Practicum 4
The Word became flesh and lived among us. John 1:14
The first stage of imageless meditation is to still the body. Most people learn to do this quite quickly. The second stage is to learn to still and focus the mind and that is much harder to master. In this practicum you will learn a new tool to help you with this task. The purpose is to reach that still point where you might discover God who is already there as the ground of your being. This is the third stage of meditation and is called "Union". This does not mean we can control when we want to feel God, whatever that may mean. God continually encounters us. We are the ones who have become distracted, who like Samuel in the Old Testament need to be taught how to hear God’s voice.
The mystics tell us that we are endowed with a mystical mind and heart, a faculty that makes it possible to know God directly, to intuit God’s very being, apart from thoughts and concepts and images. Usually this faculty lies undeveloped. Thoughts are a convenient and easy preoccupation and the practicums so far are designed to slowly pull this habit of escaping into thinking or worrying, planning or day dreaming, under control. We need to do this if we are to develop what is called "The Prayer of the Heart". It is also important to remember that God sometimes allows our vocal prayer to become dry and tedious to encourage us to search deeper, to move into this silence. Sadly when this happens it is easy to give up and miss the invitation.
At first it may simply seem that nothing is there because our spiritual intuition lies undeveloped. The faith and the experience of saints like John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, Hildegard of Bingen, Francis of Assisi, Meister Eckhart, the author of The Cloud of Unknowing, and Julian of Norwich, confirm that God is there, and longs for the union of our spirit with Spirit. If you persist you will find your intuitive awareness developing and as a result your times of formal meditation will become profoundly satisfying.
Mantras, or prayer words, are another ancient way to help develop this awareness and effectively counteract the internal chatter by fighting words with words.
Mantras originate from several sources: a spiritual teacher may give them to a person (a modern example of this would be Transcendental Meditation); a person may select a traditional mantra (the Jesus Prayer, or Rosary for example) or the person may choose their own.
The guidelines for choosing your own mantra vary. In The Cloud of Unknowing the author suggests it should be short and to the point, like "Love", "Peace" or "Jesus". The Trappist monk, Basil Pennington, of the Centering Prayer Movement, recommends that your mantra should express your intention, and so it may be one word or several words. John Main OSB, suggested that if you cannot think of a word then use the Aramaic word "Maranatha" ("Come Lord" or "The Lord comes") . It is one of the oldest prayers in the Christian tradition and so a hallowed and sacred phrase. Say it as four equal syllables (Ma-ra-na-tha). Ira Progoff says the mantra should have seven syllables, and that the words or phrase should be "smooth or rhythmic" enough to be easily said under your breath. Three syllables are said as you breathe in and three while you breathe out. The extra syllable can be said either at the end of the in breath, or at the end of the out breath. The seven syllables establish the necessary length and rhythm.2
Whatever you choose, it is helpful if the prayer word is a summary of your intention. Reflect upon your meditation purpose to see if you can choose a word or short phrase that expresses your intention.
Having selected a prayer word, do not change it during your meditation session for that will lead you back into thinking. Opinion is actually divided on whether you should ever change your word. John Main would say, "Don’t" or you will hold back your progress. Basil Pennington says it does not matter if you choose a different one each time. Anthony de Mello says the actual word is of no consequence, it is a tool for focusing the attention. So do not labour too long on selecting a word or phrase. Having chosen one, stay with it for your meditation time. In the future if you feel the need to move on to another, be sure you know why you want to change. Do not be seduced into thinking a new one is better. "If I changed my word I might progress faster." You won’t. Gregory of Sinai (d1346) reminds us that "Trees that are constantly transplanted do not bear fruit." 3 The prayer word or mantra is no more than a tool, but once incorporated into your prayer time you will find it will become a comfortable friend.
Before you begin this new practicum, first select the prayer word(s) you want to use, then:
Begin your meditation time as usual with a restatement of your purpose.
Take a few double breaths, breathing in peace and letting go of anything that concerns your attention like worry, or anxiety.
Relax your body, mentally checking each part for tensions.
When you feel quite relaxed move on to observe your breathing as in the preceding exercise.
When distracted – simply note the distraction and return to your breathing.
After a few minutes begin to say your word. Let it float on your breath.
It should be rhythmic like a pendulum of a clock – slowly moving from one syllable to another then back again.
If your attention wanders, note the wandering and return to your word until your time is up.
Finish as usual letting the peace flow into the rest of your day.
You can return to your word at odd moments – while driving the car, waiting, walking etc.