Even if you haven’t been letting Christ into your life lately or never have before, there’s no right time to start. Now’s as good a time as any. And a Christ-centered meditation practice can be the perfect way to extend him an invitation.
So what does a Christ-centered meditation practice mean in application? Well, first, you should understand what meditation is in a more broad sense, especially if you haven’t meditated before, and how it differs from Christ-centered guided meditation.
What is meditation?
You probably have friends or family who’ve told you they meditate daily. Meditation, in general, describes a practice you schedule at a set time, in the same place (if possible) to ground yourself, calm your mind, and become aware of your thoughts, feelings, desires, and sensations in that moment.
Secular meditation or mindfulness practices aim to increase awareness of the body and the self. Awareness of the spirit isn’t the focus. On the other hand, Christ-centered meditation seeks to bring awareness to the spirit and the heart.
What is Christ-centered meditation?
In contrast to a secular meditation practice, Christ-centered meditation invokes Christ’s teachings of peace, love, forgiveness, and non-judgment. We move the center of our focus from ourselves into the higher power that lives within all of us: the light of Christ. You see, Christ is life. He lives in heart, although we don’t always recognize him or realize he’s there.
Psychologically speaking, we each have a unique self, a “psyche.” Biblically speaking, we know the self as our soul. Our mind, emotions, and will, also sometimes referred to as our desires, make up our soul (self). Most people feel driven by these three parts or “inner members,” as some refer to them, and live solely from the self and disconnected from the spirit.
When we engage in Christ-centered meditation, we acknowledge that Christ is in us and around us. We succumb to his power. In other words, we become one with Christ. And it’s out of this new relationship that we can strengthen our spirit and experience spirituality like we never have before. It can be particularly beneficial if our heart and spirit are in tatters because of a divorce.
When might you need Christ-centered meditation?
Christ-centered meditation is beneficial for healing trauma. Consider the trauma that can happen as a result of divorce. By way of example, you might have found out your spouse had been lying to you about your family finances, cheating, or that they suffered from an addiction you didn’t know about. Or perhaps you were the one who wanted to end your marriage, yet somehow you failed to appreciate how anxiety-ridden the divorce process and aftermath would be.
It’s why you might have turned to meditation in the first place — to quiet your anxious thoughts and soothe your soul. Smart choice because incorporating a daily meditation practice can help ease the pain you feel, plus aid in your healing. Now, add Christ to that meditation practice, and you’ve just magnified the power of that meditation practice many times over.
A last word…
Both secular meditation and Christ-centered meditation can effectively improve physical, psychological, and spiritual health. However, the specific practice of concentrating and focusing on healing the heart, soul, and spirit as practitioners of Christ-centered meditation do, can result in an overall improvement in well-being and an increase in self-love in a way that secular meditation can’t.
That’s because, as the Bible reminds us, our heart is at the center of everything we do: “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.” (Prov. 4:23). So when you commit to a Christ-centered meditation practice, you commit to putting your heart first — and elevating your current meditation rituals to a place where they, with God’s direction, can propel your life.
If you would like to learn more about how to improve your life through an approach of feeding the whole person, body, soul, and spirit, follow me on my blog, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Medium. If you would like to work with me, schedule a session today.
Tonyah Dee has studied the Bible and wisdom traditions of the world for the last 30 years and teaches about finding ways to increase inner strength, stability, and confidence through practicing spiritual disciplines and healthy habits daily. Tonyah is a nutritionist, registered dietitian (R.D.), and earned her B.S. from Loma Linda University. She also holds certifications in Christ-centered life coaching, equine therapy, and meditation. Tonyah has been published in Scary Mommy, MSN, The Mighty, Mantra Wellness, CoveyClub, Thrive Global. Follow Tonyah on her blog, Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Medium.