I took a course in Christian meditation many years ago. We sat in a dimly lit chapel trying to meditate on a scripture verse or a single thought. I remember how quiet it was – and dark, especially when I had my eyes closed. I worked very hard at meditating. That sounds rather silly doesn’t it? Like someone working hard at trying to fall asleep. I worked hard because it was so difficult not thinking of something else. Focus on a scripture passage, when there were so many interesting things to occupy my mind with? I tried really hard and there was a moment or two when something happened. But mostly I thought about how dark it was.
I have continued my attempts at meditation. But there are times when I think it is a waste. I think I’m too busy to try or I am too distracted. The discipline that I need in order to be successful seems to be lacking. It’s been a frustrating experience. Recently Peter Holly wrote an essay on meditation which got me interested in the subject again. What is it supposed to be and how are we supposed to do it? Maybe if I meditate on the words of the Urantia Book the answers will come to me.
I think that meditation is simply time spent away from the everyday activities of life and on the activities of God. I say this because the Urantia Book describes meditation in many different ways but they all seem to point towards escaping the ordinary in order to experience the extraordinary. Rodan says that meditation is a “solitary survey of the problems of living” (1774.4). This is consistent with other statements by Rodan as well as the descriptions of frequent solitary respites by Jesus. Jesus spent much of the 40 solitary days thinking about his ministry and planning his future strategies (1513.1). Rodan also says that when Jesus meditates he communes with his Father in Heaven (1774.3). Now we know that Jesus had frequent contact with his Thought Adjuster but you and I have a much more difficult time with this. Despite the difficulties the Urantia Book encourages us to spend some quiet time trying to make contact with divinity (1641.1). Again, Rodan says that meditation is a way to find relaxation (1774.5). Seeking to get away from it all for a short time helps to renew the mind and refresh the spirit. The teachings of Rodan reflect the idea that meditation is a time to get away in order to seek God, seek solutions, and seek rest.
The Urantia Book gives us a glimpse of what meditation does for us. Rodan says it helps us to gather strength and wisdom for the struggles ahead (1774.3). Acquiring energy from the relaxation process and wisdom from God are very important themes for our Greek scholar. Relaxation from meditation helps to remove conflict from our minds (1774.4). Many times Jesus told his disciples that they needed to take a break from the work in order to refocus and reenergize. Rodan says that meditation also helps us to readjust personal attitudes to be more in line with God’s will (1774.4). The book earlier promotes this by saying that meditation is part of developing good habits of thinking and acting (1095.4). Through thinking about God and communing with God we can become better agents of God’s will.
And now a moment spent on what the Urantia Book says meditation is not. It is not a way to liberate ones self from ones self or ones reality (1039.6). Striving after nothingness is not recommended in our book. It is not a way to obtain mystical visions or raise oneself to the level of super-consciousness (1099.7). The Urantia Book teaches this over and over – it is not the technique that brings us to God but our heartfelt desire. And meditation is not a way to contact spiritual personalities (1099.4). The Urantia Book makes it clear that if divine beings reveal themselves to an individual it is on the initiative of the celestial being not on the initiative of the human being. In other words, no amount of prayer, ceremonies, drugs, or downright pleading is going to produce an otherworldly being. The Urantia Book does not support the idea that if one asks one will receive a heavenly teacher.
Well it’s time to get back to the meditating thing. I wonder if I should say ‘om’? Or maybe I should focus on a tree? See the tree – be the tree. Anyway, it’s pretty clear that there is great good to be had from spending time in meditation. And so I will keep at it. It’s just that… it’s so dark when I close my eyes.
God Bless You,
William Whitehead
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Acknowledgement: I received a lot of insight on this subject from Peter Holly’s paper, “Jesus Style Meditation” found on his website, www.urantiagate.com.