus is, if one is calling Him.

If a person is prone entering into trances and psychologically dissociating, there are other mental issues rather than saying the name of Jesus while seeking to be closer to him at stake.

God does not abandon those who turn to Him.

Seeking His presence would mean different things to different people. I’m not actually sure what it means to me. If I want to be in His presence, I attend mass and participate in the eucharist.

God dwells within and we are in his presence when we pray as we should. It’s Saint Teresa called mental prayer, even when saying verbal prayers at Mass or at the Divine Office. At Mass, we are in the presence of Jesus, body and Blood and united with everyone present, who God dwells in as well.

Someone may mistakenly think that his own ego is Jesus

Not possible if they are turning to Jesus with their hearts. The ego ceases to exist in his presence because God sees through the ego and knows our true selves. He alone
reads the mind and heart.

If a person is seeking some sort of extacy, they’ll be disappointed trying Centering Prayer.

• that could be dangerous. One may think that they are seeking His presence when all they are doing is trying to get emotionally high. He may be more present when one sees dirt or is in pain.

More people get an emotional high in vocal prayers and singing, Visit an evangelical church sometime.

In Centering Prayer, we live in the present where Christ dwells. Living in the present weakens the ego, for the ego live either in the past or the future where it tries to map out a false image to present to others. Some young converts to Catholicism, use the culture of Catholicism for the purpose of feeding their ego-identity. It’s why they become hostile to those who they see as questioning Catholicism, or doing something within Catholicism which they deem as not being real Catholic. Centering Prayer is one of those things. Heck, just the term, contemplative prayer raises their hackles.

What is being described is different from other forms of prayer. I don’t go up to someone and repeatedly say their name. Also, some people can have bad experiences even with simple relaxation techniques, but not saying the rosary etc.

Repeating the name of Jesus, is a way of prayer going back to the first century Christians.

Repeating the Jesus Prayer came later, but is part of Catholic tradition.

So, I don’t know how you equate repeating the name of Jesus in prayer, as equivalent as going up to a person and readily saying their name ?

Jim

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Anyway, I lost track that this is a banned topic.

But such is the case when trying to correct the errors people posts.

Jim

 

[Michael_Mayo]

That’s why I keep on saying “plus asceticism.”

You know what, I give up. Unsubscribing.

Yah, I am agreeing with you.

“plus asceticism” applies to all prayer.

 

[DBT]

Contemplative understanding comes when we overcome our fears and realize “the kingdom of God is within” … that the language of God is silence … and that in that silence we experience “the loving inflow of God.” To do that we must learn to “Be still” in order to “know I AM.”

We proceed to this contemplative understanding by degrees … and some of us not at all.

And that’s ok.

There are many rooms in God’s house.

Dave

 

[Michael_Mayo]

I recently read that by emptying the mind (which is the point of Buddhist meditation), demons can attack you. You will have no protection from evil.

Thank you all for your help.

Maybe I’ll try out the Prayer of Quiet. The Byzantine meditation is helpful, maybe I’ll stick with that too.

John of the Cross seems to say that this type of prayer/contemplation is actually immune form such attacks since there is not imagination or verbal thoughts to tamper with.

(See Book 3, chapter 4 :“For the devil has no power over the soul unless it be through the operations of its faculties, principally by means of knowledge, whereupon depend almost all the other operations of the other faculties. Wherefore, if the memory be annihilated with respect to them, the devil can do naught; for he finds no foothold, and without a foothold he is powerless.”

and Chapter 6, #2
“2. In the second place, it is freed from many suggestions, temptations and motions of the devil, which he infuses into the soul by means of thoughts and ideas, causing it to fall into many impurities and sins, as David says in these words: ‘They have thought and spoken wickedness.’ And thus, when these thoughts have been completely removed, the devil has naught wherewith to assault the soul by natural means.”

pages 194-196

basilica.org/pages/ebooks/St.%20John%20of%20the%20Cross-Ascent%20of%20Mount%20Carmel.pdf