Interview with Father Laurence Freeman on his way into Contemplative Prayer in Poland a few months ago THE WORLD COMMUNITY FOR CHRISTIAN MEDITATION
To fully realize our human potential we must go beyond the mind, thoughts, words, ideas and images. You go into your heart do not have to wait to be saints to meditate - says Father Laurence Freeman, head of the World Community for Christian Meditation, during a recent visit to Poland. How did your adventure with meditation? My involvement in meditation connect with John Main, my teacher, an Irish Benedictine monk whom I knew as a young student. This year is the twenty-fifth anniversary of his death. He had a very strong personality and loving
was a personal teacher of great depth and a prophetic figure for modern Christianity. Had no idea about the direction it is moving the church and also a very realistic view of its relationship with secular society
. When I was in college I went to consult for a few personal issues - I was on a spiritual quest but my problems did not let me see clearly! Then I introduced meditation. Consciously I was not looking
meditation, but when I presented it in simple words but very compelling, and with great authority, I knew it was authentic and that ultimately need to answer it. A few years later John Main gave young men the opportunity to spend six months in the monastery of London for a period of spiritual training based
meditation. The idea was that after six months would return to our world and our careers (at that time was interested in journalism). This time I took an unexpected spiritual growth through a degree of self-knowledge. As a result, I found myself less interested in journalism in the spiritual quest to the center of my life. St. Benedict says that the monk is the one who truly seeks God. Not
to live in a monastery to find it - but it was not my case. Then, after a difficult period of reflection I decided to become a monk.
Why in the Order of St. Benedict? is the oldest of the orders of the church and therefore more flexible in its manifestations. Represented to me the possibility of a deep contemplative life - and also to be actively in the service of others.
I was attracted by the idea of \u200b\u200bJohn Main of a "community love "and this seemed to be a cause to which I could best serve as a monk trying, despite all my limitations, to be truly free. The Benedictine tradition has evolved into many forms over 1500 years. Their roots are in the early desert monasticism but has made its contribution to every aspect of human existence - cultural contribution, intellectual, social, economic and even according to what is required by the circumstances and needs of the time and place. Still represents for me a vision of life based on moderation and tolerance, God-centered, which can benefit modern people.
Once you said that meditation is like coming home after a long journey. What did he mean? There are several ways of looking at meditation as a "homecoming." For many people means that having left the Christian way to fetch in the East a deeper inner experience, now find that in the Christian tradition, at home, there is meditation. So now you can practice contemplative prayer would be within their own tradition. There is also a deeper meaning, more universal. In meditation we do the work to go home, our interior, our most profound and true where we are living icons of God. And in the tradition of the desert that we taught, self-knowledge is the basis of our knowledge of God. This type of self-knowledge is not simply psychological information about ourselves. It is that part or level of consciousness, pure consciousness and awakening contemplative, in which we know from the way God knows us. This is when we truly love and be at peace with ourselves and with everything else. So you could say that meditation is both a return home to self and the real world, not our egos build and try to manipulate. And finally is returning home to God. We
as the prodigal son who eventually abandons his distractions and begin their return home. Before he gets what he thinks is his destiny, his loving Father coming to greet him. Coming home is to be where it is loved.
Why is this? Many people are concerned that meditation is not a
Christian tradition. What are the origins of Christian meditation? It's very sad for the Catholic Church when you say that meditation is not part of the Christian tradition. The reason I say it is that nobody taught them in the life of the parish. Then, as now found with meditation, feel it is imported from Buddhism or Hinduism. Meditation is of course something central for these religions and gives us a common basis for dialogue. But in our Christian tradition we have a rich mystical tradition - great teachers of contemplative prayer-the prayer of the heart, other than mental prayer. Today the great challenge for us is re
appropriate for that dimension of our Christian life.
Is not it strange to discover a similar form of prayer
completely different religions? would be more strange if we did not. Mean that we are one human family and we did not have the same origin, which we call the Creator. To fulfill our human potential we must go beyond the mind, thoughts, words, ideas and images. You must go into the heart. That is basically universal wisdom. It's like eating, drinking and breathing, in all cultures have the same physique, the same way, basically, we all have the same spiritual basis. The differences are important but we could only recognize the differences if we had something in common.
Today, it is important for Christians to realize that Christianity is historically back to Eastern traditions. We have something to learn from them and of course something to offer. But Christianity has his own experience of this universal wisdom that is embodied in the person of Jesus. For Christianity is embodied wisdom.
The first centuries of Christianity formed what we now know as the Christian doctrine and the Church. During this period of creative matrix, contemplative experience, the practice of the prayer of the heart, combined with a deep reflection on the meaning of Scripture. However, especially in the Western Church, this contemplative orientation weakened and became ever more specialized and marginalized. The Eastern Church, missionary
less and less affected by intellectual change, not distanced both the contemplative heart of faith and liturgy.
From the Vatican Council, all vocations within the church, lay and monastic - have placed a great emphasis on the rediscovery of the contemplative tradition. It is the most important movement of renewal in the church because it affects everything we think and do. The attitude of fear, suspicion and hostility with which some Christians receive this renewal and the practice of meditation are a sad reflection on how incomplete we are educated and trained in our traditions and our faith
Is there any chance change this situation? two days ago I arrived in Australia. There is a Roman Catholic diocese has just officially introduce the teaching of Christian meditation, from five years of age in all Catholic schools. And when I was in New Zealand
I found all the Catholic bishops and gave me great pleasure to see how well they are supporting the teaching of meditation in parish life. Also in Los Angeles are working on a program to introduce
ecumenical meditation in all parishes. Also in South America and Asia are invited to teach meditation and are training teachers who will. Thus, in some parts of the church This contemplative renewal is already well established. Eastern Europe is in its early stages. We are entering a new era of Christianity.
Can you explain the difference between meditation and contemplation? Meditation is the work we do for the gift of contemplation, which is a grace which was given us in Baptism and we need to develop. Contemplation is already present in us is the seed that we must turn to the sun and the water of faith.
Prayer is never just a technique. Always surrender in faith to the reality of God. Is to forget oneself but is also a romance. Contemplation is the goal of life, our meaning and fate "is to see God." That is the reason
are created, see God. Gregory of Nyssa said that seeing God is to find God. But he added that finding God is always looking to God. In this life - or the next - never reach the finish line.
Meditation is also the purification of the heart that allows us to enter God's vision. Need a contemplative prayer practice that allows this process to progress. We need to build on our daily lives
practice of contemplation: this is the daily practice of Christian meditation in morning and evening.
So what is the best way to pray? Call it the simplest. Meditation does not replace other modes of prayer and it should not. Prayer is like a big wheel that turns to God. The various spokes of the wheel represent the different forms of prayer. Then there is the lectio - reading the Scriptures - the sacraments, the Mass, devotions, pilgrimages, many different styles and schools of prayer "from the exercises of the Jesuits to the charismatic prayer. All these different forms of prayer are valuable though not everyone feels called by them. Are themselves sincerely prayed very authentic and useful. Its utility is always assured us that the rays are moving toward the center. All rays are at the center of the wheel. In the center of the wheel we find the prayer of Christ.
Paul says we do not know how to pray but the Spirit prays in us. He also says: "I do not live longer, worse Christ lives in me." Then we could say: I do not pray more, Christ prays in me. This union with the mind of Christ, that enter into their experience of the Father, is the real address of all forms of prayer. Should grow through these frequent practices, not just spinning the wheel without getting anywhere. There is a difference between the mechanical repetition that gets us nowhere and repeat with faith and love which transforms us.
To be practical - we recommend are two periods of silent meditation. , Morning and night. Integrating these periods of quiet and simplicity to your other forms of prayer and your daily life. The effect of this discipline - simple but not simple, is that you open up, not only at the time of prayer, but in all aspects of your life to God's presence, always, everywhere and in all things .
So any form of prayer has the potential to lead us to the
contemplation? Yes, if we pray with simplicity, faith and sheer attention. In the Sermon on the Mount Jesus says, when you pray is not to observe the outward forms, standing on street corners seeking to awaken the admiration of others. The egomaniac who prays may be more concerned about what people think of me or even what God thinks of me, that truly worship "in spirit and in truth" the real experience of God.
The church is an organization composed of human beings, and can sometimes be dominated by fear or even forms of religious violence or threats. This is the danger of all power. Could using condemnation or disapproval to stifle freedom of the people. But we all need discipline and someone to guide us. It's a delicate balance needs to be in contemplation the center of the church if we want to maintain that balance. Christ warns us to be very careful with power. And when he speaks of praying is stressing to contemplation and not the ritual.
He says when you pray, go into your inner room, to your heart. And do not go around babbling or talking too much. For your heavenly Father knows what you need before you ask. Then He tells us: Do not worry. Do not be obsessed by your material worries. This is a very important caveat that we as a consumer society, we must listen. We do not mean that we should not eat or drink, or concern for the needs of others. But we do not have a fixation on or that we are occupied by material problems. Then He tells us: Be alert. Put your mind in the Kingdom of God and the rest will be added unto you.
These are some of the essential elements that Christ teaches us about prayer. And if we put together, we have the teaching on contemplation. Any form of prayer that is practiced sincerely, we can guide
contemplation if you follow these essential elements.
How do you understand the word "meditation"? I use the word specifically in ancient monastic sense. In the early church the word "meditates" meant not to think analytically, but again, chewing, spinning in the heart. Then in the scholastic period when the tradition of wisdom was eclipsed only acquired a meaning intellectual meant to think, analyze, reflect in a formal or imaginative. Thus the prayer of the heart resulted in mental prayer as the main focus of prayer. That was the big problem. More and more frequently in the Western church prayer is limited to mental prayer and rites. But the prayer of the heart, which gives meaning to these other forms of prayer, was suppressed.
Especially today, many people believe that meditation is to think of a prayer from the scriptures, or watch a sacred box thinking. Is it meditation? It is a form of meditation. It's called reading Divinia traditional steps are described in the processes of prayer: lectio to meditatio the oratio and finally to the contemplatio. These terms identify aspects of progressive deep in prayer. Tomas
a passage of writing, I re-read what you read, you think, reflect on it. Then, perhaps while reading the passage in your mind will take you to concentrate on a particular phrase in a picture or a word. And during the period of the lectio can stay with that or you can stick around in the text. This is the beginning of the meditatio. But there is another step. In that way you limit your mind to one word - a single "formula" as they called the monks of the desert. Staying with this formula throughout the period of prayer represents a new phase of simplicity in your journey of prayer.
John Cassian, who was a teacher at St. Benedict tells us if we pray more deeply, emphasized in his lectures that this form of meditation or prayer pure down to us in a direct spiritual lineage of the ancient
desert fathers, who in turn received it, he says, of the Apostolic Fathers. The phrase that he recommends the Psalms is "O God come to my aid. God help me hurry up, "San Benito sets this phrase at the beginning of the Divine Office. This was the mantra of the early monastic movement. Cassian calls it, in Latin, a formula to be repeated continuously in the heart, letting go and giving up all the riches of thought and imagination. In this way, he says, we are led to the first of the beatitudes: poverty of spirit. I'm not saying this is the only way to pray. But it is an ancient form of prayer and simple in our tradition. It takes us mind to the heart. However I believe that without this profound experience - the heart - the other forms of prayer begin to lose their meaning. That is the reason that for many people
prayer and even the sacraments have lost their ability to nurture and inspire.
What is the best word for meditation? is important. You must choose a word that is sacred in your own tradition and stay with the same word you let your heart take root. You could choose the name "Jesus or the word" Abba "(a common word that Jesus made sacred) But the word that we recommend in our community is "Maranatha". The reason that we recommend is that this is the oldest Christian prayer (1 Cor 16:20). Is in Aramaic, the language of Jesus. It is the only word that can be chosen, but it is an ideal and beautiful mantra in the Christian tradition.
important thing to remember is that when we say the word, we're not saying mechanically - not a simple technique. We're saying inwardly, we repeat in our minds and our hearts with faith and love.
is a discipline and as the disciples say.
What happens to our thoughts and other distractions? try to run regularly to stay in shape. For a few weeks I could not do: it was cold outside and I was too lazy. So when I started running again was hard. But now after a couple of weeks I
starting to improve.
The same goes for meditation: we are out of state of mind when we started. Being in a good state of mind means you are focused, free of distraction. If you practice meditation, which is the work of care and go beyond distraction, and you have the support of a group, you can return to a better spiritual state. The mind and heart are again balanced, less divided.
When you start to meditate You can quickly losing heart because you have distractions. They may also be other feelings that you do not expect that out - anger, desire, jealousy, fear. These are distractions, like the silly thoughts, plans, memories of dreams that plague us like gnats on a hot afternoon.
need encouragement. The role of the church is encouraging people to grow in the contemplative life. Every parish should have a small group of contemplative prayer, to initiate people into meditation and serves as a place of spiritual friendship unbroken. The first stage is when you are repeating the mantra in your head with many interruptions and distractions. As you persevere, the word starts to sink deeper into the heart. Slowly it takes root. Then you open more fully to the prayer of the Spirit. I no longer think more about what you can get from God. You're not afraid of God because you are beginning to experience the love of God. In meditation we are not thinking about God, we are with God. This is attention, love. Distractions are natural but do not worry about them, or assess the
meditation according to how you've been distracted. Look at your life where you see the love of God be made more visible and being more loving yourself.
often have an image of God that is negative - angry, vengeful,
terrifying Who or what is God? "Judge, my friend ...? Gregory of Nyssa said that each image of God is an idol. At some point in our spiritual life should be iconoclasts, we destroy the image of God because otherwise we become worshipers of an idol. The images
return to form outside of meditation, but we know they are only images or ideas, pointing to the reality that is beyond imagination.
If we have incorporated meditation into our lives, we think of God, using images of God - without risk. Otherwise - the images become idols.
We are taking a course in London called "The Roots of Christian Mysticism" Every week we introduce people to the great masters of the mystical tradition. There is a clear, common and continues in that tradition: There are two ways to know God and therefore two approaches to prayer. One is called kataphatic. You use your mind to think and speak of God, to develop ideas and theological debates. It is good and necessary. But it must be balanced with the apophatic. The latter is based on the fact that God is a mystery and can not be known through reflection - only through love. Thus, by this way of knowing God or prayer, we abandon all the words and images of God. I think it's the only way to keep pure the ideas and images of God. Otherwise these images become projections of our own ego or our social or political agenda.
"God" is a very powerful monosyllable. When people talk about the will of God or what we should do because God says so - this is a very powerful force in politics and religion. We reinvidicando the highest authority. We must be careful not to abuse that word because that would be desecration, blasphemy larger. Using the word "God" to speak of a vengeful God is not the true image Christian God.
Whoever speaks of God as vengeful is true harmony with the spirit of Christ and the spirit of the Gospel. God is love, says St. John. He also says that if we harbor within us any fear of punishment, then our love is imperfect. Did the father of the Prodigal Son punish him? Did not Jesus tell us that the Father is like the sun that shines on the good and bad in the same way and that He is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked?
The fact is that - as stated in the Christian tradition - sin contains its own punishment. We punish ourselves. In the Christian mind, sin is associated with grace and not with punishment. "Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the
," says St. Paul.
Jesus says we must become like children to enter heaven. Meditation is a way of being a child? When Jesus tells us to be like children, we must accept the kingdom of heaven as a child, I think it means that we must simplify. This is very difficult for us. Are complex, self-conscious, self-analytical and we are very hurt. Meditation is a way of simplifying and healing. It is the most direct way to achieve simplicity and to have the experience of being children loved by God. We can discuss all this theological levels or scripts, but if we meditate with children will understand why Jesus said this. Took a child and showed it to his disciples and said: This is your model, your teacher, this is what you should be. I mentioned the Australian diocese is now teaching Christian meditation in schools. I recently visited there and some classes. They were regular kids who played and made noise. Then the teacher said, "Okay, now let's meditate!". The children immediately began to prepare the room. They formed a circle, lit a candle, and began to sit. They sat in complete silence and stillness for a minute for each year old. Five minutes of five, ten minutes to ten. And they were really quite quiet. Then the bell rings, meditation ends and they return to their classroom activities. They have no question. But if you ask them have meditation is very interesting answers. They can teach us that meditation is truly simple and natural. Some parents have been in contact with teachers and have been told they had noticed that their children were happier and peaceful. Some of them were interested in meditation because they saw their profits in their children.
Meditation is not easy even for children. But they are less complicated than we are. When I was there, I was using my white robe. One little girl, about six years, I watched with eyes wide open, probably never seen a monk's habit. I said, "How are you? "For a while he could not answer then I looked and said," Are you an angel? ". Was six years old still in the awareness magical, mythical world of Harry Potter.
taught me that whatever we ponder the state of development we have reached. You should not expect a saint to meditate. We can build this practice contemplative spiritual journey from the beginning. And grow with her through the stages of human development. It would be very interesting to find that child within ten or twenty years. I hope that the practice of meditation allows you to develop intellectually, psychologically and spiritually without losing the connection with his innocence and innate goodness or faith tradition.
Christians are sure to play with elements from other traditions and other religions? When we meditate we use elements such as the gong, clapper, a special position. I'm sure the desert monks did not use ...
These elements are secondary. May be important to create a good atmosphere for prayer, that's all. The desert monks were simple men. But I'm sure in their cells created a beautiful atmosphere of simplicity. The place where we pray should be clean and have a sacred symbol. But it is not necessary that one is always in the same place. When I travel sometimes I have to meditate on the plane, in the waiting room on the bus. It's not ideal but it is a good discipline. Normally
course it is good to have a sacred place, the worse I do not need a cushion, one need not sit with legs crossed, or even need a bell - but I generally use one. Most of our Christian meditation groups use wheelchairs, they may use a candle or a bell or music (which can be used to induce meditation.) It is important not to focus on the aesthetics of meditation.
But why we like to use elements from the Zen, for example? Hans Urs Balthasar, the great theologian, said in Christian theology we have forgotten that beauty is a manifestation of God-not only the truth and goodness. So, where God is present there is beauty. Some of our churches can be really ugly. It disappoints me to enter a place of worship that is bad because when you pray you benefit from the atmosphere of beauty. Now, of course, beauty is different for different people. I find it quite difficult meditate in a Baroque setting. I prefer the simple Roman monastic architecture. I think that's the reason why some Christians are attracted to contemplative design. But these elements only help in the preparation - it's just preparation. When you close your eyes is when the real work begins.
I'm asking this because in Poland many people afraid of these elements of Zen say that using them is dangerous to the Catholic doctrine We must guard against spiritual xenophobia. Fear and ignorance often go together. Religious violence convictions can occur when other people just because they have different beliefs and do not understand what they believe. If we be good Catholics should listen to the teachings of the Church.
What the Church says? Tells us that the Church does not reject the true and holy in other religions.
There is truth and holiness in other religions and we should respect them. The same Vatican document says that in some mysterious way Christ has united in His saving work for every human being. These two ideas are the foundation of the Church's teaching on the importance of interreligious dialogue. And the Catholic Church is leading the dialogue. But we are still in early stages and we are still learning what this dialogue and as part of the Christian mission. This dialogue is very important for the world and Pope Benedict has emphasized its importance from the beginning of his pontificate. The basis of this dialogue is not merely intellectual or philosophical. If we approach the dialogue with other religions from the base of our contemplative traditions, then the dialogue would be much richer. Because we would be entering the field
common interests of humanity that has no name - is the mystery we call God. We describe and understand it differently, but if Christians believe that there is a God who created us all, then we believe that God is common to all mankind. And that should be the basis for a rapidly globalizing world. We need a spirituality that respects and guide the process of globalization. In this we must focus. Nothing else can give us that common mind we need to solve our problems radicals, as
intellectually, symbolically, philosophically, theologically we have very important differences. This does not mean that anybody is creating a world religion has as much sense as a universal language! But we should have a global spirituality that is expressed directly in two ways: recovery of the understanding of silence as the condition of our experience of God and secondly, compassion and cooperative action we need to relieve suffering and promote justice, concern for our environment, global poverty, ecological crisis and human rights. This leads to and emerges from a global spirituality that can form a new type of responsibility COMPREHENSIVE.
Yes, but how we think if we do not live in a monastery but in a world full of problems, work pressures and other types of stress and insecurity? First, do not believe that every monk in each monastery are meditating! The monasteries also be more lively and very stressful! The monks live the life God called them to live and do as well as they can, but they are human beings. Can distract with their jobs, with the internal politics of their monasteries and their personal problems. I became a monk because I felt I should do, in fact I had no choice. And I'm also a slow learner so I needed discipline within a structure. But only one in a million or less, must go to a monastery. The rest must find a way to live life with a contemplative dimension while at the same time accept their work and family circumstances. Addressing problems and distractions of the world. But each person must find the balance. No life is completely active or completely contemplative. A simple and moderate discipline of meditation can help do that.
Every day for half an hour of meditation in the morning, maybe you should get up early before the kids wake up. And every night after work - but not too late because you are too tired
spend half an hour in meditation: practicing the essential elements of contemplation which are silence, stillness and simplicity. This helps to develop other forms of prayer and other spiritual aspects of life. Develop a contemplative lifestyle. You can stop watching so much TV or wasting time unnecessarily. You may find that you can stay calmer under stress and therefore you can find time for prayer and reflection when previously thought was impossible. If you are practicing this discipline of twice a day, your life will change. Change your priorities, how to balance your work with your entertainment, your travels, your time at home - all your life. As you live your marriage, your relationships and social responsibilities. The way you spend your money, you spend your holiday, whatever you decide to accept the
television, internet or magazines. These are areas of change. They change by your practice of silence, simple daily practice of meditation that brings clarity and purity of heart. It's actually amazing how simple changes to this practice.
Laurence Freeman OSB is director of The World Community for Christian Meditation
Laurence Freeman OSB
Translation by Ana Inés Privitello
of Argentina
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