Prayer and Meditation

Consider this an introduction to my interpretation of some of Thomas Merton's thoughts and suggestions on prayer and meditation. I am not considering monasticism  or even Christianity here. My intention is to focus on practical ways to pray and meditate in beneficial ways. However, because of my ignorance of the human mind, and perhaps heart and soul, you may note bits of mysticism arising.

I find that it is possible to learn from each culture and religion that I have looked at.


We are alive in this universe and accept support from it. We live in this cosmos and place some reliance on it. Many rely on God or on 'the way of things.' Little of our acceptance or reliance is deeply based in science. Even so, we may attend to our own experience and that is no small thing.


We live with more or less reliance on some this or that. I think that the Biblical Isaiah, and many others, have thought that it was a good idea to do so.


We are far from knowing everything. However, we note that within our-self is that which is an amazingly good judge and interpreter of our observation and experience.


I don't believe that we have to devote ourselves to repentance, conversion, renunciation, and the like in order to learn from those well practiced in prayer and meditation.


Merton is one of those well practiced practitioners. He has also made a wide reaching, scholarly survey of the teachings of Christian meditation and prayer from early times to more recent times. Let's see what we can learn from him

Questions, As Seed for Meditation on "Word"

Choose one ....... at a time:

~ How can I have a word with you?

~ How can a word be shared?

~ Why is a word worth sharing?

~ How can one be taken by a word?

~ What's in a word?

~ With whom would you have a word about it?

~ How might a word 'become flesh?'

~ What does that word mean?

~ How can a word mean?

~ Who shall take me at my word?

~ How is she bound by her word?

~ Where can a word take them?

~ How can you take him at his word?

~ What do their mean words mean?

~ Why might a word be worth thinking about,

Meditation

Meditation seeds for a budding scientist:
~ Without evolution truth is meaningless.
~ Time is a heuristic, not a reality.
~ Order is more real than time.


Might do as meditations for a philosopher or a grammar conscious gardener too.

Wisdom

Some outside occupation is good. To be occupied with some outside lazing is good. Finding some intriguing learning is good.
Developing clearer thought and communication is good.
Meditation helps.

Habit Affirmations

~ I am ready and willing to learn to be a better listener this season.
~ I am ready and willing to learn to better attend to the urging of the best within me this month.
~ I am ready and willing to learn to acknowledge that self is one with all this week.
~ I am ready and willing to learn to practice listening to the best within me this me this day.
~ I am ready to learn to decide this hour to meditate more regularly.
~ I am ready and willing to learn to act more promptly on my better insight this hour.
~ Meditation clarifies my mind through ordering my thoughts this second.
~ I am ready and willing to learn to consider this moment what I do to make a difficult decision.
~ I look at the information I have on hand with which to make the decision here.
~ I do what I can to get the information I need to make the decision now.
~ I make the decision as soon as seems good with the decision I have on hand here and now.
~ I keep the nature of my decision well in mind right here and right now.
~ I observe the results of my decision this year.
~ I lay-out the data, information, facts in a few simple sentences here.
~ I honor my feelings now.
~ I contemplate my three or four complete core sentences related to my difficult decision one at a time and all together this moment.
~ I describe my difficulty in making the decision in one short sentence now.
~ I am ready to learn to work through the problem area of a difficult decision by using the 12 Steps today.
~ I am ready to learn to re-frame the decision here.
~ I am ready to learn to drop the decision for now.
~ I am ready to learn to act lawfully right here and right now.
~ I am ready to learn to adjust my apprehension of the law this year.

A Hindu Is Good

Being a true Hindu begins with honesty and awareness.

He applies is honest and awareness to:
ethical,
resourceful,
and sensual
parts of his life.

He may apply his ethics, resourcefulness, and sensuality to his:
love,
daily actions,
meditation,
and understanding.

He proposes to know many aspects of freedom. He knows there is much before an ultimate freedom. He finds he may free his:
understanding,
meditation,
and love.

He is willing to have more:
ethical freedom,
freedom of resourcefulness,
and freedom of sensuality.

He is grateful to learn the joy of free honesty and free awareness. He continues in his joy-learning all of his days.

First Meditation on Education: "Common Core"

Upon what is our ability to communicate built
Our grandparents learned.
Our parents learned.
We have learned.
Our children are learning.
Its likely that their children will learn.
Our learning over time is what gives us the power to communicate over time.
Our history tells us that we are capable of a high level of literacy.
The nature of our literacy allows us to make and to preserve a modern nation.
What had makers and preservers of a modern nation best learn?
What part does teaching play in our learning?
What did they teach our grandparents?
Who were they?
How did they know that which they taught?
What would you like to learn about communication?
With who might it be important that you communicate?
What do you wish others knew about communication?
What are a couple of communication skills?
What is one to talk about?
What are two to talk about?
What are many to talk of?
What might it be important to talk about?
How long might our numbers and letters remain important?
How might our attitude toward current media obliterate literature?
What would you like the nature of our education and culture to be?
What happenings most effect our ability to communicate?