LC writes: “I was a little disappointed to learn that eastern meditation is not recommended for Christians. I felt that the last one I did by Deepak Chopra led me to the Daniel fast which ultimately changed my life. I started this meditation challenge also by Deepak Chopra and instead of saying the Hindu mantra, I meditate on the actual phrase. For example “I am a radiant and spiritual being.” Is that such a bad thing if I also incorporate prayer in my life and keep Christianity first?”
Category Archives: Prayer/Meditation
Stay Away from Sozo Prayer!
AL writes: “What is Sozo prayer and is it okay for Catholics to use it?”
Vatican Pauses Review of Luisa Piccarreta’s Writings
SG asks: “Is Luisa Piccarreta and the “In the Divine Will” movement New Age? Orthodox? Approved?”
Pupils Sue School Over Hindu Prayer Indoctrination
Former Chicago Public School students have been granted class action status by a federal judge to pursue their case alleging that a school forced students to participate in Transcendental Meditation and Hindu practices against their will.
Woman Dies After Attending Vipassana Retreat
Another healthy young person committed suicide after attending a 10-day Vipassana retreat, known as a Goenke retreat, raising questions about the safety of these programs which require participants to sit in a silent meditative state for 10-11 hours a day.
Mindfulness Meditation vs. the Sacrament of the Present Moment
MM asks: Is there anything wrong with Mindfulness Meditation? It sounds like it’s nothing more than living in the present moment. Could there be anything wrong with that?
Don’t Substitute Eastern Meditation Techniques For Christian Prayer!
KB writes: “My husband practices this mindfulness type of meditation, including a body scan meditation. He does a shorter one in the morning, about 15 or 20 minutes, and the body scan in the afternoon, which takes about 45 minutes, for stress reduction and as a way of dealing with anxiety. The other day he chose to skip family prayer time in favor of this meditation . . . ” Read the rest…
Mind-Blanking and Mental Prayer are Not Synonymous!
KM writes: “I have tried to teach my children, the prayer of silence, where I ask them to sit and close their eyes and just to focus on God and to try not to think of anything else. Is that O.K? I thought that was what contemplation was, but sometimes it’s difficult to figure out. I hope that is not the Catholic equivalent of mind-blanking.”
Zazen is Not Christian Prayer
BW writes: “I saw an article in a Catholic magazine about a nun who practices Zazen from the Zen religion and shows her sitting in the classic yoga position. I could not find any information on Zazen and hope you can provide some information on this subject.”
NYC Mayor Requires Mindful Breathing in Public Schools
New York City Mayor Eric Adams is requiring all public schools to offer two to five minutes of mindful breathing exercises to students every day. Because the popular practice of mindfulness is based in Buddhism, many parents are accusing the city of introducing religion into the classroom.
