Headspace
Introducing the Headspace APP (and our friend Andy)
It's amazing how busy our minds can be. I didn't realize this until I started practicing meditation. It's hard, but really fun
Here's the best part: Practicing meditation is synergistic with prayer. How can I effectively pray unless I'm actually present? If I'm off somewhere in my head, how can I be with God?
You'll love this experience of combining meditation and prayer, or in other words of bringing your complete presence into His presence.
It's an interesting thing- New-agers and Christians can both sometimes miss this synergy. Most Christians are put off by the idea of mediation and tend to, instead, just kneel down and start drilling into their list of what they are thankful for, things they need help with, and “amen” and jump into bed. Most new-agers resist the idea of a personal God who one would talk to, just like we would a person. This paradigm seems limiting and small minded. They consider complete presence in itself to be the end goal (sometimes refereed to as nirvana).
For me, both points of view miss out. Without presence, you're really missing the possibilities in prayer. But without prayer you're missing out on the infinite and yet very personal love of a God who wants to bring you home to Him. This union between you and God is can be the principle driver in the change of heart you’ll need to get fulfill your most important goals.
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Practically speaking, combining meditation (especially with Andy), and prayer, is pretty simple. Here’s how I do it:
As I’m listening to Andy, I also start kind of a paced (vs. streamed) conversation with God- thanking Him for and praising Him for my life, for my loved ones, for a chance to be alive and to give and serve, for this time of mediation (time with Him)- asking for His grace and power in this process- in bringing me into the present and therefore into His presence and for gradually changing my heart.
I continue to come back to my breath (a meditation basic), as I continue in my conversation with God, and visa versa- aware, present, relaxed, noticing my mind wandering, coming back to the present, staying in prayer, thanking God for how wonderful it is to take time out to be with Him, coming back to my awareness of my own breathing, of any sounds around me etc., which leads me back to an even greater awareness of God and my desire to Hear Him and talk Him. It is such a beautiful synergy!