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Xtn Meditation, Mystics, & Spi
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elson
Posted 2005-03-31 12:33 AM (#20654)
Subject: Xtn Meditation, Mystics, & Spi


From the "Can Xtns practice Yoga" thread...

Yes, Xtns have spiritual practices that correspond somewhat to practices I have seen in Yoga, tantra, or Buddhism. I have to caveat this by saying that I am not an expert in eastern religions - I probably know just enough to really amuse the real experts :-).

Xtn spiritual practices are what many of us call disciplines - the things that disciples do, and they are mostly aimed at helping us come closer to God, and follow Him more perfectly. Sounds familiar, eh?

One set of disciplines involves learning more about our Father & His ways, so we study and discuss the bible, and the accumulation of the thoughts of learned and holy men about the bible for the last 6000 years.

Another set of disciplines involves talking with God, and spending time with Him in the way that true friends and spouses do. Christian prayer is merely (and astoundingly) talking to the living and present person of God. God has His ways of answering us, and so a dialogue results.

Another set of disciplines involves helping people, taking care of widows and orphans, and such as that.

Generally, Christian meditation is more free-form and less studied than yogic meditation, since the bible does not give us methods of meditation. We strive to be with Jesus, talk to Him, and consider His words and works. So some Xtns meditate sitting, or lying down, or standing up or whatever. My meditations are usually done sitting at my desk with my bible open, and are part of a conversation which is somewhat difficult to explain.

There has been a thread of mysticism in Christianity that dates back to the prophetic writings of the Jewish prophets. These mystics and prophets seems to have experienced God in a rather different way than the rest of us. For example, Moses, who wrote at least the first five books of the bible, spoke to God as a man speaks to another, in conversation. That is a whole lot different from how things work fo rChristians today.

Saint Theresa of Avila is a noted Christian mystic, one oft quoted by my favorite yoga instructor. Unfortunately, my instructor remains deaf to much o fthe beauty of Theresa's words, because Theresa spoke to her personal God, her Beloved and Betrothed, and my instructor only sees the Beloved as a nonPerson. Anyway, much of what Theresa (and St. John of Chysotom) say sounds much like the experience of other mystics, and only by understanding their words as they meant them - in the context of Christian theology - can the full beauty of their insight be appreciated.
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tourist
Posted 2005-03-31 10:24 AM (#20691 - in reply to #20654)
Subject: RE: Xtn Meditation, Mystics, &



Expert Yogi

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I have read some of St. Theresa and a great deal of what she says is very "yogic" and indeed beautiful. Unfortunately the practices of her day which emphasise self-inflicted punishments and the attitude of being the lowest of the low just really turned me off. I think it is possible to serve God AND be warm and well-fed.
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MrD
Posted 2005-03-31 4:57 PM (#20761 - in reply to #20691)
Subject: RE: Xtn Meditation, Mystics, &


tourist - 2005-03-31 10:24 AM

I have read some of St. Theresa and a great deal of what she says is very "yogic" and indeed beautiful. Unfortunately the practices of her day which emphasise self-inflicted punishments and the attitude of being the lowest of the low just really turned me off. I think it is possible to serve God AND be warm and well-fed.


So I take it you won't be joining Opus Dei anytime soon then tourist.
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tourist
Posted 2005-03-31 8:20 PM (#20787 - in reply to #20761)
Subject: RE: Xtn Meditation, Mystics, &



Expert Yogi

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Mr D, my reply, which was going to include something about spanking, would be deleted, I'm sure...
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