Christian Meditation is an integral part of the prayer life of teachers and students in schools throughout the Diocese of Townsville. Christian Meditation is a way of becoming present to God and entering into a prayer of the heart. Christian meditation helps us enter into the actual experience of praying and enables us to fully attend to God while we pray. When we pray through meditation, we move from mental prayer (prayer of the mind) to a deeper level, the heart (the prayer of the heart). The word recommended to use is: ma-ra-na-tha, which means “Come Lord” or “Come Lord Jesus”. Repetition of the sacred word allows us to quiet our minds to make our hearts available to God. Above all, one can be assured that Christian Meditation is a meaningful and authentic way to pray. 

Take the time to talk to your children about their experience with Christian Meditation in the classroom. You may like to make time in your day to meditate as a family.  It involves:

1) Sit still and upright with your back straight.

 2) Place both your feet flat on the floor or legs crossed if sitting on the floor. 

3) Place your hands in your lap facing either upwards or downwards. 

4) Gently close your eyes. 

5) Be aware of your normal breathing pattern for a minute or two as you clear your    mind.

 6) Silently, interiorly, begin to say your sacred prayer word or mantra  

     “ma-ra-na-tha” in four equal syllables. 

7) Listen to the sound of your sacred word as you say it, slowly, intently and continuously. 

8) If thoughts come, keep returning to simply saying the word. 

9) Maintain this stillness for the entire period of the meditation. 

In the Spirit, 

Evon Downie