Meditation / The Highest Form of Prayer

This section on Meditation is taken from the writings of Teresa of Avila, an expert on the subject of Christian meditatiion.  She was a 16th century Spanish mystic, a saint and doctor of the Church.  The name of her book is Conversation with Christ; and it is available from Tan Books.
Teresa defines meditation (mental prayer) in the following way:
     "Mental prayer is nothing else than an intimate friendship, a frequent heart-to-heart conversation with Him by whom we know ourselves to be loved."
     Therefore, all that precedes meditation, all that accompanies it, and all that follows it, has for its primary aim the stimulation of this conversation with Christ.  Let us repeat it again--for it is of extreme importance--meditation, in its final analysis, should be basically a friendly conversation with Christ.   It is the prayer in which we talk to God in our own words.  It is distinguished from vocal prayer which employs the words and sentiments of some saint, spiritual writer or the Bible.  During vocal prayer we rely on the formulae of some other person; in mental prayer we attempt to stimulate a direct conversation with Christ using our own words and thoughts.
While it is important to remember what meditation IS, it is equally important to remember what it IS NOT.  It is definitely not spiritual reading, nor examination or conscience, nor the formation of rules for better conduct.
    Before embarking on our discussion of the practice of mental prayer, it would be well to pause and examine the movtive for meditating.  Why do spiritual writers place so much insistence upon the practice of meditation?  Is it an integral part of the spiritual life, or is it a superfluous nicety of spiritual esthetes? In the words of Teresa, "He who neglects mental prayer needs not a devil to carry him to hell, but he brings himself there with his own hands."

     The case for meditation can be easily proved.  Christ came to earth to re-establish God's friendship with man: "I call you now not servants, but friends." John 15:15  Our Lord Himself has made the initial overture in this friendship. We must, on our part, reciprocate and strive to maintain the companionship at its highest level.  This entails a sustained contact with Christ; and prayer is our principal contact with Him.  However, vocal prayer does not completely fulfill this need. We must also converse with God in sentiments which arise from our own hearts and are expressed in our own words  As Teresa comments:  "Take my advice and let no one mislead you by pointing out any other way than prayer.  I am not discussing here whether mental and vocal prayer are necessary for everybody; but I contend that you require both."

     There is serious danger in restricting our prayer life to vocal prayer: we stand the risk of becoming victims of that vicious habit of sing-songing our prayers without actually contacting Christ.  Furthermore, the true lover wishes to express his affection in his own words, and not rely on the "canned" sentiments of a spiritual writer.  In meditation the soul is forced, as it were, to speak directly with Christ; there can be no hiding behind standardized formulae of prayer.  And this is the way the truly spiritual man would want it: an opportunity to speak privately with Christ about the many affairs of his daily life.  The experience of the saints has demonstrated that an amazing change occurs in one's life when he forms the daily habit of intimate, heart-to-heart conversation with Christ  Vocal prayer and meditation go hand-in-hand.  A well made meditation enhances and enlivens vocal prayer.  It gives a new impetus to the spiritual life.  Meditation serves a twofold purpose in the spiritual life: it aids the soul to attain closer union with Christ, and it prevents our relapse into sin.  The first is easily understood: our daily contact with Christ soon brings us into close union with Him.  However, not many are aware of the fact that an absence of meditation places the soul in a perilous state of existence.  Teresa reminds us: "Prayer is a necessity to prevent us from constantly falling into temptation."  Without the aid of mental prayer, the soul cannot triumph over the forces of the demon, according to St. John of the Cross.

     Teresa tells us that she continued perseveringly, though poorly, in the practice of meditation; and this basic perseverance kept her at a minimum from mortal sin.  Though she fell into venial sin and was harassed by temptations and trials, she was able to restrain from offending God seriously because of her practice of meditation.  When she finally succeeded in making her prayer not only with perseverance, but with fervor as well, she made rapid strides on the path of perfection.  Little wonder that she could later claim:  "I am certain of it that Our Lord will eventually bring to the harbor of salvation, he who gives himself to prayer."

     Meditation effects a complete change in a person's life, and adds a new tone to all his activities.  Naturally, it takes time but this is not time lost.  Rather, the time given to meditation aids in the ultimate conservation of time.  This is true, first of all, because it places the soul under the direct influence of Christ, Who will than take complete charge of a person's activities.  And further, the added perspective gained in meditation will enable one to better regulate his life by the separation of the non-essential from the essential.

     St. Peter of Alcantara sums up the benefits of meditation:
"In mental prayer the soul is purified from its sins, nourished with charity, confirmed in faith, and strengthened in hope; the mind expands, the affections dilate, the heart is purified, truth becomes evident; temptation is conquered, sadness dispelled; the senses are renovated; drooping powers revive; tepidity ceases; rust of vices disappears.  Out of mental prayer issues forth, like living sparks, those desires of heaven which the soul conceives when inflamed with the fire of divine love.  Sublime is the excellence of mental prayer, great are its privileges; to mental prayer heaven is opened; to mental prayer heavenly secrets are manifested and the ear of God ever attentive."

     In these days of whirlwind activity and deafening noise, it becomes more and more necessary to pause daily for interior conversation with Christ.  Without this daily period of meditation, the entire spiritual life stands in danger.

Let us discuss for a moment the two principal  interior faculties of humans: intellect and will ( or as they are termed in popular writing, mind and heart.  The intellect (or mind) concerns itself with acts of reasoning, thought, and consideration; the will (or heart) is occupied with acts of a volitional nature such as love and affection.  It is through the intellect that one comes to the knowledge of some object, and through the will that he begins to love it.  In other words, the intellect supplies the object for the will to love; and, correspondingly, nothing is loved by the will unless it has first been presented by the intellect.

Meditation Page 2

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