FAQ for Christian Meditation

Christian Meditation – Membership – Downloading – Ordering Problems

Frequently Asked Questions about Christian Meditation

“What is Christian meditation?

If you look up the word “meditate” in the dictionary it means to “engage in thought or contemplation; reflect.” Meditation means the act of meditating; continued or extended thought; reflection; contemplation; or devout religious contemplation or spiritual introspection. Therefore the practice of Christian meditation would be to engage in thought, contemplation, and reflection about our relationship with Christ and/or the Word of God. There is nothing really mystical about it. We all meditate everyday when are minds are singled-focused on something for an extended period of time. There are different methods used to meditate on God but our goal is to create a more fruitful walk with the Lord.

What are the benefits of Christian meditation?”

There are countless benefits to Christian meditation. I believe the 3 greatest benefits of Christian meditation is that it allows us to spend more quality time with God, teaches us to control our thought life, and helps us maintain our mental health and emotional well-being. Spend More Quality Time with God- The Psalms 46:10 tells us to be still and know God. In order to know God we need to spend time with him. The more time we spend in God’s word and abide in his presence, the more we take on his character and likeness. In Luke 19, when Jesus went to Zaccheaus, the tax collector’s home, it is said that Zaccheaus told Jesus as a result of his visit, If I has wronged or cheated anyone I will repay them back with interest. When we dwell in God’s presence we are changed. When Mary and Martha had Jesus over as a dinner guest, Martha became upset because Mary wasn’t helping her with the preparations. Jesus told Martha that she had many cares, but that Mary had made the better choice, to dwell at his side, and it will not be taken away from her. Control Thought Life- Ephesians Chapter 6 tell us to cast down every fiery dart that exalts itself against the knowledge of God and bring every thought into the obedience of Christ. Meditation helps us to still our minds so that we can observe the subtle or unconscious thoughts that we’re thinking. If we are not controlling our thoughts, then our thoughts are controlling us. Many people live unconsciously or by mental default. They have never examined their internal dialogue and live by reaction instead of purposefully. Meditation can help you to observe the mental chatter in your mind so that you can eliminate and replace them with God’s word and rise above lower level consciousness. Promotes Mental Health and Emotional Well-Being- Just like we rest and cleanse our outer and inner bodies, our minds also need to consistent rest. Without mental rest we become overwhelmed by the worries and the cares of our lives. We need to mentally detox from all the mental clutter, messages, and information we’re constantly bombarded with. It is during times of quietness, stillness and reflection that we’re in the best position hear and commune with God. During meditation we learn surrender every situation to God. In return, we receive that peace that passes all understanding. We release the stress and many toxic emotions that interfere with our peace of mind.

Is it ungodly for Christians to meditate?

I believe that Christians who are opposed to Christ-centered meditation don’t really understand the practice and its benefits. They also fail to acknowledge that meditating on Christ is encouraged in the Bible. Read the following scriptures: >Psalms chapter 46:10 tells us to be still and know that I am God. >Joshua chapter 1 verse 8, admonishes us to meditate on God’s word day and night. >Psalms chapter 4: 4 persuades us,”When you are in your beds, search your hearts and be silent. >David desired in Psalms 104: 34, that his meditations be pleasing to the Lord. >Isaiah declared in Chapter 50:4, “He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught. >Moses spent 40 days on the mountain abiding and learning from God (Exodus 34-35). >Paul received revelation and saw visions from heaven (2 Corinthians 12).John wrote visions that are recorded in the book of Revelations. >The Bible says even Jesus spent hours alone with God (Luke 5:16; Mark 1:35). Our greatest inspirations and truths come during times of quietness, stillness, openness, and reflection- all components of meditation. Almost any activity can be abused and used for evil. Sometimes it’s not what we do but our motivation for doing it. In the same light, the practice of meditation can be used to honor God or dishonor Him. Some forms of meditation encourage participants to empty their minds in an effort to connect with the supernatural world. That can be dangerous. However, Christian meditation encourages believers to be still before God so we can dwell in his presence, focus entirely on Him, and quiet our minds so we can fully embrace His Word.

Why do Christians need to control their thoughts?

Every individual lives by what I call an internal life or mental script that determines their actions and mindsets. Many of these mindsets, which originated from youth, were embedded in our subconscious minds and we’re often not aware they’re there. Even though we receive Christ as our Savior, our conditioning, scripts, patterns, and habits don’t leave or change automatically. Most of us live on mental default most of the time. Because of our busy and hectic lives, we don’t take the time to be still be enough so that we can observe our thoughts and challenge, eliminate or alter them in accordance with the Word of God. Consequently, we continue to struggle just like Paul stated in Romans 7, we know what to do, but we just can’t seem to do it. We may listen to an inspiring sermon and get excited for the moment, but before long it wears off and we’re often back to our old behaviors. By meditating, we learn to look objectively at our thoughts and learn to take authority over them instead of the other way around. How can you control your thoughts if you don’t even recognize what they are?

What should I do after the meditation end?

At the conclusion of each meditation, turn off the CD player and spend some time in silence just abiding in God’s presence. For most people, you will want to linger with God indefinitely because it’s a simply wonderful feeling. On many occasions God may impress upon you a word, phrase, scripture, unction, or even a vision. At that time, I will either open the Bible and try to locate a chapter or passage that relates to that particular word or phrase and read it intently looking for any meaning currently relevant to my life or circumstances. You can write any words, messages, or inspirations in a journal. Following journaling spend some time in prayer.

My mind begins to wander off, what should I do?

During the meditation, refrain from trying to memorize everything you hear. Just relax and bring your mind and body to a state of stillness and oneness with God’s spirit by focusing on your breathing and keeping your mind free from distractions. Whenever your mind begins to wander, repeat the scripture, “peace be still,” “I surrender all,” “Jesus take control,” or “I have the mind of Christ.” Only pick one and stick with it throughout the meditation. Your spirit will absorb God’s Word being spoken, so you don’t have to focus too heavily on it. If you make the meditation a mental exercise, you are trying to control the outcome and may feel frustrated and stressed in the end. During and at the end of the meditation you should experience a sense of peace, well-being, and the serenity with God.

Why do you encourage deep breathing exercises?

Deep breathing exercises provide an excellent method to relieve stress and rid yourself of toxic emotions that inhabit your body. Emotions become toxic when they create prolonged depression, oppression, or worry in our lives. The most common toxic emotions include fear, pain, anxiety, and guilt. You can literally release these emotions from your body by identifying them and consciously eliminating them through deep breathing exercises. To target specific emotions, sit quietly and ask yourself, what am I feeling. As you reflect on the emotion, reflect on what thought or action led to your uneasiness or pain. For example, you may feel sad or anxious. Now reflect back on when it started and what may have caused it. Perhaps someone in the grocery store made a rude comment to you. Almost every negative emotion can be traced back to a specific incident. If you can identify the thought, you can work through it and the destructive emotions associated with it. During deep breathing, each time you exhale, mentally say…I release and then insert the emotion you want to release. For example, I release anxiety. Continue to repeat the exercise until all vestiges of the toxic emotion are gone and your peace of mind is restored.

I am plagued with uncontrollable and raging thoughts almost constantly. What should I do?

Read the article you can access on the Control Negative Thoughts by Hiring a Mental Gatekeeper. It contains some techniques to help you stop negative thoughts in their path. Also, consider purchasing my e-guide, Detox Your Life Now and Awaken Your Inner Spirit.

How often should I listen to the meditations?

At least once per day. Instructions regarding a meditation schedule is on the Cd introduction and/or in the CD inside panel. Meditation works progressively, so the longer and more often you do it, the greater benefits you’ll receive. Consistent meditation promotes peace of mind and mental clarity. It will help you to recognize mental clutter and negative thoughts or emotions that are trying to invade your mind. Just like taking your daily vitamins, you can’t see them working but you feel the positive effects in better health. Meditation works the same. Over time you’ll feel more at peace and your intimacy with God will increase.

Membership Questions

How do I cancel my yearly download membership to The Christian meditator?

If you would like to cancel this subscription, log in to your PayPal account and go to the “History” subtab of the “My Account” tab. Choose “Subscriptions” from the pull-down “Show” menu and press the “Submit” button. Choose this subscription, and click on its “Status.” You will be taken to a Transaction Details page from which you may cancel your subscription. Cancelling your subscription will immediately stop all future scheduled payments for this subscription. 1.  Log in to your PayPal account. 2.  Click History under My Account at the top of the page. 3.  Choose Subscriptions from the Show drop-down menu. 4.  Check the From box and change the date back to the year the subscription was created. 5.  Click Search, and then click Details. 6.  Click Cancel Subscription. 7.  Click Cancel Subscription again.

Can I get a membership refund?

You have 48 hours to sample the meditation membership and request a refund, no questions asked.  Please send an email to request a refund. If you are a current member and were charged for a renewal membership and would like a refund, please email us.  We have stopped our automatic renewal, but  older members may still be affected. [/spoiler] [spoiler title=”Didn’t get username and password?” open=”0″ style=”2″] Usually you will receive a username and password immediately after joining our membership program.  On a few rare occasions log-ins are delayed. If you have not received your username and password within several hours, please email me and I’ll be happy to assist you.

Downloading Questions

To Watch Video Tutorials on Opening Mp3 Zip Files and Burning to a CD Please Click Here.

Can I download meditations to my ipod?

Yes!

How do I download an MP3?

1. The meditations, affirmations, and music are saved as a ZIP FILE. To download to computer just click on title.  If you click OPEN, once the file is downloaded it will begin to play on your computer.  Click SAVE (recommended) to save the file on your computer.  Be sure to remember where you saved it.  Once it is saved you will need to open it and extract the file. This may happen automatically.  If not, to extract the file, double click on it.  Once it is unzipped, just click on the title to play. However, if you do not have the needed software to unzip the file, please install JUST ZIP IT below, it’s free. 2. To burn your meditation, affirmation, or music to a CD, please follow the CD burner software instructions on your computer. You can also download Media Player or Real Player from the CD library page. 5. If you need Just Zip It, Real Player or Media Player, you can find free downloads here.

Problems Ordering with PayPal

I want to use my credit card to order, how can I bypass Paypal? If you are placing an order in the USA you can use your credit card to order without opening a Paypal account. If you live outside of the USA you may be required to create an account. In order to buy products with your credit card and NOT open a Paypal account follow these steps: 1. Add Items you want to order to cart. 2. Add zip code and discount code if you have one. 3. Click on the PayPal Checkout button. 4. DO NOT Log Into Paypal. 5. Look to the bottom left of the page and find “don’t have a Paypal account?” and click the “Continue” button. 6. Add your payment information. 7. If you do have a Paypal account, once you click Review Order and Continue, you may get a message that says, you have a Paypal account and ask you to log in. DON’T. 8. Click the link that allows you to place the order without Paypal. These links are not that obvious so you must look for them. 9. Click the complete order link. You will receive an order confirmation by email.

I’m Still Having Ordering Problems, Can I Order Over the Phone or By Mail?

Yes. If you would like help with your order, I would be glad to take it over the phone. Please email me the following: 1. Items you want to order. Just names of items will be fine. For example: Control Negative Thoughts CD or Names of God MP3. 2. Your Shipping Address 3. Your Billing Address 4. Your Name and Phone Number 5. Best times to reach you. I will send a confirmation of your email and make arrangements to call you. To Order By Mail: Please complete the ordering form so that you will have items and appropriate shipping fees and print off before completing the order. Send this sheet and check or money order to: Serenity Enterprises PO Box 221801 Sacramento, CA 95831 Please send me an email letting me know that you have sent an order via mail so I will be on the lookout for it.

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