Reflective Essay On Meditation And Prayer

meditation. Proper use of this path lead to a balanced and moderate life were the people would

In (Matthew 6:6 NIV), Jesus explains the merits of praying to the lord God and the reward of inner peace, “But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret: and your father who sees in secret will reward you.” It is through this conversation with God that Christians pursue peace in their lives. Prayer can either be private or communal, spontaneous prayer is one way that charismatic communities can come closer to God. The act of prayer allows believers to have a personal conversation with God; it alleviates stress attributed to the monotony of everyday life. Besides prayer, meditation is another way of attaining inner peace, it is an ancient practice within the Christian tradition, which has undertaken a recent revival, a global group that reaffirms the concept of praying and meditating for inner peace is Taizé. Not as popular as prayer and meditation, Lectio Divina, generally known as bible studies is a way for Christians to feel connected to God and to finally attain inner peace. The studying of the sacred scriptures on a day to day basis and reflecting on prayers also maintain a continual connection with God. It is vital to maintain equilibrium between prayer and service, whereby an individual fathoms the notion ‘ora et labora’, in order to equally partake in both prayer, and the concept of action whereby ora develops inner peace, which is mirrored through the

Mindfulness is another way of meditation. Meditation was used to seek to improve one’s psychological or physical health, or spiritual growth. (Brantley, 2007). The history of Mindfulness comes from Buddhism and his search for enlightenment and a foundation of the four noble truths. The Buddha teaching focus on the four noble truths which consist of knowing suffering exists, there is a cause of suffering, there is cessation of suffering and there is a path that leads to the cessation of suffering. (Van Gordon, 2015). The four noble truths were not only there to represent the Buddha’s experiential understanding of suffering, but also to express the truth (Van Gordon, 2015). Studies of Buddhism and the Four Noble Truths teach us that there is always going to be suffering in our life but to find ways to overcome suffering (Tsering, 2005).

Meditation is a form of stress management that will allow our mind to experience an oasis of peace and love within our

A study by Dr. Fredrickson and her colleagues at the University of North Carolina found that participants who had been assigned to meditate compassionately showed increased levels of daily happiness. They also experienced less depression, had higher satisfaction with life and were in better physical shape.

The model for our prayer lives is presented by Paul in Ephesians 6:18-20. In this passage,

It can also bring benefits similar to the benefits of meditation, including lower blood pressure, increased immunity, and more. Whether you pray in a house of worship or on your own, prayer and meditation can bring inner peace and a measurable sense of calm. And even if answers don't seem clearer after a prayer session, you may feel a deeper sense of trust that you will be able to handle whatever comes your way, even if it's not your first choice of outcome. Maintain Optimism there's a lot of value in the phrase, 'When God closes a door, he opens a window.' Those who have a greater trust in God may be more optimistic. Goodnight Toni, sleep well you have a journey to travel so sleep well; because you will need it.

(Soren Kierkegaard) Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your request be made known of God. (Philippians 4:6 ESV) And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray, you must not be like the hypocrites. For they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, that they may be seen by others. Truly, I say to you, they have received their reward. But when you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. (Matthew 6:5-8

Josephine P. Briggs, M. (2010, June 25). Exploring the Power of Meditation. Retrieved from National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health: https://nccih.nih.gov/about/offices/od/2010-06.htm

Meditation can be useful for anybody to accomplish a condition of peace, however, what is much more essential for those with empathic characteristics is to keep up consistent grounding and security. With the consistent siege of negative energies, it is a test for an Empath to stay

Read and meditate daily on God’s word. In Isaiah 26:3, God clearly promises to keep us in perfect peace if our mind is stayed on him. In Romans 12:12, we are also reminded not to conform to this world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our mind, that we might prove what is the good and acceptable perfect will of God. God also promises to help our minds in several other passages of the Bible, including, Ephesian 4:17-18, Philippians 4:6-7, and 2 Corithians10:4-5. Regardless of what where in the bible we read, it is clear that God wants our minds to be cleared, uncluttered, and focused on him. In fact, from personal experience, when I disobey these words, that when I find that my mind comes under the attack of the enemy. So, God word helps to de-clutter, clean, and renew the mind and ultimately affects our mood, behavior, and our mental

you in prayer and people praying for you: “Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the

Meditation causes you to think on God and his Excellencies, which can possibly change your life, all by itself.

Praying is how I’m able to have conversations with God and really be able to make him apart of my regular life. What I’ve learned over time is that my prayers never fall upon deaf ears. He’s there in the times that I need it the most. I’ve found that my prayers have become more meaningful and less forced over time. One of the evidence that I’ve found was in Fifth Grade when the Sandy Hooks Elementary shooting happened. I wrote a prayer for the youngest victims of the attack. I also wrote about protecting the children that died during the attack and comforting the relatives of those children. This showed that I was fulfilling the expectation to integrate prayer into my daily life and ultimately showed my Catholic identity. Through that prayer, I was able to learn more about how I can connect to God and have conversations with him in different ways. This piece of evidence shows the fulfillment of Student Learning Expectation #1C, which is a life of Christian prayer. This prayer shows that I’ve had a logical understanding of my relationship with God. I believe that I’ve shown

If we pray without unceasing, it will help to protect us from evil. We are always in danger of being tempted. Luther teaches us that in the Lord ’s Prayer it says, “and lead us not into temptation.” So we say””keep us fit and alert, eager and diligent in thy work and service….” There is no position in life in which we may not be assaulted by the enemy. Therefore pray without ceasing. If a man who is going along a dark road where he knows that there are robbers, he will equip himself with weapons. He may have a sword with him in his hand to let the robbers know that he is ready for them. So as Christian, we pray without ceasing - carry our sword which is prayer. As we are tempted without ceasing, so we should pray without ceasing.