I recently returned from a training about the use of Meditation and Mindful Awareness, the practice of maintaining a moment by moment awareness of thoughts, feelings, and environment. It was explored in depth as a method for helping clients to stay present and reduce anxiety.

In the counseling and psychology realms, the practice of Mindful Awareness has become quite popular. Seems like you can’t find anybody who doesn’t support the benefits of using it in everyday life. This practice actually extends further beyond therapy, as many K-12 schools and universities are using it in conjunction with meditation to sharpen students’ focus, reduce anxiety, and improve their ability to stay present in the moment.

You can find a great deal written on the topic and its use to calm the mind, relax the body, and promote healing. There are reams of paper written about the positive effect it has and the innumerable studies that have been conducted proving its benefits. Let’s face it, It works!

The Christian Conundrum

As Christians we should be aware that the origins of meditation and mindfulness come from eastern, Buddhist philosophies that may stand, to some degree, against your own Christian values. There’s nothing wrong with calming your mind, relaxing your body, or even staying present in the moment. On the contrary, those are all wonderful things that God encourages. The real issue with the practice of Mindful Awareness and Meditation for the Christian lies not in doing it, but rather HOW the Christian believer does it. It’s not calming ourselves that’s the issue. It’s the method we take to achieve that calmness or state of relaxation.

Let me be clear: the purpose of this article isn’t to throw the baby out with the bathwater or to say that Christians shouldn’t practice any Mindfulness. Instead it’s to help you consider aspects of Mindfulness Awareness that may or may not be an issue with your relationship with God.

Again, there’s nothing wrong with meditating. In fact, there are roughly 20 biblical references to meditation.

“Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.” – Joshua 1:8

“…but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,  and who meditates on his law day and night.” – Psalm 1:2

However, there are some things a Christian should watch out for when participating in Mindful Awareness, Yoga, or any other guided meditation practices.

Methods of Meditation & Mindfulness You Should Think About Before Doing

Here are some red flag practices you may want to think about.

Visualizations

Be concerned if you’re asked to use any guided imagery, subconscious suggestions, visualizations, out-of-body experiences, or if you’re asked to enter a trance like state. Peace comes not from escaping your current state, but instead from Christ alone.

“And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” –  Philippians 4:7, ESV

Emptying Mind

Be concerned if asked to use any concepts or practices related to getting in touch with your internal energy, life force, or anything that asks you to empty your mind. Christian meditation requires you to engage your mind, not empty it. An empty mind leaves plenty of room for Satan’s deception.

“Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.” – Philippians 4:8, NKJV

Mantras

Be concerned if asked to use any saying or vain repetitions such as mantras, chants, or repeated sayings that you are not fully aware of their meanings. Please don’t just take some instructor’s word for what they mean.  Jesus’ teachings make this clear.

“But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.” – Matthew 6:7, KJV

Self-Focus

Be aware if you’re asked to focus your energy on items, concepts, or philosophies that focus on self-love, self-acceptance, or self-perfection. The Christian’s perfection, worth, or wholeness isn’t based on self or the flesh. It’s based on Christ working in and through us.

“…for it is God who works in you to will and to act in order to fulfill his good purpose.” -Philippians 2:13, NIV

The Detachment Issue of Mindfulness

Given its roots, mindfulness builds on the Buddhist doctrine of anattā – the idea of there being “no self.” Buddhism teaches its followers there is no self or individual, so practices like mindfulness and meditation help those who practice it to separate from their thoughts and feelings. While this practice has proven helpful in temporarily relieving stress and anxiety, we must consider the dangers of completely detaching from those feelings.

Yes, stepping back from temporary emotions and seeing how they come and go is beneficial to responding to external stimuli in an appropriate, rational, and healthy manner. However, these practices encourage people to visualize their feelings and thoughts as leaving them in ways such as clouds floating away in the sky. But, can this be an unproductive thing to do repeatedly? Yes, possibly. What if you need to be assessing those feelings? If you aren’t processing these emotions, how do you know if they are a normal reaction to external factors or a repeat pattern of unhealthy thoughts?

At some point, it is healthy and necessary to examine the feelings and thoughts we have – not just to release them, but to understand where they come from. As Christians, we know there is a self and we do have an identity – something contrary to the Buddhist anattā teachings. And we must examine the self in light of what we know of Christ in order to decide if we need to take action – to decide if our thoughts and emotions are something we must address rather than simply dismiss as a fleeting object. 

Healthy Christian Meditation & Mindfulness Alternatives

Though there are multiple things related to Meditation and Mindfulness that should be avoided, there ARE Biblical aspects of it that could benefit your health and your relationship with God. You may want to consider these as alternatives that are supported by scripture to calm your thoughts and improve your life.

Prayer

This is a vital part of the Christian life. As C.S. Lewis points out, we don’t pray for God to hear us, we pray so that we can hear God. The main point is that Christian meditation should be about our relationship with the Holy Spirit as our Teacher and Guide. Use your stillness to communicate with and listen to the voice of your Maker.

Scripture

We need to be meditating on God’s Word. The concept of biblical meditation is related to ruminating on things in the Word. David understood this quite well when he penned many of the psalms. Rick Warren shares a great online devotion about this type of Biblical Meditation.

Not Worrying

Our minds SHOULD be in the present. Keeping oneself in the present rather than the future keeps us from stressing over things that may happen and helps us to not worry. Mindfulness for a Christian should be about staying in the present while keeping an eternal perspective. And our eternity in heaven is nothing to stress about.

Gratitude

Be thankful and grateful for what you have. You’ve heard the old saying that the key to life isn’t getting what we want, but rather wanting what we have. Grateful meditation where God is the object of our thanks can go a long way to retrain our brains to think and be more positive.

Be still

Being still and being aware of who God is renews our minds. We live in a world where busyness is glorified, and we tend to roll mindlessly through the motions of day to day life. Christian mindfulness should be slowing down, or better yet, being still. Psalm 46:10 reminds to “Be still and know that I am God.” Never am I more relaxed and at peace than when I stop and recognize who has control of all.

As Christians, we have a great deal of freedom, and as a therapist I’ve seen the benefits from clients who have been helped with mindful awareness. I also feel people need to be fully aware that the object of their “awareness” needs to really rest on the person and the finished work of Christ. Anything else is a counterfeit reliance that should be avoided rather than pursued.

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Caught up in stress, worry, a polluted mind, or secular meditation practice, and need help implementing a Christian approach to meditation and mindful awareness? I can help. Reach out to me and let’s talk.

-Joel Walton