Tips for starting Christian meditation

Christian meditation is not a technique, but a disposition of our being - body and soul - to listen to God. There are no specific instructions or equipment required, but whatever the form of Christian meditation practised (lectio- divina, oraison, contemplation, Jesus Prayer, etc.), it's always possible to find a way to listen to God (lectio- divina, oraison, contemplation, Jesus Prayer, etc.), there are certain elements that will help you to enter into this time of prayer and live it to the full. Setting up certain habits and concrete gestures can facilitate - especially for beginners - the practice of meditation by putting oneself in good physical and mental conditions and giving oneself the means to taste the fruits of this time spent with God.

Define a time, a duration, a frequency

Meditation puts us in the presence of God, who is always there, whether we feel his presence or not. So we don't need to practice for years to experience this heart-to-heart. However, even if God is there the first time, it's not necessarily easy for us, especially at the beginning, to be there too.

One way to prepare ourselves mentally for this time of interiority is to formalize it. Just as we would with a friend, or an activity that's important to us, let's set aside a definite and precise time for this rendezvous with God. So let's choose the time of day and the length of time we can reasonably allow for meditation.

Morning? Evening? Break in the day?

Depending on our habits, our schedules and our rhythm, certain times will be more conducive to meditation than others. Let's choose a time - if possible the same time every day, to establish a habit that will help us stick to it over time - that allows for mental availability but also a certain liveliness. This could be
- In the morning, after getting ready and before starting the day's activities. It's a good way to start the day with God, and to find in him the strength and energy to live what we have to live.
- on the way to work (you can meditate while walking, on public transport or in the car, but for the first few times, it's better to do it in a quiet place that will help us to be inward-looking)
- during a pivotal moment in the day: between two activities, at the end of the working day, on the way home, at lunchtime (but avoid just after lunch, to avoid the risk of dozing off). This rendezvous in the midst of our day allows us to recharge our batteries in God, and to put Him at the heart of everything we do in life.
- The evening can be a good time for meditation, which can be accompanied by a rereading of one's day and a time of thanksgiving, but beware of the risk of falling asleep; posture will then be important to stay wide awake for the duration of the meditation.

5 minutes? 10 minutes? 30 minutes?

While it's best not to start out by meditating for too long, so as not to get discouraged, it's still important to leave yourself enough time to make yourself available to God. It's important to leave yourself enough time to make yourself available to God, particularly through a settling-in and presence phase, which may take a little longer for beginners. In fact, it's not always easy to calm your mental agitation. Giving yourself a few minutes to cut yourself off from external agitation and the flow of your thoughts makes it easier to enter into meditation.

Setting aside 10 to 15 minutes can be a good starting point, which you can then adapt to your own needs. To keep to this timeframe without being disturbed in your meditation, you may want to set an alarm or follow a guided audio meditation. (Find answers to the main questions that may arise at the start of your meditation practice)

Meditate daily? The importance of regularity

Christian meditation is a living relationship that grows stronger with regularity. If we wait until we want to, until we're thinking about it, until we're no longer underwater... we run the risk of spacing out these times of meditation more and more.

Like a virtue that grows with practice, we need to be faithful, regular and persevering if we are to explore all the beauty and power of this intimacy with God.

It's perfectly possible - even for a beginner - to meditate every day. It's better to meditate every day for 5 minutes than to give up because you can't find the time.
However, if we feel it's not possible to meditate every day, then we can define a more spaced-out but still regular and defined frequency - every Sunday, for example.However, if we feel it ' s not possible to meditate every day, then we can define a more spaced-out but still regular and defined frequency - every Sunday, for example - and leave ourselves the opportunity for additional sessions as soon as we feel it's possible.

Put yourself in the right conditions

Find a quiet place

Christian meditation can be practiced anywhere , because God is with us everywhere. But to achieve the silence needed to welcome Him, the environment can be particularly important, especially at the beginning.

The ideal setting is a quiet, secluded spot where we can spend these few minutes without fear of being disturbed. If we're at home, in our bedroom for example, we should close the door and ask not to be disturbed.

Certain places can help us to meditate, such as nature (garden, park, forest, etc.), a church or chapel. At home, we can also create an atmosphere conducive to prayer, by lighting a candle or sitting facing a cross or holy image.

Getting ready body and mind

Listening to God, making ourselves available to him, is not always easy. We are often in a state of physical and mental agitation that prevents us from finding calm. That's why it's important to take time beforehand to calm body and mind .

choose a posture that's dignified, comfortable and dynamic(see our tips on finding the right posture for meditation)
return to your body and breathing to anchor yourself in the present moment (Vittoz exercises are particularly well-suited to this preparation for prayer and for staying present to your prayer)
put ourselves in God's presence, recognizing that he is there with us. If we feel the need, confide in him our worries, whatever is preventing us from being fully present. (Discover how to live this moment of being in the presence of God, as well as prayers to introduce the meditation session).

Choose a tradition and persevere

Meditation time is not the same for those who wish to meditate on the Word of God with lectio divina, or for those who wish to spend time in silent prayer in the school of Teresa of Avila. Depending on our sensitivities and habits, but also on the times we live in and what we go through, we may be more or less attracted to one of these traditions.

Ideally, we should take a closer look at each of these traditions to see which one seems most suited to what we're looking for. Then it's important to give ourselves time to deepen and explore this practice. Ideally, you should give yourself a few weeks. It can - in fact - be a little hard to "get into" certain practices, so let' s not get discouraged and keep going to discover their richness.

Here are some examples of meditations inspired by different Christian meditative traditions:

lectio divina
silent prayer
jesus prayer
contemplation
rosary prayer
Ignatian meditation

Practice with joy and humility

Finally, the most important tip is to live this meditation entirely turned towards God. If we bear in mind that Christian meditation finds its source and raison d'être in God, this helps us to avoid getting lost in misleading expectations, or in the quest for results or performance.

Christian meditation is a moment of prayer and contemplation. It nourishes our intimate, personal relationship with God. As a result, there is no such thing as a successful or unsuccessful meditation, and the novice meditator can - just as well as the seasoned one - reap the fruits of meditation .

To help us stay in this state of welcome, let's remember to thank God at the end of each meditation for the time spent with him and for the graces he has given us, whether we felt them or not. (Discover a meditation session to learn more about Christian meditation)

Start Christian meditation

Every day, pray and meditate the daily Gospel through commentaries from great spiritual leaders.