Practicing Happiness Techniques in Worship: Part 4 of 5

he meditates day and nightMeditation

But his delight is in the law of the LORD,
and on his law he meditates day and night.

— Psalm 1

Meditation doesn’t come easily to me, but a few years ago I took a course in yoga.

I went to class and was politely dubious. The teachers were enthusiastic and likable. They had created a beautiful studio. But I felt so sorry for them. Next door there seemed to be a factory or a workshop and the noise of the machines was terribly distracting. I wondered why they had chosen such a loud location for their lovely studio.

It was a few sessions before I realized there was no factory or workshop next door. The noise was an “oooohhm” machine. The noise was intentional and it was meant to help us meditate. 

Mediation can be unsettling. A church leader routinely called for a moment of silence at meetings when someone in the congregation died. All heads would bow. After only a few seconds he would end the meditation with a brusk, “That’s enough!”

But apparently there is something to it. Here is a link to an ABC news report and video from about a year ago.

Shawn Acher claims that just a few minutes of meditation will increase happiness, by diverting attention from our tendency to multitask. Studies show that, as proud as we are of our ability to do many things at once, it isn’t really a good idea.

Meditation is used in some denominations more than others. Lutherans tend to abhor a vacuum in worship. We fill every moment with words or music. There is nothing more awkward than an organist losing the page in the hymnal and fumbling for endless moments of nothing.

Redeemer’s experience was tempered a bit. East Falls has a fine Quaker School, which many of our children attended. They experienced the meditative ways of the Quakers—a few minutes in  kindergarten to a full hour in high school. The children claimed to like it. It influenced our members’ tolerance for meditation. There is nothing wrong with a little empty space in a liturgy.

On a few of our Ambassador visits, there was time for mediation built into the service, usually after the sermon. Communion is also a time when members can meditate while waiting for others. Some people develop the habit of arriving early at church to enjoy a quiet moment.

While many churches open Easter worship with trumpet heralds or the organ equivalent, one small country church played a nature CD with the bird calls and gurgling brook garden sounds. It was very effective!

Like every other step in the Happiness Advantage. It’s a matter of creating a habit.

How can we encourage meditation. Here are some ideas.

  • Orthodox Christians use icons to focus their meditation. Use interesting art on your bulletins as a meditation tool. There is a wealth of images available on the internet. Many simply require a credit line as permission to use.
  • Find an inspirational quote. In worship, we focus naturally on scripture. There is a wealth of Christian thought expressed by theologians and poets that can fuel meditation.
  • Open the church for meditation during the week.
  • Teach simple meditation techniques. Concentrating on breathing is key. Here are some links that might help:http://www.yogajournal.com/for_teachers/1856

    http://www.artofliving.org/teach-meditation

  • Slow the pace of worship. Build some quiet in between sections of the liturgy.
  • Use a meditation CD.

However you decide to introduce meditation into your worship, remember to give it three months before evaluating.