Christian Meditation Podcast

Science is not doctrine but, when taken in the context that it is generally available revelation about God's creation, it can enlighten our minds with additional inspiration to improve. In recent decades it has been shown that human brain cells continually grow throughout life. This debunks old school ways of seeing intelligence and mental skills as unchangeable. It has been demonstrated that the human brain physically rewires itself when we place intention on it. For example, when you learn to juggle, the parts of your brain that have to do with tracking visual inputs, grow. This information has been applied to meditation with increasingly motivating results. If you meditate consistently over months and years the parts of your brain associated with emotional regulation, memory, focus, attention, and happiness grow. This is amazing to know because it means that they hardware that your mind runs on can be physically upgraded by practice. By spending time in silence in meditation your brain grows. Although there is not specific research on Christian meditation, I suspect that these benefits would be joined with other spiritual benefits as well such as growth in the feeling that a loving God is watching over you. Relaxation: This relaxation is more focused on thinking about the grandeur of creation. Other episodes have been more of a guided step by step process. Let me know what you think You being alive is a miracle. The air you breath has traveled the world. You could be breathing air that was in Jerusalem a thousand years ago. Your body is built from the dust. Specifically through molecules that were in other plants and animals. This is thought that can join us to the rest of creation. God can look across the millions of miles that separate his galaxies and see you, not as a spec on one of billions of rocks, but as someone worth the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Ezekiel 36:25-27 25 Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you.26 A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh.27 And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. Meditation: Through the waters of Baptism we can be symbolically cleansed as we give up, and he takes our unclean hearts. He gives us a new heart. Just as we reviewed in the idea of neuroplasticity (the brain's ability to change and grow) God can change our heart, referring to the emotional and spiritual motivation in us can increase and change as well. He puts His Spirit into us. This will purify us. Prayer: Pray according to the dictates of your heart. Contemplation: Imagine yourself standing before the throne of God. Application: Now visualize the change you feel you need to make based on this experience. Share this message with someone you know or via feedback on iTunes or other directories. Blessings

Drink and eat in remembrance of me. A meditation in preparation for taking the Sacrament of the Last Supper, Eucharist, Communion. A way to practice preparing your mind to be prepared for communing with God while partaking of the Sacrament. Intro: I'm so grateful for the ongoing feedback I'm getting from people who are benefiting from this podcast. Perhaps I shouldn't say this but I am surprised that this podcast is being so well received so far, so thank you to all of you who have reached out to me to let me know what you think. One piece of feedback I received that I want to use is a heads up at the beginning, that this episode, like all the others, will involve an invitation to sit quietly for 15 to 20 minutes. So if you are not in a comfortable chair I invite you to find a comfortable position. Most Christians participate in the ritual outlined as the Sacrament, also called the Eucharist or Communion. What does that mean? It means something similar, yet somewhat different, to many Christians. Something I think most of us share is that it provides an opportunity for us to reflect on our standing with God. We come before the God of heaven and are indicating to Him that we are remembering him and the Salvific sacrifice of Jesus Christ. Many people find it a challenge to remain focused on the moment as the silence fills the church. In the time it takes for everyone else to have the Sacrament offered to them, there is a perfect opportunity to reflect in a meditative way. This meditation is intended for that specific purpose. I am confident that as we meditate on the meaning that Jesus offered to us, we will feel closer to God and truly feel that we are in communion with him. Our meditation will begin with Relaxation, followed by the reading from the King James Bible, then reflecting on the meaning of the verses, followed by prayer after which we will allow time for silent contemplation, then finalizing this episode with an invitation on how this experience can change our lives. Let's begin with the relaxation: Guided relaxation. Then on to the reading: 26 ¶ And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. 27 And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; 28 For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins. Meditation: This scripture represents the institution of the Sacrament of the Lord's Supper. There is not an extensive reference in the scriptures to the last supper but it is clear that it was important to early Christians. Paul writes about it in his letter to the corinthians in 1 Corinthians 11:23-32. Jesus taught publicly about the need to eat of his flesh and drink his blood in the Gospel of John. After this Jesus lost many disciples. He asked Peter will you also go away? To which Peter responded: "To whom would we go?" Is Jesus asking us today the same question when our minds wonder as we sit waiting to eat of the Sacrament? Is he asking us as he did to his Apostles in Gethsemane "could you not watch with me one hour?" As we practice focusing our thoughts we can be more open to the spirit as we partake of the Sacrament. Prayer: Pray as the spirit directs Contemplation: Enjoy silence in the Spirit of God. Practical application: Visualize how this change will be implemented in your life.

What manner of man is this Intro christianmeditationpodcast.com Positive feedback Multiple people gave positive feedback and I appreciated the technical feedback as well. This meditation is not entirely Lectio Divina but shares many things with that style of reflection and meditation. I referenced Tim Gray's called Praying Scriputre for change: an Introduction to Lectio Divina. There is great power in stillness is reducing distraction, even if there is noise around us. As you settle into a comfortable place I want to challenge the notion that silence is required for these. Many times in the hospital people seemed to try and force out any noise. In reality, these noises are part of your reality right now. They don't need to be your enemy. Relaxation Consider the calming power of God.

For details about me feel free to see the about me section of my website. I will also be listing an episode 000 explaining my theological framework. There are components borrowed from general relaxation practices as well Lectio Divina. I referenced Tim Gray's Book which is available on Amazon here (I don't have an affiliate link yet). I outline the structure for the meditation as follows: 1) Relaxation exercise (deep breathing, guided relaxation) 2) Read the verses twice (encouraging thoughtfulness) 3) Meditation (reflection on content) 4) Prayer (I lead then give some time for you) 5) Contemplative moment 6) Visualize application I'd love to hear from you about what insights you gained from this experience.