How I Meditate As a Christian Spotlight
Bio: Just tell a little about yourself.
The Reverend Dr. Kendrick D. Weaver spends much of his time exploring the depths and dimensions of simplicity, silence, biblical meditation and prayer. His travels and research on Christian spirituality in Africa, Latin America and the Middle East have led him to deeper understandings of the spiritual path. Reverend Weaver leads workshops and classes for the Sleeping with God Meditation Center, a 501c3 non-profit organization, which he founded. His calling is to educate and train churches, communities, and individuals in the Christian contemplative life. He studied philosophy at American University and went on to receive his Master of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School. He holds a Doctorate in Christian Spirituality from Washington Theological Union. Rev. Weaver is an ordained elder in The United Methodist Church. He is the author of five books. His most recent work is entitled, Sleeping with God: A Biblical Guide to Christian Meditation.
When you meditate? Time, days
I meditate every day in the mornings and evenings.
Where you meditate?
The best place to meditate is whatever place is clutter free in my home. Most times this is the study or living room.
Why did you start meditating and when did you start?
Doctor recommendation, anxiety, heard about meditation from Dr. Oz or Oprah, etc.
As a teenager, I was drawn to silence and contemplative practices. I was not aware the rich Christian meditative tradition at that time, but centering down, collecting myself particularly at the beginning of the day just seemed natural to me.
How you meditate?
My meditative method changes and goes through seasons. Lately, I have been doing experimentation with sounds while praying in Hebrew or Greek. These elements help me enter into the meditative state.
Right now, I am practicing various forms of meditative prayer. While standing, I say a sound a few times (like “Kee”) and feel the vibrations of that sound in my body. The vibrations from the sound ground me, then I lower to my knees and begin repeating a short prayer like (Kyrie Eleison, which means Lord have mercy) a few dozen times. I pause in between the prayers. Once finish speaking, I lay down on my back in silence.
How has meditation changed your life?
When I am in a good meditative rhythm throughout the week or month, I am a lot more intuitive.
What advice would you give for beginners just getting started?
Find a meditative practice that is compatible with your beliefs. Meditation is an umbrella term. There are many different forms of meditative practice that connect to different worldviews, perspectives, theologies, cosmologies and the like.
Study the Christian contemplative tradition, Desert Fathers and Mothers and the Christian monastic tradition, if you want to understand different meditative practice and approaches in the history of the Christian faith.
What has been the most challenging aspect of your meditation practice?
The most challenging aspect about meditative practice is being intentional to do it when you feel like you don’t have any time to do it. From my experience that is when you need it most.
What is your favorite scripture related to meditation?
The entire Psalm 1. I love it because it speaks about a particular form of meditation in the Hebraic tradition that influenced Jesus’ meditative approach.
What do you like or found the most useful on The Christian Meditator Website?
It is a wonderful resource and serves an important need and community.
Do you have a website link you’d like to share?
http://www.sleepingwithgod.org
Rhonda’s Note: I had the pleasure of meeting Dr. Weaver many years ago. I attended a Saturday Christian Meditation Group he facilitated at his church in Maryland. I also attended several of his church services. It was really exciting meeting a fellow Christian medtiator.
If you would like to share your Christian meditation practice with our audience, please click on the following link, Christian Meditation Spotlight. Both new and seasoned Christian meditators are encouraged to submit a spotlight.
