Meditation

After the experiment and discussion in class today I found there are three specific things need for an effective meditation session. I concluded a bias response because the way Catholic’s pray or self meditate in church is very effective.

The first thing need for excellent meditation or prayer is to have a calm quite atmosphere. It can’t be too quite and completely motionless because most people get board, just as we witnessed in class. Mr. Smith discussed the same sort of problem when he mentioned that some Quaker members became detached and uninterested during gatherings. During the Catholic mass the two times of personal refection are directly in between standing and knelling which keeps one moving and engaged.

The second part of a meditation that makes it successful is to have an idea or thought to ponder and wonder about. We saw the lack of this in class when we were instructed to just sit and do anything we wanted; the session was not focused. The Quakers we talked about have a moderate focal point to contemplate which is their inner light. This leads to random thoughts and insights but not a continual thought. The Catholic Church gives its followers a different Homily to consider each week which keeps things focused.

The last thing needed in a session of meditation would be a time period adequate for the intended goal. Class accomplished this well because if one was truly contemplating something they had just enough time to clarify an idea and then determine something about it. I believe this can not be measured with the Quakers because they don’t have one specific idea to ponder. Again Catholics do this well by first clarifying an idea for you and then giving someone a shorter period of time to relate it to thier personal life.

Over all the three things needed for a solid meditation are calm and quite, a thought, and a particular time line. I believe that Catholics do this well and the test in class encompassed some of the ideas well as were the Quakers meditate poorly. Because it is difficult to be in the situation the Quakers expect meditation to occur they don’t have a vary large group of followers. Lastly meditation is an important part of any religion.