What I do know, though, is that Jesus preached a message of love for everyone. As did the Buddha. So, whether you call it prayer or meditation (and yes, I know that those are two different things), as long as you do it with love, I’m pretty sure you’re all right regardless of what God you pray to. So go ahead and meditate away—just do it with love and acceptance and equanimity. Feel into the practice’s benefits and quiet your mind, contemplate life on a higher plane, and quiet that voice in the back of your head. Lower your stress and open your spirit to the Universe that is all around. And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by men. I tell you, they have received their reward in full. But when you pray, go into your room and close the door and pray to your Father who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. And when you pray do not keep on babbling like pagans, 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. (Matthew 6: 5-8) Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. (Psalm 1:1-2) Now, scholars can argue ad infinitum about the semantics and meanings behind the word “meditation” in these verses. But there it is for all to see. For my sake, I read the passage from Matthew and can’t help but think that Jesus is teaching us that what he calls prayer is personal, that it is an act of solitude, and it is best done in silence. All things that sound an awful lot of what I do when I sit and breathe and, yes, meditate. For those who say Jesus was simply praying to God, then I say: The kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:21) and Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (Corinthians 3:16) So if for some reason you find yourself resisting your meditation, simply smile and know that your mind was already closed before it had a chance to open. After all, you are free to meditate on anything you wish. Yes, even Jesus Christ. I leave that choice up to you. Simply do it with Love and do it regularly. After all, as we know from Colossians 3:2. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.
