Meditation is in one way or another, a method of praying. Praying is raising the mind and heart to God. Vocal praying involves using words like in a normal conversation, either our loud or silently. Meditation or to meditate on the other hand, is using the imagination instead of using speech like this.
Catholic meditation is very different from the perception of some religions where "meditation" involves setting the mind free of thinking about things, "quieting the mind". Catholic meditation is the opposite which is more a very active and thoughtful responsibility, not physically but mentally, a kind of prayer.
Catholic meditation has a set of four different steps for meditation. But before going into that, one should also consider posture and choosing a topic.
Posture
The position of the body in catholic meditation is not essential, but there are proper ways to position your self for meditation. Like praying, it can be done kneeling or sitting. In sitting, it is always best to do it in the liturgical way of sitting posture; feet flat on the floor, slightly back, hands on the lap, palms down, shoulders a little bit forward, and head slightly bowed.
Choosing a topic
Meditating on something is going to be needed. Choosing something from the gospel is best. Any scene or event recorded by the Evangelists or a recent gospel you heard or a gospel just about to come up. A mystery of the rosary or a station of the cross as a topic for mediation can also be used.
4 steps of Catholic Meditation
Place yourself in the God's presence
Before beginning meditation, it is important to bring to mind God's presence. This doesn't mean that you must be physically in a church, you just need to think of yourself being watched over by God and not being alone. Sometimes this can be done quickly, but sometimes it may take a while, but in any way, it is very important to do this before beginning to meditate.
Ask for God's help
Seeking for God's help is recognizing that any benefits from the meditation are God's free gift and not a result of our own natural thought process. No person can do without God's help. Ask for help in your prayer from the Blessed Mother, the Saints, or Angels in the church that you are meditating in.
Actual Meditation
The meditation consists of two parts: the first thing to do is to imagine a scene you have chosen to meditate on, picture the scene, the appearance, and also the sounds. Include the background or any noticeable smells in your imaginary scene. The key is to make as vivid and realistic scene as possible; the second phase of meditating is to place yourself into that scene you've just imagined and interacting with the scene as what you may have done if you were really there.
Give thanks
First thank God for his help in your meditation, then proceed to thanking all those whom you asked for help during the second step.
The catholic mediation is complete after the fourth step. The catholic way of meditation has always been differentiated from other forms of meditation, as its basis of the meditation is faith and belief of the Catholic religion.
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