seniorthesis.doc

Meditation and Religious Identity

Senior Thesis

Spring 2015

Annabel Perry

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Table of Contents

1. Thesis

2. Introduction

3. Defining Meditation

4. Meditation Techniques (Eastern)

5. “Meditation” Techniques (Western)

6. Religious vs. Spiritual

7. Religious Identity and Freedom to Choose

8. Meditation and How is Shapes Religious Identity

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1. Thesis:

My thesis is to explore the practice of meditation as compared with religious

identity. I also want to point out the complexities of modern religious identity, as they are

becoming more and more flexible in relation to one single denomination. I will define

meditation as well as examine different forms of meditation within the Eastern traditions

as well in the Western tradition both comparatively and individually. With the definition

of meditation, I will work to identify meditation in other religious that would not

generally use that term to describe their practice, for it infers connection generally to the

Eastern meditation traditions. Along with researching meditation practices within

different denominations, I want to experience these myself. I have come into contact with

individuals from an arrangement of meditation centers in the Denver area and have

chosen to participate in each one to fully understand the different forms of meditation.

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2. Introduction

Throughout the course of my time here at Regis as a Religious Studies major, I

have had the opportunity to learn and study some of the great world religions. These

studies have allowed me to understand the similarities and differences that so many of

these age old traditions have. As I come to conclude my studies here at Regis, I like to

think that more often than not there are more similarities than there are differences in the

world religions that so often are sources of conflict in the modern world. I see the use of

meditation as a common denominator between world religions and see it being used as a

mediator to show people that we are all not so different after all. Although my studies at

Regis will come to an end, I am continuing to learn everyday about the practices people

associate with and what makes them who they are.

An area of study that I wish I got to spend more time on was the practice of

meditation, its history, its present uses and ways it has transformed. I am humbled by the

experiences I did get to learn about, but this has only left me searching for a deeper

understanding and urge for more knowledge. This conclusion of knowledge was a way in

which I was able to get answers to the questions I had, learn more about meditation and

its purposes, and expand my knowledge on what it really means and how it is used in a

variety of different religious traditions.

Throughout this paper I will speak about the different forms of meditation that are

both attached and separate from religion, as well as how meditation shapes peoples

religious identity or becomes an addition to ones already formed religious identity. There

are many definitions of meditation both in the Western world and in Eastern traditions. I

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will outline these various forms of meditation throughout the course of this paper and will

use this to help form a different opinion of what people think meditation is and what its

uses are.

Another important facet to this idea of meditation is recognizing it as a religious

practice or a spiritual practice. Often these two are synonymous, but as I have come into

myself and my religious identity, I have discovered a more spiritual path rather than what

one might call a religious one. Of all the people I have spoken to about the topic of

religion, many would say they are taking a similar path of spirituality rather than one set

religion. I will dive deeper into this later in the paper.

I think meditation, in whatever way one wishes to approach it, is an instrument in

finding inner peace and concentration. The outcomes of this internal searchare limitless

and boundless in nature because it is up to the individual to set the intention of the

meditation. I believe its benefits share immeasurable benefits from personal health to

deeper understanding of the world around you. I think for meditation to be associated

with one religious tradition, as it often is associated with Buddhism, is outdated. It

deserves recognition as a modern and diverse act of religious or spiritual experience.

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3. Defining Meditation

The word meditation carries a variety of different meanings across the world and

its many traditions. But in general, the methods of meditation can be divided into three

groups: concentrative methods, awareness methods, and surrender methods (Bourgeault).

Concentrative methods are the most common form of meditation practices and focus

mainly on the attention on a specific thing such as the breath or repeating of a mantra. A

mantra is a sacred word, sound, or sentence that is repeated by the individual during

meditation to help focus of the mental awareness of the self and to help bring the person

back when the mind is interrupted with unneeded thoughts. Mantras, are most commonly

used by Eastern meditation traditions such as Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism, they

have taken shape in similar ways in the form of prayer, chanting and hymns in the

Christianity, Taoism and elsewhere but are usually less emphasized by the latter.

Awareness methods of meditation, which is the focus of the Eastern Meditation

section of my thesis, is favored among those of the Buddhist tradition especially in

Vipassana meditation, which I will go more in depth about. This form of meditation is

often called “insight meditation” and involves the mediator to be somewhat of an

observer of the thoughts that come about and gently dismiss them. It is a separation from

the normal awareness and consciousness and the release into a deeper consciousness to

reach clarity and presences within yourself and your surroundings. Insight meditation

practice allows one to purify the mind over time, which helps to eliminate all forms of

attachment, however they present themselves in your life. As attachment is being

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eradicated, desire and delusion follow the same path. Desire and delusion are what the

Buddha sees as the two root causes of suffering.

The surrender method is one of the least common forms of meditation but is still

important non the less. It includes practices such as centering prayer which is form of

meditation I chose to explore as a Western form of mediation, which I discuss in the next

section of my thesis. It focuses not on the outcomes of your release of consciousness but

the act of releasing itself. Thomas Keating describes this as a for of meditation “not of

attention, but of intention” (Bourgeault, 20).

There is a multiplicity of meditation styles but each holds the common theme of

quieting the mind to attain a deeper level of awareness. The term meditation, which is

often hard to define given its different contextual usage, is synonyms with the Christian

term “contemplation” and shares parallels among the desired outcome as well as the act

itself. I chose to focus on Vipassana meditation for it is a tradition that I have found

particularly interesting in my study of meditation in the Eastern world.

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“Spiritual disciplines, both East and West, are based on the hypothesis that there is

something that we can do to enter upon the journey to the divine union once we have

been touched by the realization that such a state exists”

­Thomas Keating

4. Meditation Techniques (Eastern)

Vipassana meditation in the Pali language means “insight”, and that is the basis of

what Vipassana meditation is about (Hart, Art of Living, p6). This ancient practiced

taught by non­secular Buddhists for centuries is part of the teaching of Siddhartha

Gautama who achieved enlightenment and became the Buddha. The Buddha realized that

suffering can be eradicated when we look inward and see our true nature. Modern

teachers of Vipassana such as S.N. Goenka have reintroduced this practice as a way to

attain insight on the true nature of reality through breathing and being mindful of your

thoughts and actions. Vipassana meditation is a method for purifying the mind of the

external consciousness that causes distress and pain which ultimately stem from

attachment.

This simple technique of Vipassana meditation does not call for the help of a god,

spirit or any other external power, but the power of our own mind. Vipassana is a form of

insight in which one’s conventional perception of the world is put on hold and then

changed to perceive the world as it really is: impermanent and unsatisfying.The practice

of Vipassana meditation may differ in the modern Buddhist tradition depending on the

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teacher but the main objective is to gain insight and focus on the interconnectedness

between body and mind.

Vipassana meditation is part of the Theravada branch of Buddhist that is one of

the oldest schools of Buddhism but has also gained popularity in the West in recent years.

All branches of Buddhism, including Theravada, teach the Four Noble Truths as the way

to reach liberation. The Four Noble Truths are that life is suffering (dukkah), the cause of

suffering is the thirst for something outside of ourselves (tanha), we stop the cycle by

non­attachment, and the fourth is following the Eight Fold Path. The Eight Fold Path are

the steps one must take to reach self­awakening and liberation. Some of these include

right view, right intention, right mindfullness, right speech, right action, and right

concentration. By practicing Vipassana meditation, one actively pursues the Four Noble

Truths by gaining insight on your personal attachments to things unneeded. This

meditation practice is a way to detach from the outside world and really gain insight to

the world within yourself.

As I got deeper into my study of Vipassana, I wondered more and more what the

differences between this method and other methods of meditation in the Buddhist

tradition are. I found that the difference is important to understand especially with the

intention of your meditation practice. The two main styles of meditation are Vipassana

“insight” and Samatha “concentration” meditation (Gunaraana, 2015). Samatha is a state

in which you are concentrated on the resting of the mind and focusing on not letting your

thoughts wander. It is often called the “development of tranquility” where as Vipassan is

often called the “development of insight” (Art of Living. p 68). The effects of Samatha

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meditation are wonderful but they are only temporary. Temporary in that your trance­like

state of stilling the mind of emotions like anger and anxiety will surface again once you

are no longer in that concentrative state. Vipassana, or insight meditation, is a way to

cultivate lasting wisdom. Vipassana is being aware of thoughts as they come and using

them to detach from outside reality. The affects of Vipassana meditation take devotion

and practice but once reached one wakes up to the realities of life and finds the world in a

new insightful way.

When starting a Vipassana meditation the first step is to focus on the breath.

Recognizing each breath as it enters the nose and coming back to this when the mind

wanders, which it will do. The breath is important because it promotes being mindful but

at the same time allows the meditator to focus on what we are trying to disengage from

such as disillusion and attachment. The “monkey mind” phenomena is a part of all

meditation practices; depending on the practice there are ways to combat this. The breath

is the focus that will help do this in Vipassana. Each time you come to your meditation

place it is another opportunity to retrain your mind by focusing on the breath.

This technique allows for a passive way to observe the sensations within and

really find the dimensions of sameness between body and mind. By ignoring our senses

(sight, hearing, taste, touch and smell) how do we know something exists? This is the

only way we know how to conceptualize things. With Vipassana meditation, you develop

a deeper sensation and move past the five senses we experience the world through every

day. It is like high definition for your awareness and sensations within to help you

understand the world in an abstract way. In this practice one simply observes bodily

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sensations that will naturally occur. The goal here is to observe this organic sensations

objectively and not try to understand why they are. As S.N. Goenka would say, “Our job

is merely to observe ourselves with the same detachment as a scientist observing in a

laboratory”(Art of Living, 88).

I think Eastern meditation practices have seemingly drifted to the side of being

more spiritual rather than religious in the eyes of some people, especially if they don’t

know much about it. Because the practice of insight meditation is mostly individualized

in nature, I see why this can be misinterpreted as a spiritual act and not a religious one,

regardless of the fact that it has been part of the Buddhist religion since its beginning.

The spiritual person is on a journey all their own, but it does not mean the religious

person is not. Each person’s spiritual or religious journey is what they seek it out to be. I

think there is a common misconception about the spiritual nature of Eastern meditation

traditions and understanding needs to evolved to fully understand the religion as it is.

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5. Meditation Techniques (Western)

The Western form of mediation that I chose to explore was the practice of

contemplative meditation, or centering prayer. Centering prayer is a discipline

designed to reduce the obstacles to get into contemplative prayer, but often the

terms are homogeneous. Centering prayer is primarily used by individuals and

groups in the Catholic tradition, but it is not limited to it. It focuses on God’s

presence within and is a way to center ones developing relationship with Him on a

level of pure faith. It is intuitive contemplation and moves past our surface level of

understanding and thinking. The centering prayer method is meant to be an

addition to ones daily prayer, not a replacement. It reinforces the fact that we need

to take a break from the thoughts the constantly interrupt our minds and the ways

we ordinarily look at the world.

Thomas Keating, author of Open Mind, Open Heart, gives a great example of

how to understand centering prayer; it really helped me to understand this method

even further. His analogy compares how the design of centering prayer enables us to

dismiss the consciousness of our mind that connects us to the way we think about

ourselves and the world around us, then refers to this as changing the wavelength

on our radio. Though the radio and the maneuvering of wavelengths is a little

obsolete for my generation of Pandora and iTunes, I definitely see what Keating is

getting at here. If we want to pick up the “stations” that are far away we have to

change to a shorter wavelength. Similarly, if we want to change our ordinary way of

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thinking, we have to open ourselves up to a new and different reality which is the

basis of centering prayer.

The Christian foundation in faith allows for us to believe that God has given

us unlimited potential and that is why discovering this level on consciousness is

purely transcendental. We give consent to the Spirit within us to pray, and this is

what Keating defines as contemplation. It is a sequence of experience that leads us to

an constant and eternal union with God. Contemplative prayer is not the absence of

thought, as it is in other meditative practices, but rather the detachment and letting

go of the thought as it passes. This, as I stated previously can only be done by the

work of the Spirit within with the help of our true Self.

Contemplative prayer is a practice, most literally a practice. It is something

you actually have to be dynamically engaged in to see it as a relationship with your

Self and not a process to initially obtain something deeper. We spend so much of our

lives stuck in the monotonous routine of working, planning, and making decisions

that it is easy for us to forget about the beautiful silence our own minds can give us.

Even setting apart time to concentrate on quieting your mind and dismissing the

noise in our life is a challenge, and the next challenge is shutting off the noise still

active our thoughts. “What am I going to make for dinner? Will I have enough time

to finishing my assignment? Does he like me?” All of these thoughts that seem to be

on fast-forward in the front of our minds gently need to be placed to the back of our

mind in order to get to the deeper reaches of our being. That is why this method

takes practice. It is something that needs to be done over and over again so you can

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go into it right away with the focus of blocking out our day to day thoughts that

make our mind race.

“Ninety percent of the battle in establishing a regular discipline of meditation

lies in wanting to do it in the first place” (Bourgeault, 2004). This is a great quote by

Chythia Bourgeault, who gives a great contemporary outlook on the contemplative

tradition in her book Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening. It is applicable to the

veteran contemplative prayer or the novice just starting out and learning about this

practice, like I am. Although Keating’s work did wonders for me, I really loved

Bourgeault’s interpretation and understanding of contemplative prayer. What I like

about her is that she is very relateable and I can truly connect to her thought

process.

A major question I had about contemplative meditation is how it started and

if it had any relations to the more Eastern form of meditation that we are familiar

with. So, for the sake of this paper, I think it is important to address a brief history of

contemplative meditation in the Christian tradition. There is a specific timeline and

sequence of events that led the Roman Catholic Church to move away from

contemplation as an accepted method of prayer and how it is coming back today as

a result of this.

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History of Contemplative Meditation in the Christian Tradition

Gregory the Great, know for his prolific writings throughout the Middle Ages

describes the meaning of contemplation as “the knowledge of God impregnated with

love” (Keating) and further, it is the result of reflection upon the scriptures as the

word of God and not actively seeking his fruits. With God’s loving presence, one can

muster small acts to sustain their attention on Him and his gifts. It is the knowing of

God based on the intimate experience of his presence. This meaning of

contemplation was accepted and remained active until the end of the Middle Ages.

In the first centuries of the Christian tradition, the method of prayer for

followers was called lectio divina which means “divine reading” (Keating, 20). This

practice involved the reading and most importantly the listening of the scriptures.

Within this divine reading, there are three parts which are integral in the idea of

contemplation in the Christian tradition. The first part of the lectio divina is the

reflecting and thinking about the sacred texts, meditatio or “meditation”. The second

part is the response to the reflection, oratio or “affected prayer”. The third and most

important is the resting in this place which is “contemplation”, contemplatio. These

three acts are meant to be interconnected and acted out in sync. Contemplation was

thought of as a normal part of listening to the word of God and therefor part of being

a Christian.

The Twelfth Century marked a time of major reformation in schools of

theology and religious thought as a whole. It was a time where analysis, definition

and classification of concepts were on the rise. New ways of thinking about prayer

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and contemplation were emerging within the Church. A time of major turmoil and

failing institutions hit the world and religious lives as a result of the Black Death and

the Hundred Year’s War. These events called for a major reform which took place

around the Fifteenth Century. At the turn of the Sixteenth Century, the division of

discursive meditation, affective prayer, and contemplation enforced these acts of

prayer to become compartmentalized and separate, instead of working together as

they had been laid out to do. This shift made contemplation detach as something

meant for few and a discouraged form of prayer.

The work of Jesuit founder Saint Ignatius in the Spiritual Exercise of Saint

Ignatius is imperative in understanding the current state of spirituality in the

Roman Catholic Church. In his work, he does not purpose just one method of prayer

as the former lectio divina laid out. Ignatius wished to provide a spiritual foundation

that would be appropriate for the new reforms and spirit of the Church in light of

the Renaissance. Contemplative prayer would be the vehicle to do so. The Jesuits

themselves are the ones responsible for again reducing the complexity of a

multifaceted method of prayer into one discursive method of meditation. As major

players in the Counter-Reformation, the Jesuits had a pervading influence on the

religious decisions made in the following periods of time where spirituality was

being taught and practiced. This had a lasting impact because even today, although

this is shifting, meditation and contemplation are not major aspects of prayer as we

see it.

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Through the Nineteenth Century, contemplation remained obscure and

unspoken about in religious literature. “Contemplation was identified with

extraordinary phenomena, and was regarded as both miraculous and dangerous, to

be admired from a safe distance by the average lay person, priest, or religious”

(Keating, 25). Overall there was a very negative attitude towards contemplative

prayer. I think this is a direct result of the lack of knowledge because it had been

repressed and rejected for so many years. This was the complete opposite teaching

that had been taught in earlier traditions in the first fifteen centuries. Contemplation

was part of the normal process of pure spiritual life, but because of these historical

events spirituality in the West dissipated.

As I stated before, historical events have re-purposed the use of

contemplative meditation in the West over the centuries of the existence of

Christianity. Its repression, and as of recently its reemergence, are all due to the

events of the time and thus change accordingly. In order to meet people of different

religious identities, we need to understand them at their core. Methods of

meditation similar to contemplative prayer, such as Eastern meditation practices,

have begun to surface in Western practice because of its undeniable benefits both

spiritually and psychologically. There is definitely a common experience that lies

within contemplation, and I think identifying this is integral to not only

understanding other religious traditions but really understanding ones own.

~

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The method of centering prayer can be laid out into a set of steps that are

pretty easy to follow. Once one attains the basic knowledge of these steps and how

to perform centering prayer you can do it at any time and any place that works for

you. It is recommended, especially when you are first starting out, that you choose a

time when you are at ease and not yet consumed with the business of the day. The

morning is a good time for this in order to start your day on a good note, or if you

are not a morning person it is recommended that you choose a time when you are

most alert and awake. The next step is to choose a comfortable seat either on the

floor or in a chair and find a centering posture. It is also wise to choose a time and

place where you will be free from distraction. You want to be “relaxed but alert”

(Keating).

Next, a sacred word is added in order to make the method of centering

prayer a bit easier. This word is used a symbol of you willingness to open yourself

up to God and remind you to simply let thoughts go that will arise during your time.

The word you choose can be affiliated more with a religious intention such as

“Jesus”, “Father”, “Lord”, or you can choose a more universal sacred word such as

“Love”, “Peace”, “Be Here”, or “Open”. What ever word you choose and are most

attracted to, it is best that it is a one or two syllable word or phrase. The sacred

word is not a mantra. It is not to be repeated over and over again, but only when you

notice your thoughts are drifting do you come back to your word. It is your intention

that makes this word sacred, so it is important not to think too much about it. It is

also important to stick to the same word while you are engaging in a period of

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centering prayer. It might take some trials and tribulations to find your word and

really associate with it in the long run, so experimenting with a different word or

phrase each time you come to your prayer is ok. Bourgeault thinks its good to think

of your word as a “long-term engagement” and work to find something that really

clicks for you (Bourgeault, 27). It is a word that will be guiding you throughout your

journey so it should be something you like and something you can relate to over and

over again for years to come.

Once you have found a good time to practice centering prayer, gotten into a

comfortable position, and chosen your sacred word, close your eyes and start to

silently say your sacred word as your willingness to consent to God in this time of

prayer. The sacred word is a way of reducing the thoughts that fill the

consciousness, so when thoughts arise come back to your sacred word until your

thoughts mellow and soon your mind will again begin to empty. You may have to

come back to your word many times, for many thoughts and mental distractions

may deter you. This is encouraged! Each time you come back to your word is an

opportunity to recommit to you original intention of openness to God.

Thomas Keating is often associated with the starting of centering prayer, but

history shows that this is not that case. Keating is in fact definitely responsible for

the developing of centering prayer in the Twentieth and Twenty First Century with

out a doubt. He recognized a need for the renewal of a contemplative practice in the

Christian tradition because so many young Christians were opting for a more

Eastern spiritual path. This development started in the 1960’s and continues today

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not only as a devotional method but as a psychological one as well. People who

engage in centering prayer are not limited to those belonging to the Christian

tradition but often times it works out this way because of its direct intention to God.

Non-Christian who engage in centering prayer are those who are searching for

spiritual direction of some kind.

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6. Religious vs. Spiritual

Today, more than ever, we are seeing a generation of individuals who are more

open to discovering religions that differ from the one which they have been brought up

with. Our generation denies boundaries more so than any other generation since the 60’s

and because of that we are seeing lines being crossed in regards to religious beliefs and

incorporating more than one religion into our pocket of beliefs. It is no longer taboo to

pull from a range of religious beliefs to form your personal religious identity and more so

than ever we are seeing a generation of individuals that claim themselves to be more

“spiritual” than “religious”.

As I stated before, our generation doesn’t like boundaries or constraints for the

most part so spirituality is often seen as a more attractive way to confirm a belief in a

higher power. “Religion” represents a set of organized practices that are established on

the basis of tradition and conducted in a central worshiping place. It has a large focus on

its beliefs and practices where as “spirituality” is more personal and constitutes a lived

consciousness that is generally more functional and focuses of nature and being. Though

many in this generation are considering themselves more spiritual rather than religious, it

is common to find people of one set religion pulling from others to form their own

individual religious identity and sense of spirituality.

In a study done from a Newsweek poll, 64% of the American public would

identify themselves as religious as compared to the 79% who describe themselves as

spiritual (Alder, 2005). This is just a small statistic that reiterates my point on the shift in

spiritual and religious identities. The term identity as defined by Professor Jonathan

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Mermis­Cava from the University of California Davis, in his work An Anchor and a Sail:

Christian Meditation as the Mechanism for a Pluralist Religious Identity “generally

refers to the substantive and most public aspects of the self, i.e., who one is perceived by

oneself and others” (Mermis­Cava, 2009). With the lines of religious identity being

crossed, I think it has positively influenced the way people see commonalities within

their particular denomination and outside of them as well.

I think each individuals spiritual journey is different and always changing. There

are so many worldviews to be chosen from which makes it exceedingly difficult to work

out our own identities. Who has the right answer to questions of life? No one really. That

is the main reason why I think it is important to dive deeper into different religions and

worldviews to really get a taste for how others view these questions to ultimate reality.

There are a lot of opinions about people claiming spirituality over religion. Some

think that people who claim spirituality are fluffy, boring, or self­centered. I disagree. I

think that whoever has this view is doing themselves a disfavor by not understanding the

view of another. Reverend Michael Beckwith, founder of Agape International Spiritual

Center, says on the topic of spiritual people being “airy­fairy” says, "I would say it's just

the opposite: that a deeply spiritual person is trying to manifest their gifts and their talents

in this world to change the world for the better." (Serico, 2015). Institutions such as

Agape is trans­denominational community that has classes, outreach programs and

ministries for its one million members. Its local and global community practice

meditation, prayer and selfless service for others. These elements are similar to structured

religion but Agape accepts those from all denominations. This is just one example of how

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there is a variety of outlets for those wanting to choose a spiritual, non­denominational

approach to prayer and discussion about God while participating in a community of

people who think the same way.

Author, blogger, and minister Lillian Daniel sees the other side of this, which I

found rather thought provoking. Her take on “spiritual but not religious” people is that

they are uninteresting and she thinks “there is nothing challenging about having deep

thoughts all by oneself” which she indicates that all spiritual but non religious people do.

I think she really reduces this outlook that this population has to a negative overview. She

does call to mind the fact that community is a big part of why she has this negativity

towards spiritual but non religious people. I think this is because there is seemingly no

community based outreach for solely spiritual people but as I stated previously,

communities and organizations pertaining to people with this view are popping up all

over the country and even the world.

Defining spirituality, especially when you are confronted the question as to why

you are spiritual, is complex and for me is changing as I learn more and more. Even the

process of this thesis has allowed me to understand more of what it means to be spiritual

and ultimately what it means to be Catholic. I think it is important to define what

spirituality is for yourself because, like everything in this world, it takes work. I think

some people opt for the spiritual path because its “easier” and doesn't hold you

responsible for much, but this is not the case. I argue that “Without some degree of

sacrifice for the greater common good, spiritual self­discovery eventually leads to plain

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old self­indulgence” (Lesser). It is not a cop out for the complexities of life but rather a

different way of rolling with the punches.

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7. Religious Identity and Freedom to Choose

I recognize a huge question when thinking about how identities are changed when

people engage in inter religious activities such as meditation. Christian meditators, such

as those who practice centering prayer or contemplative prayer, seem to have a more

pluralist religious identity. They associate with practices similar to other meditative

practices, such as Vipassana meditation, but at the same time differentiate from it because

it is part of a long line of Catholic traditions that have been discontinued for most of its

history. But the question is: Does this make someone less Christian? To me the answer is

no, but to others, especially many very traditional, orthodox Christians, this might make

them wary.

I was brought up Catholic and spent a lot of time engaging in peer ministry and

other involvements in the Church. However, this always felt a little unsatisfying to me.

By no means do I reject the Church or its teachings, rather I wanted to come to some

understandings on my own instead of through the Catholic tradition. I think many seek

this path because it allows them freedom to choose where their spiritual path will lead

instead of being bound by the constraints of organized religions. I think learning more

about other religions and dipping my feet into the waters of these traditions hasn't made

me less Catholic, in fact I think it has made me more Catholic. Even though my time

away from the Church, and my hesitation to strongly pronounce myself Catholic at this

point in fear of being sac­religious, has allowed me to take a step back and evaluate my

spirituality. I have found that my roots in Catholicism have given me a lens from which I

can see the world and my spiritual endeavours more clearly.

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A main goal of my thesis was to explore how meditation across different religious

traditions can be used as a common factor that brings these religions together. The two

religions that I compared, Buddhism and Christianity, have both similar and different

fundamentals that give a purpose to meditation. For example, the central focus of

meditation in Buddhism is enlightenment which can be attained through meditation to

reveal the true nature of reality. It is resting in the state of Nirvana, an indescribable state

that represses the absence of attachment. The central focus of meditation in Christianity is

resting in the tri­unity of God incarnated in Jesus Christ who is enlightened, and is the

truest revelation of God. Through Him, we work to accomplish things on Earth as He did

in the promise of eternal life and forgiveness of sins. We do this by prayer, contemplation

and selfless devotion. These parallels to the idea of enlightenment in both religions

connect the fact that people strive for something more. There is a central figure through

which these traditions operate that will allow people to get to that state but both rely on a

meditative or contemplative practice to do so (Belder, p.6). Does resting in these two

different sacred realities lead to different religious identities?

The major difference is that the Buddhist concept of meditation and the journey to

enlightenment reduces the image of reality as the absence of everything, based on the

notion that life is suffering because of attachments. The Christian is enlightened when

they have come to the realization and understanding of the Biblical text and stories that

teach the word of God and realize the need to be forgiven from their sins. They do not

need to be in a transcendental state to achieve such revelations, where as this is

fundamental in the Buddhist tradition. Such meditation in the Christian tradition stem

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from the more monastic ways like lectio divina, which I brought up in the Western

Meditation chapter. This analysis, though rudimentary, serves a brief analysis of the

Christian way to enlightenment as compared with that of Buddhist (Belder, p.7).

The emphasis on sameness can be an issue just as well as an emphasis on

difference can be. I think it is important to recognize meditation as a commonality across

many religious traditions. Recognizing their fundamental differences is also really

important and if not recognized can be harmful to ones understanding of different

traditions as well as their own. There is value in holding on to who we are but at the same

time there is value in understanding others and learning from what traditions and beliefs

they hold. I see an emerging freedom of religious identity taking place, but I don’t think

this is as recent a development as I originally thought.

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8. Meditation and How is Shapes Religious Identity

The implications meditation has on religious identity in regards to religious

pluralism and openness is a twofold path. There can be two ways people can see this.

First, the argument is that meditation, or traditions outside that of their own, will

negatively affect ones religious identity. It skews the religions path they are already on

and disrupts the ideals of their own identity as a Christian, for example. I think this side

of the argument applies to those who are very traditional in their beliefs and are most

likely from an older generation. As I stated previously, our generation denies boundaries

and it is easier for us to understand and accept differences in religion. Pluralist religious

identity has different implications for accepting other traditions as their own, where are

there is an openness for those of the other side of this.

For non­pluralist, incorporating other practices into their own is enhancing to

their belief system. It enriches ones religious experience as a whole because it allows the

individual to see all religions as a whole instead of seeing them as separate entities.

Regardless of which religion the meditator associates with, if any, they are engaging in a

tradition with roots in many traditions. As is see it, the meditator is really being more

open to other traditions and not just one as they live out their practice either within or

separate from the Church.

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Works Cited

1. "Agape International Spiritual Center." Agape. Web. 1 Apr. 2015.

<http://agapelive.com>.

2. Alder, J., A. Underwood, B. Whitford. 2005. In search of the spiritual. Newsweek

August 146(9/10): 46­64.

3. Belder, John. "Zen Buddhism." Relating Zen and Christian Concepts of

Meditation (2006). Print.

4. Bourgeault, Cynthia. Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening. Crowley

Publications, 2004. Print.

5. Gunaraana, Henepola. "Vipassana Meditation." Tricycle. Print

6. Hart, William, and S.N. Goenka. The Art of Living. Onalaska: Pariyatti, 1987.

Print.

7. Keating, Thomas. Open Mind, Open Heart. Rockport: Element, 1991. Print

8. Lesser, Elizabeth. "What Is Spirituality." The New American Spirituality. New

York: Random House. Print.

9. Mermis­Cava, Jonathan. "An Anchor and a Sail: Christian Meditation as the

Mechanism for a Pluralist Religious Identity." Sociology of Religion 70.4 (2009):

432­53. Print.

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10. Serico, Chris. "Can You Be Spiritual without Being Religious? 'There Are Many

Paths to Enlightenment'" Today News 1 Apr. 2015. Print.

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