ON THIS PAGE
Defining the Terms
The Spread of Contemplative Prayer
Is Contemplative Prayer Unique To Christianity?
So How Do We Explain It? The Alternative
Altered State of Consciousness
Four Levels Of Brain-Wave Activity The Alpha State
Alpha… Achieved Naturally
Alpha… Deliberately Induced The Mantra
The Methods Are The Same
The Results Are The Same Altered State of Consciousness and “God”
Can We Choose the Means by Which We Approach God Altered State of Consciousness and The Shaman
Altered State of Consciousness and “Witchcraft”
Altered States of Consciousness and Science A Step Beyond “Benefits” ‘Jewish’ Buddhists Conclusion Footnote I:
Thomas Keating elaborates on the differences of approach between his methods and those of John Main.. Footnote II:
The Rosary ...A question and answer on an Sufi mystic site 
Defining the Terms
Mysticism [from the Greek (mystikos) "an initiate"] is not mystery or religion, but, bypassing the senses and the intellect, revolves around the idea of union with ultimate Reality. It is a realization of a universal force or energy which could be called the Cosmic or God. It believes that spiritual knowledge, inaccessible to the intellect, may be attained through contemplation and self-surrender. Another Definition Mysticism: “A belief in or the pursuit in the unification with the One or some other principle; the immediate consciousness of God; or the direct experience of religious truth. Mysticism is nearly universal and unites most religions in the quest for divinity.” [1]
Contemplative Prayer, also known as centering prayer, listening prayer, breath prayer etc. is just one of many mystical practices taught within the movement called Contemplative Spirituality. However Contemplative Prayer is a far cry from what the Bible teaches about prayer. It goes beyond thought and words leading to an altered state of consciousness, which is supposed to provide an experiential union with ‘God’ or nature. “Whereas contemplation normally means to think about something intently or to study it carefully, practitioners of the various contemplative methods do the opposite. The movement's goal is to get people beyond thinking and understanding and into the realm of experiencing. Adherents are taught that while reason has some value, truly knowing God can only come through experiencing Him” [2].
Lectio Divina, derived from a Latin word that means “holy reading” is an ancient method of slowly reading the scriptures in a repetitive fashion in order to encounter the presence of God. It differs from Contemplative prayer only in methodology.
The Spread of Contemplative Prayer Contemplative prayer has invaded the church in a very big way.. which is hardly surprising since the popular icons of the church have taken every opportunity to tout it as a new and improved [read revived] ways of communicating with God.. Many thirsty believers, wanting something more, something deeper than has been their experience, are becoming infatuated with mysticism. Unfortunately this attraction to mystical practices, which was once in a little corner of the Christian subculture, has moved into the mainstream. More and more organizations, colleges, seminaries and authors are proclaiming the superiority of mystical Christianity [Paraphrased from Mysticism by Gary Gilley] While there is probably much truth in Martyn Lloyd-Jones’ statement that “Mysticism is also a protest against rationalism and a tendency to over-intellectualise the Christian faith…” [3], The pendulum has swung the opposite way, with the result that “Mystical practices are now widely embraced and taught in secular and professed Christian seminaries, colleges, universities, organizations, ministries and seminars, etc. throughout the United States. Academic promoters have introduced these practices into the fields of medicine, business and law while countless secular and Christian books, magazines, seminars, and retreats are teaching lay people how to incorporate them into their daily lives. Promoters promise physical, mental and spiritual benefits desiring to bring about positive social change”. [4].
In fact, It would probably be rather difficult to find a recent volume on spirituality, written by an Evangelical, that isn’t brimming with quotations from Catholics, mystics, and Quakers, and directly or indirectly promoting them as models and teachers of spirituality… despite their theologies of revelation and salvation. For example Rick Warren promotes "Breath prayers” (No surprises here! Warren seems to cheerfully promote every heretic that comes along) while his wife, Kay Warren, endorses Henri Nouwen's book, In the Name of Jesus, saying that she “ highlighted almost every word." Spencer Burke (The Ooze) said "I stopped reading from the approved evangelical reading list and began to distance myself from the evangelical agenda. I discovered new authors and new voices at the bookstore-Thomas Merton, Henri Nouwen and St. Teresa of Avila. The more I read, the more intrigued I became. Contemplative spirituality seemed to open up a whole new way for me to understand and experience God. I was deeply moved by works like The Cloud of Unknowing, The Dark Night of the Soul and the Early Writings of the Desert Fathers." — [5] [More about Thomas Merton and Henri Nouwen]
In fact…The wolves have even gone so far as to say it is the only route to God. For example Brennan Manning states... Even more alarmingly, with the promotion of mysticism by organizations like Youth Specialties that are geared towards youngsters.. ‘a potentially lethal dose of the occult has entered the arena of our evangelical youth, under the guise of "spiritual exercises that invite direct experiences with God," and with the assurance that they are "classical forms of biblical meditation”. [7]
Is Contemplative Prayer Unique To Christianity? The short answer is No! In fact New Agers, occultists and those practicing Eastern religion regard contemplative prayer as part of their own movement. For example.. “Those who have practiced Transcendental Meditation may be surprised to learn that Christianity has its own time-honored form of mantra meditation. The technique, called Centering Prayer, draws on the spiritual exercises of the Desert Fathers, the English devotional classic, The Cloud of Unknowing, and the famous Jesus Prayer …”.. “Reliance on a mantric centering device has a long history in the mystical canon of Christianity.” [8]
Octavian Sarbatoare (a Romanian freelance writer and member of the Australian Society of Authors) who has done research studies at Bihar Yoga Bharati (Yoga University) in India under the guidance of Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati, the chancellor of the Yoga University. Writing about the “Common meditative practices in Christianity, Hinduism and Buddhism” Sarbatoare says… [All Emphasis Added] In conclusion it has to be said that the Christian contemplative practices share in common the methods and effects of these practices with some techniques in Hindu and Buddhist traditions. Their ways of practice is based on similar principles, although the object of meditation is different… There is a feeling amongst the new age movements that such practices might trigger a quantum leap of evolution of consciousness in an objective way, an evolutionary biological event.[9]
In fact quite a few of the major players in the contemplative prayer movement have incorporated Eastern Religions into Christianity. Although many think that people like Henri Nouwen, Thomas Merton and Thomas Keating were devout Christians, the truth is that they were all Catholics who not only could not see through Rome’s foundational heresies, but promoted the integration of pagan practices such as Zen Buddhism and Hindu yoga with Christianity. In the foreword to Thomas Ryan’s 1993 book, Disciplines For Christian Living, Henri Nouwen wrote The author shows a wonderful openness to the gifts of Buddhism, Hinduism and Moslem religion. He discovers their great wisdom for the spiritual life of the Christian and does not hesitate to bring that wisdom home.
While in his own book Pray to Live (p.19-28) he says the following about Thomas Merton Merton had encountered Zen Buddhism, Sufism, Taoism and Vedanta many years prior to his Asian journey. Merton was able to uncover the stream where the wisdom of East and West merge and flow together, beyond dogma, in the depths of inner experience…. Merton embraced the spiritual philosophies of the East and integrated this wisdom into (his) own life through direct practice.
Other Evangelicals followed suit. In Celebration Of Discipline Richard Foster heartily endorses Tilden Edward’s book, Spiritual Friend, which says “This mystical stream [contemplative prayer and other monastic traditions] is the Western bridge to Far Eastern spirituality (and to that of Sufis Moslems)…this exchange, together with the more popular Eastern impact in the West through transcendental meditation, Hatha Yoga, the martial arts, and through many available courses on Eastern religions in universities, has aided a recent rediscovery of Christian apophatic mystical tradition.… [Pgs. 18 and 19]
While Contemplative Prayer is widely accepted as Christian, Eastern religions such Buddhism, Hinduism, Sufism and Occult/New Age devotees have long practiced an almost identical form of ‘prayer’, which however, does not mean the same thing to every person experiencing it, since what is considered sacred varies from group to group. The experience is therefore interpreted according to the beliefs and practices of the practitioner. For example religious mysticism seeks either unity and/or identity with ‘God’ or a ‘universal principle’, while nonreligious mysticism can experiences mysticism through, or from, nature, or becomes ‘one with Nature’ [particularly evident in the Goddess religion, or neo-Paganism, which worships Nature]. The terminology also varies.. Buddhist call this state Nirvana or Satori... New Age people call it at-one-ness, etc... Christian and Muslim mystics perceive they have experienced some kind of ecstatic union with God or encounters with saints or angels. However these differences are superficial at best, with little difference in the methods used to get there, or experiences once they do. Methods: Mysticism from both Eastern and Western traditions rely on techniques such as: repetitive prayers, repeating a word or phrase over and over (mantras), contemplations of real or imagined icons or images, and emptying the mind. (A few cultures also use extreme asceticism or hallucinogenic drugs). Experiences: Walter Terence Stace… [An English-born philosopher, who served in the Ceylon Civil Service between 1910 and 1932, where he studied both Hinduism and Buddhism before teaching at Princeton] is the most frequently quoted expert when defining mysticism. He discovered seven common themes of mysticism when studying Roman Catholic, Protestant, ancient classical, Hindu, and American agnostic mystical experiences. They were (1) A unifying vision and perception of the One by the senses and through many objects; (2) The apprehension of the One as an inner life;
(3) An objective and true sense of reality;
(4) Feelings of satisfaction, joy, and bliss;
(5) A religious element that is a feeling of the holy and sacred;
(6) A paradoxical feeling;
(7) Inexpressible feelings.
The Mystica, a Mythical-Folk, Occult Encyclopedia substantiates this… [Emphasis Added] “In mysticism, the altered state of consciousness may be total or partial. When partial, the state of consciousness is usually only a feeling. Most generally this feeling is one of unity with God, or the universe, or of enlightenment.” “The experience of being united with God or nature is called a mystical experience.” [10]
In a Newsweek article entitled Talking To God, Harvard cardiologist Benson claims [All Emphasis Added] “..that the more "spiritual" people are that is, the more they are able to get in touch with a "presence that is beyond them yet close to them"-the more likely they are to experience physiological rejuvenation during meditation. The techniques Benson teaches-silence, appropriate body posture and, above all, emptying the mind through repetition of prayer-have been the practices of mystics in all the great world religions. And they form the basis on which most modern spiritual directors guide those who want to draw closer to God.” [11]
So How Do We Explain It? As Pastor Gary Gilley says in his review of Mysticism, an Evangelical Option?.. “The problem (or at least one of several problems) is that every mystic describes his experience in line with his belief system. Hindus believe they have union with the Hindu deities, the American Indian thinks he has contacted the Great Spirit, and the Christian mystic believes he is receiving revelation from God. Of course they cannot all be correct”. In light of the evangelical commitment to Christianity being the only valid religion and the Bible being God’s revelation, it is certain that none of the non-Christian mystics have touched God in any unique way, since the Bible does tell us in John 14:6 that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to God (This is assuming that you still remember that there is a Bible). And as far as the so called Christian mystic is concerned.. Scripture in no way promotes the mysticism that is being marketed. The Scriptures nowhere teach that God gives us any knowledge through ‘spiritual experience.’ and knowledge is always linked to God’s revelation, the written Word. However, one is reasonably safe in assuming that regardless of personal belief, something does transpire during this mystical experience, which is obviously common to all religions.. The meditation of advanced occultists is identical with the prayer of advanced mystics, The experience of being united with God or nature is nearly universal and unites most religions, There are not one, not two, but seven common themes of mysticism between Roman Catholic, Protestant, Hindu and American agnostic mystical experiences.. This ‘something’, accessible to all humanity, can be explained by..
Altered State of Consciousness The very word consciousness denotes the state of being awake and aware of one's surroundings.. and affects how one perceives oneself, one immediate surroundings, and the world at large. An Altered State of Consciousness (also called an altered state of mind) can be very difficult to define since it is not physical. It is any condition which is significantly different from normal consciousness (the beta wave state) . Feelings experienced during an altered brain state are usually temporary, can be either pleasant or unpleasant, and can profoundly affect personality, judgment, values, physical feelings and responses. However frequently altered states of consciousness (either self induced or otherwise) which produce radical shifts in the perception of one's self and environment, can produce lasting effects, and a (semi?) permanent redefinition of one's self, world, values etc. This altered state can be induced by a variety of factors.. some of which are accidental, such as fever, infections such as meningitis, sleep deprivation, oxygen deprivation, nitrogen narcosis (deep diving), neuro-chemical imbalances or a traumatic accident. Drugs and alcohol also induce Altered States of Consciousness, affecting both perception, motor skills and personality. Extreme and tragic cases are those who, on an LSD high, believe they can fly, then jump out of a window.. An Altered State of Consciousness can be reached intentionally by the use of sensory deprivation, an isolation tank, or mind-control techniques. Hypnosis is arguably a commonly known form of induced altered consciousness. However this Altered State of Consciousness can also be reached incidental to meditation, chanting, prayer, Yoga, Sufism etc. But before we go into this last factor it may be helpful to talk about the levels of brain-wave activities, which can be measured by an electroencephalogram (EEG)
Four Levels Of Brain-Wave Activity
In 1920’s, Dr. Hans Berger, a German psychiatrist, uncovered some interesting insights about the activity of the brain during various stages of human consciousness. By hooking-up patients to an electro-encephalograph, he discovered that the brain of the person actively using his or her five senses emits between 13 and 18 vibrations per second. He referred to these as "beta" rhythms. During sleep, the brain emitted between five to eight rhythms, or what he called "theta." The vibrations below five, found in the deep sleep of infants, he termed "delta" rhythms. The brain waves emitted between "beta" and "theta," the state of consciousness between normal mental activity and sleep, when the brain is emitting between eight to 13 vibrations per second, Berger termed "alpha" rhythms. In the words of another researcher… The four levels of brain-wave activity with corresponding Greek letters to designate each: beta, alpha, theta, and delta. [All Emphasis Added] The Beta Level defines our normal waking consciousness. Now 75% of waking consciousness is consumed with monitoring the body's physical functions. The other 25% of the Beta State deals with the thinking and planning state of the mind. The brain waves range from 14 to 27 cycles per second. The Alpha State is the "resting state" of the brain. It is a passive state where one is non-critical and non-analytical. Listening to music and relaxing is reflexive of this state. One is aware of stimuli. Mystical states of consciousness happen in the alpha state and they usually occur prior to and just after sleep. The Alpha State also occurs voluntarily during light hypnosis, meditation, biofeedback, day dreaming, hypnogogic and hypnapompic states. The brain waves activity range from 8 to 13 cycles per second. The Theta State is the "Reverie State" of conscious that is open to intuition and inspiration. Now stimuli are often ignored in this state. Theta occurs during light sleep. It is accessible during biofeedback and meditation. During this level, one is unaware of one's surroundings. The brain wave-activity ranges from 4 to 8 cycles per second. The Delta State is the lowest level of brain activity. In this state the individual is unreceptive to any stimuli. The Delta State usually occurs during a deep sleep. These four levels of brain-wave activity enable science to understand the various components of consciousness. “When we go to bed and read for a few minutes before attempting sleep, we are likely to be in low beta. When we put the book down, turn off the lights and close our eyes, our brainwaves will descend from beta, to alpha, to theta and finally, when we fall asleep, to delta”. [12]
The Alpha State
is when the brain waves activity range from 8 to 13 cycles per second. The brain is relaxed, not asleep but focused and aware, the mind is clear and receptive to information. It is similar to being half way between being fully awake and asleep. It is the state that most concerns us here, since it is often associated with the transportation to a “higher realm of consciousness” or mystical experience…. not unknown to teachers of various mystic methods. For example Richard Foster says in his book Celebration of Discipline [All Emphasis Added]
"If you feel we live in a purely physical universe, you will view meditation as a good way to obtain a consistent alpha brain wave pattern"
While in The Mystical Way: Silent Music and the Wounded Stag, author William Johnston says… “Now what I say of Zen is true also of Christian mysticism. It also leads to an altered state of consciousness where all is one in God.” [Page 336].
Alpha… Achieved Naturally The Alpha state is achieved, often very naturally. For example relaxing after completing a task or taking a quiet walk in nature often leads to the Alpha state. It is believed that listening to a certain kind of music like Baroque Music, especially the adagio movements with a 40 to 60 beats per minute cycle, is able to put the brain into an alpha state of mind. Not only is this believed to be relaxing and a stress reliever, but in this state the brain is said to be capable of excelling in memory retention. This is not hard to believe since the Alpha state occurs naturally just prior to and just after falling sleep. Most people know that it is not at all uncommon for ‘Aha!’ moments to happen when they are about to fall asleep, the reason for which is that in this relaxed state the brain rapidly makes ‘connections’. On the other hand Theta is usually the state of dreamless sleep, but can also be reached in very deep forms of meditation where consciousness becomes separate from mind and body. Achieving this deeply meditative state can take much practice. The Theta state can also be naturally induced… “A person who is driving on a freeway, and discovers that they can't recall the last five miles, is often in a theta state--induced by the process of freeway driving. The repetitious nature of that form of driving compared to a country road would differentiate a theta state and a beta state in order to perform the driving task safely”. [12]
Alpha… Deliberately Induced
The Alpha state can be induced by a number of methods, including Meditation, Chanting, Rhythmic Breathing, Rhythmic Dancing, and Mantras, producing similar results. The Synchronicity Foundation conducted years of research into the brain-wave patterns of meditators, comparing High-Tech Meditators With Zen Monk Meditators. Here is what they said.. “Novices (their term), were considered to be those who had five years or less meditative experience. These individuals consistently produced mid to high-frequency alpha waves (10 to 12 Hz.). Moderately experienced meditators (ten to twenty years experience) continually produced low frequency alpha (7 to 9 Hz.), the actual frequency being lower as experience increased. Very experienced meditators, those with twenty to forty years experience, consistently produced theta frequencies in the 5 to 6 Hz. Range” [13]
There is good evidence to suggest that inducing the alpha state of consciousness does have value in stress management. Lowering brain waves produces relaxation, and we all need to relax. However as asked by Don Matzat in What Is Centering? “The issue is not the natural experiences of human consciousness, but rather the relationship between the alpha level and spiritual experience. Does such a relationship exist? If so, is the Holy Spirit producing the experience or is there an alternative source? Should we be concerned that this altered state of consciousness is associated with a variety of occult practices? Self-inducing alpha is the goal of a wide range of today’s spiritual practitioners. Mystics alter their consciousness in order to seek a visualized experience with God. New Age advocates desire a personal, visualized "spirit guide" who will grant enlightened knowledge. Occultists continue to go after psychic phenomena. Followers of Eastern religions pursue the god within”.
The Methods Are The Same The Mantra... One of the most commonly used methods to induce the Alpha State of Consciousness is one or another variation of the Mantra. So what exactly is a Mantra? The word itself is derived from Sanskrit man (mind) and tra (to deliver). The Mystica, an on-line encyclopedia of the occult, mysticism, magic, paranormal and more carries several articles on meditation and mantras, one of which tells us that [All Emphasis Added] “Generically mantra refers to sacred words or syllables used repeatedly in religious and ceremonial rituals." [14]
An article by the Transpersonal Psychotherapy Services in New Zealand says [All Emphasis Added] “Repetition of a prayer is analogous to recitation of a mantra (which is essentially, a short prayer). The best known prayers and mantras from all of the world's traditions are charged with a spiritual energy and power well beyond the scope of ordinary words and phrases. This charging effect occurs due to the fervent practice with these prayers by countless humans throughout history. Two of the better known Christian short prayers are the Jesus Prayer from the Eastern Orthodox tradition: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me, a sinner and Hail Mary, from the Roman Catholic tradition: [15].
Note: Asking God several times over for the same thing, is very different than mumbling the same words over and over for 20 minutes or a lifetime. Henri Nouwenadvised his readers that: [All Emphasis Added] The quiet repetition of a single word can help us to descend with the mind into the heart … This way of simple prayer … opens us to God’s active presence. [16]
Brennan Manning encourages the use of mantras and emptying the mind in The Ragamuffin Gospel p. 206. He instructs Christians to repeat an eight-word mantra (“The Lord is my Shepherd, I lack nothing”) for 10 minutes. He says: “The first step toward rejuvenation begins with accepting where you are and exposing your poverty, frailty, and emptiness to the love that is everything. Don’t try to feel anything, think anything, or do anything ... Don’t force prayer. Simply relax in the presence of the God you half believe in and ask for a touch of folly” [17].
(“Don’t try to feel anything, think anything, or do anything”… mind emptying in softer language) Theresa and Mark Shaltanis give the following directions to the Lutheran Women’s Missionary League: [All Emphasis Added] Shut your eyes and note your breathing. As you inhale, say to yourself, "Be still." As you exhale, say, "and know that I am God." As your breath leaves your body, picture yourself moving closer to God. As you breathe in, see yourselves stopping and taking a close look at God. After a time of picturing yourself in this way, next focus more on the words. Keep breathing and saying the words in this pattern, but now drop off the end, and repeat until you are just saying "Be still." Continue your breathing and saying, "Be still" a few more times until you are ready for reading the Scriptures. [18]
Note: The effect of the mantra, or repeating "Be still," has nothing to do with the meaning of the terms or phrases used. It produces the Altered State of Consciousness because of the repetition, not because of the content. Buddhists can also repeat "Jesus" to attain an altered state. Some so called Christian leaders vary the approach…. Using a “sacred word” Thomas Keating gives the following instructions in Guidelines to Centering Prayer [All Emphasis Added] * Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God's presence and action within.
* Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly and silently introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God's presence and action within.
* When you become aware of thoughts, return ever-so-gently to the sacred word.
* At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes. [19]
In an article entitled Meditation Has Enormous Mental And Physical Benefits by Lorin Roche, PhD & meditation teacher, he explains the basic elements of meditation. Compare them with the above instructions given by Keating or the Shaltanis … “Sit comfortably. Pick something to pay attention to. It might be your breathing... or a silent syllable or phrase. Some people use their name for God -- Jesus, Jahweh, Elohim, Allah, etc. When your mind wanders -- as it inevitably will -- simply return to this focus. Don't exert any effort at "mind control." One easy way to start is simply to sit on the sofa, let out a deep breath and say, "Whew." When you resume breathing normally, pay close attention to the air as it flows into and out of your nostrils... your belly rising and falling... and any other physical sensations that you become aware of. Feelings of relaxation may give way to intrusive thoughts. That's fine. Gently return your attention to your breathing or other focus”.
[20]
And where does Lorin Roche get his information from? His Master's and Doctoral research were based on… “... an 8-year period in which he sought out meditators of all types: Zen, Christian, Buddhist, Vipassana, Kundalini, TM, Sikh, Hindu, Tibetan, Jewish, Kaballah, Wicca, Native American, Theosophist, Arcana, Agni Yoga, Hatha Yoga, Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Brain Wave Biofeedback, Autogenic Training, Neurolinguistic Programming, Ericksonian Hypnosis, Gestalt, Charltte Selver Sensory Awareness, Feldenkrais Awareness Through Movement, Shamanism, and others”.
[21]
Instructions by the Spirit Guides What is truly alarming is that both sets of instructions above only mirror those given by the spirit guides themselves. In the following excerpt from Opening to Channel: How to Connect with Your Guide, a book by Sanaya Roman and Duane Packer. So there is no mistake, One of the Editorial Reviews on Amazon says about the book... “Channeling is a skill that can be learned. Sanaya Roman and Duane Packer, with the help of their guides, Orin and DaBen, have created a definitive, inspirational, and easy-to-use guide to the art of channeling. Opening to Channel: How to Connect with Your Guide includes practical hands-on instruction in how to know if you are ready, how to attract a high-level guide, how to going to trance, how to channel for friends, how to use channeling to open to the higher dimension, and much more. [The Midwest Book Review|
In Opening to Channel two spirit-guides, "Orin" and "DaBen," offer advice for relaxation which "helps you become accustomed to the state of mind that is best for a [spirit] guide’s entry." [Pg. 69] Exercise from Orin and DaBen Achieving a Relaxed State Goal: This exercise is basic preparation for going into trance. We want your experience of channeling to be relaxing, easy, and joyful.... Steps: 1. Find a comfortable sitting position, either on a chair or the floor, which you can easily hold for ten or fifteen minutes.
2. Close your eyes and begin breathing calmly and slowly, taking about twenty slow, rhythmic, connected breaths into your upper chest.
3. Let all your concerns go. Imagine them vanishing. Every time a thought comes up, imagine it on a blackboard, then effortlessly erase it, or imagine putting each thought into a bubble that floats away.
4. Relax your body. Feel yourself growing serene, calm, and tranquil. In your imagination, travel through your body, relaxing each part. Mentally relax your feet, legs, thighs, stomach, chest, arms, hands, shoulders, neck, head, and face. Let your jaw be slightly open, and relax the muscles around your eyes.
5. Put up a bubble of white light around you. Imagine its size, shape, and brightness. Play with making it larger and smaller until it feels just right.
6. When you are calm and relaxed and ready to return, bring your attention slowly back into the room. Savor and enjoy your state of calm and peace. . . usually it is sufficient to practice every day for twenty minutes or so for one to two weeks to grow accustomed to deeper relaxation and inner stillness. This regime is not absolutely essential, but helps you become accustomed to the state of mind that is best for a guide’s entry. [Pgs. 68-69. Emphasis Added]
[Also See Articles on Visualization and Channeling]
Much has been said regarding the sacred word NOT being a Mantra, but what exactly is the difference? Both traditions choose a word and then bring their minds to focus on it to the exclusion of everything else. If the sacred word is used to rid the mind of all thoughts and feelings, then it performs exactly the same function as a mantra. [In an interview with Anne A. Simpson called Resting In God... Thomas Keating elaborated on the differences of approach.. [See Footnote I] In fact… Brennan Manning makes this ‘sacred word’ into a Mantra. In The Signature of Jesus, a book endorsed, on the back cover, by Max Lucado and Eugene Peterson, he says… “A simple method of contemplative prayer (often called centering prayer …) has four steps ….choose a single sacred word … repeat the sacred word inwardly, slowly, often.” [22]
A does Tony Campolo, who says he “learned about this way of having a born-again experience from reading Catholic mystics, especially The Spiritual Exercises of Ignatius Loyola”. Campolo says he uses “Jesus” as a “mantra” to clear his mind and to get himself into an altered state of consciousness. The constant repetition of his name clears my head of everything but the awareness of his presence. By driving back all other concerns I am able to create what the ancient Celtic Christians called “the thin place.” The thin place is that spiritual condition wherein separation between self and God becomes so thin that God is able to break through and envelop the soul. [23]
Richard Foster uses Rhythmic Breathing: Having seated yourself comfortably, slowly become conscious of your breathing. This will help you get in touch with your body and indicate to you the level of tension within. Inhale deeply, slowly tilting your head back as far as it will go. Then exhale, allowing your head slowly to come forward until your chin nearly rests on your chest. Do this for several moments, praying inwardly something like this: ‘Lord, I exhale my fear over my geometry exam, I inhale your peace. I exhale my spiritual apathy, I inhale Your light and life.” [24]
Silva Mind Control: It is interesting to note that there is no essential difference in the methods of a Silva Mind Control course with the methods taught in the book Harmony, a manual for emotional well-being produced and distributed by Aid Association for Lutherans. [25] Silva: “Those who attend the Silva Mind Control seminars are taught the centering technique. Upon entering into a deeply relaxed frame of mind, they are instructed to create a comfortable workshop, perhaps with an easy chair, fire place, picture window, etc. In the workshop they are instructed to visualize two doors. Through those doors will pass the two wise counselors or spirit-guides of their choosing. Many who attend these seminars choose Jesus Christ to be their male spirit-guide. Mind Control seminars are an example of modern day occultism. Harmony: Close your eyes so that you won't be distracted by anything in your surroundings. In your mind’s eye go deep within yourself and create a room there. You can furnish it however you wish, but make it a place that invites quiet reflection, perhaps with a large picture window overlooking a lake or a mountain landscape. This is a room for you and you alone, and others may enter only by invitation. Picture Jesus standing at the door and knocking (Rev. 3: 20). He is there, not forcing his presence on you, but ready and eager to spend some time with you. Imagine what would happen from this point on, letting the experience unfold naturally without any expectation of specific outcome. [26]
Morton Kelsey: Other ‘Christian’ mystics quite openly use Mantras, as demonstrated by the words of Morton Kelsey, an Episcopalian priest, author of many books on spirituality, who suggests using the Jesus prayer (“Lord Jesus have mercy on me”) repetitively in conjunction with breathing, saying [All Emphasis Added] The ancient Christian traditions of hesychasm stressed the use of the Jesus prayer and an imageless sense of God’s presence as well as awareness of breathing. The essential element linking these practices was the search for silence, for inward stillness. For centuries one form or another of the Jesus prayer has been used for this purpose. One form is simply to invoke the name of Jesus, using it almost like a mantra.” [27]
Father Tilden Edwards, is an Episcopal priest and executive director of Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation in Washington, D.C. calls a spade a spade. His book Spiritual Friends is heartily endorsed by Richard Foster … “This mystical stream (contemplative prayer) is the Western bridge to Far Eastern spirituality …It is no accident that the most active frontier between Christian and Eastern religions today is between contemplative Christian monks and their Eastern equivalents. Some forms of Eastern meditation informally have been incorporated or adapted into the practice of many Christian monks, and increasingly by other Christians...this exchange, together with the more popular Eastern impact in the West through transcendental meditation, Hatha Yoga, the martial arts, and through many available courses on Eastern religions in universities, has aided a recent rediscovery of Christian apophatic mystical tradition.… ” [28]
William Johnston author of The Mystical Way: Silent Music and the Wounded Stag, says… “The twentieth century, which has seen so many revolutions, is now witnessing the rise of a new mysticism within Christianity. …For the new mysticism has learned much from the great religions of Asia. It has felt the impact of yoga and Zen and the monasticism of Tibet. It pays attention to posture and breathing; it knows about the music of the mantra and the silence of samadhi …” … “Now what I say of Zen is true also of Christian mysticism. It also leads to an altered state of consciousness where all is one in God.” [29]
Lectio Divinia: Incidentally, Lectio Divinia, practiced by the Mothers and Fathers of the Desert, is a Latin word that means holy reading. It is an ancient method of slowly reading the scriptures in a repetitive fashion in order to encounter the presence of God. Centering Prayer is built on the tradition of Lectio Divina. In the words of Thomas Keating [All Emphasis Added]. Contemplative prayer is the normal development of the grace of baptism and the regular practice of lectio divina. We may think of prayer as thoughts or feelings expressed in words. But this is only one expression. Contemplative prayer is the opening of mind and heart-our whole being-to God, the Ultimate Mystery, beyond thoughts, words, and emotions. We open our awareness to God whom we know by faith is within us, closer that breathing, closer that thinking, closer that consciousness itself. Contemplative prayer is a process of interior purification leading, if we consent, to divine union. [30].
Mantras, Prayer Beads and Repetitive Prayer Prayer beads are traditionally used to keep count of the repetitions of prayers, chants or devotions by adherents of various religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, Bahai and Catholicism. A 4th century prayer rope was used by the Desert Fathers to count repetitions of the Jesus Prayer. However The earliest use of prayer beads can be traced to Hinduism, some nine centuries before Christ where they are called Japa Mala. Japa being the repeating of the name of a deity or a mantra, while Mala is garland or wreath. “Available evidence suggests that the rosary of the Roman Catholic Church is a lineal descendant of the Arab misbaha, for it was introduced into western Europe during the 13th century after more than two centuries of contact between the Franks and Arabs during the Crusades”.[31].
The Muslims, on the other hand, claim divine guidance for at least one version of prayer beads. See question and answer on the ‘Rosary’ on a Sufi mystic site. [Footnote 2]
The Results Are The Same
The following account of the mystics of the Eastern Orthodox Church comes from The Summit Lighthouse [founded in 1958 by Mark L. Prophet and his wife Elizabeth Clare Prophet], which publishes the Teachings of the Ascended Masters and the mystics and sages of East and West.. [All Emphasis Added]. “The mystics of the Eastern Orthodox Church have a tradition of repeating the simple prayer "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy upon me' thousands of times a day. Over the centuries, monks who have done this have reported extraordinary mystical experiences and a feeling of oneness with God. Medieval monks claimed that after several weeks of repeating the prayer for many hours a day, they entered an altered state. They said they could see a powerful light around them, which they compared to the light the disciples saw on Jesus' face and garments when he was transfigured. One mystic described the condition as a "most pleasant heat," a "joyful boiling." He claimed to exist in a state beyond pleasure and pain, experiencing a "lightness and freshness, pleasantness of living, insensibility to sickness and sorrows." This is a state in which the flesh is "kindled by the Spirit, so that the whole man becomes spiritual." Note: The quotes by “one mystic” are by Sergius Bolshakoff, Russian Mystics pp. 232, 233.
An article in The Mystica goes on to use almost identical terminology.. Generally the mantra is considered a holy or divine name, word, or syllable by the one that says or thinks it. The mantra is believed to help one to achieve his goal which may be a mission, or an objective, or the attainment of something desired….Mantras are thought to be charged with vibration power. Chanting or meditating silently on mantras helps one to attain an altered state of consciousness. In such a state it is believed possible to perceive the true nature of the mind; "the unity of mind with Mind." [32]
So, in other words, a single phrase or word repeated over and over again, regardless of the religion or beliefs of the practitioner can and does lead to an Altered State of Consciousness… The Alpha, and possibly even the Theta state. The similarities and results of the Hindu Mantra and the ‘Christian’ one are so astounding that there are but two options.. "… The meditation practices and rules for living of these earliest Christian monks bear strong similarity to those of their Hindu and Buddhist renunciate brethren several kingdoms to the East ... the meditative techniques they adopted for finding their God suggest either a borrowing from the East or a spontaneous rediscovery.'" [33].
Altered State of Consciousness and “God” However haven’t we been repeatedly informed, by Christian mystics, that a phrase like Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me said over and over through the day, repeating a short word like “God” or “love” repeatedly or even just focusing on the sacred word to the exclusion of all else opens us to God’s active presence? Haven’t we even been told in so many words that repetitive prayer can “bring us close to God” or enable us to cast out all distractions and trivial chatter from the mind and focus our attention on God “in order that it might rest in stillness in God”? And even that this repetitive prayer is a “saving formula” that can lead us to ‘lead us to that invisible and celestial contemplation’, keep us safe from the devil and “purify us from all faults and earthly stains” to boot? Meister Eckhart spoke of the divine "spark" in every soul, a spark "that is indistinguishable from God Himself." Which presumes that God resided within each soul, a concept equal to the Hindu conception of Brahman the universal deity and Atman, the eternal deity within each individual soul."
As said by Donald S. Whitney “Mystics seldom write from the position that justification by the grace of God alone through faith alone in Christ alone is a prerequisite for communion with God. For that matter, Catholic mystics develop their spirituality in a tradition which officially rejects this doctrine”. [34]
The purpose of contemplative prayer is to find one’s self, thereby finding God. This self they are seeking is a divine center at the core of each human being, which boils down to the idea that that man is basically good, and, of course, flies in the face of the Biblical teaching that all men are sinful. [T]he God who dwells in our inner sanctuary is the same as the one who dwells in the inner sanctuary of each human being. [Henri Nouwen. Here and Now. P. 22.] Deep within us all there is an amazing inner sanctuary of the soul, a holy place, a Divine Center. [Richard Foster quotes Thomas Kelly in Streams of Living Water (beginning of chapter two]. [Even people] who have yet to turn their lives over to Jesus Christ—can and should practice them. [spiritual disciplines]. [Richard Foster. Celebration of Discipline. p. 2.] [I]f I find Christ, I will find my true self and if I find my true self, I will find Christ. [Brennan Manning . Abba’s Child, p.125]
George Fox, the father of Quakerism, believed he was given a divine revelation from God that a divine Light shone in every person which they could follow to salvation. His journal says "This is the central teaching of George Fox. Everything else comes out of this elemental truth." He furthermore believed that he "was commanded to turn people to that inward Light, Spirit, and Grace, by which all might know their salvation and their way to God; even that Divine Spirit which would lead them into all truth, and which I infallibly knew would never deceive any." [35] A second article on The Mystica says.. [All Emphasis Added] In mysticism the altered state of consciousness may be total or partial. When partial, the state of consciousness is usually only a feeling. Most generally this feeling is one of unity with God, or the universe, or of enlightenment. Most mystics do not believe in the transcendence (see Immanence) of God. They generally subscribe to one of two theories concerning Divine Reality: emanation or immanence. From the emanation viewpoint the universe and everything in it is an outflowing from God, while the immanence view holds that the universe is not a projection from God, but rather, it is immersed in God. The experience of being united with God or nature is called a mystical experience. Such experiences may be of a religious or nonreligious nature. The nonreligious experiences derive much of their content from nature; although many religious mystics have been lead to God or the Absolute through nature. However, not all transcendental experiences with nature are mystical, but just render feelings of overwhelming joy or ecstasy. [36]
So apparently this “experience of being united with God” is not limited to Christians. Those of other religions certainly do not believe they have encountered the God of the Bible in their mind altering trips, But although the methods used to get there and the results once they do are the same, Christians assume that if they enter an alternative state of consciousness using pagan techniques, they will encounter the God of the Bible/meet Jesus. This is a dangerous assumption because if this experience of being united with God can be had by anyone with the discipline to practice the Mantra and enter a different level of consciousness… it throws the whole concept of forgiveness of sins through Christ’s death on the cross out of the proverbial window and makes John Cassian’s “ineffable glow of prayer” simply a ‘feeling’ that can be experienced by anyone. Why in the world does one have to take the difficult route of only being able to come to the Father by Jesus’ narrow way, when one can experience the Almighty through a few minutes of relaxation every day. Incidentally “Bhargo” the 8th of twenty-four syllables in the Hindu Gayatri Mantra, traced as far back as the Upanishads, says “Bhargo is indicative of God's power to purify, and to destroy all sins and afflictions. In the same way as a metal ore placed into a fire will yield the pure metal, by merging with God, by realising His Divine Form and establishing unity and oneness with Him, we can cleanse ourselves and be made pure by His Grace”. [37]
Hmmm! Didn’t John Cassian say the repetitive prayer would … “purify you from all faults and earthly stains”? Can We Choose the Means by Which We Approach God
Pastor Bob DeWaay’s answer is to the point.... “...either humans can come to the true God by any means that they see fit or God restricts the means by which we can come to Him. This was proven by the fact that various forms of divination are forbidden where divination is defined as any technique used to gain secret information that God has not chosen to reveal. If we could come by any means, then tarot cards, Ouija boards, crystal balls, psychic powers, etc. could all legitimately be used to contact God. Since certain techniques are forbidden, then the claim that humans can come to God by any means whatsoever is unbiblical. Therefore, we conclude that God has restricted the means of coming to Him and worshipping Him.” [Read Article]
Why would He do so? Simply because most of His warnings about staying away from pagan practices were for our spiritual safety. Human beings do not know who or what they could, and often do, encounter in Contemplative Prayer (an induced altered state of consciousness), practice of visualization etc In Deuteronomy 12:1-4 gave His people very explicit instructions… to “utterly destroy” all the places where the nations (whom they dispossessed) served their gods and to “cut down the engraved images of their gods and obliterate their name from that place”. The warning, which was a precaution in order to avoid the Israelites being ensnared by pagan practices, is as relevant today as it was at the time of Moses. Unfortunately today, as it was at the time of Moses, the warning has gone unheeded.
Altered State of Consciousness and The Shaman In an article entitled Music and the Healing Arts, author Sarah Belle Dougherty talks about anthropologist Michael Harner, founder and director of the Foundation for Shamanic Studies in Mill Valley, California, who’s book Way of the Shaman is often called a classic on shamanism. In time spent with the Peruvian Indians he learned shamanic practices and went on to become a practicing healing shaman… Incidentally the term Shaman has many 'meanings' including 'one who walks between the worlds' ... [All Emphasis Added] “In his system the practitioner uses drumming and rattles to induce a nonordinary state so that he can journey at will through inner worlds, perceive the psychic causes of wellness and disease, and help others regain or maintain health by his actions taken on astral planes. Similar techniques are used by many healers in traditional cultures worldwide, who integrate music, art, dance, and drama in the healing process… Harner's therapeutic experience has indicated that almost everyone has the potential, to one degree or another, to cultivate shamanic abilities if he or she wishes to do so. Researchers in fields such as biofeedback have found that entrainment of the brainwaves to the alpha and theta rhythms by a variety of means induces similar trance and visionary experiences… Several researchers, such as Harner and Stanislav Grof, who began with the use of drugs to induce various altered states for therapeutic purposes, were surprised to find that the same states could be induced in almost anyone by such simple procedures as drumming or altered breathing rhythms”.
The article also says.. “As with the uses of hypnosis or suggestion, one needs to be aware of the consequences of putting one's being en rapport with that of another person or of opening oneself to the inhabitants and forces of the astral range of nature which may be difficult to shut off … The forces on all planes which can be released by music and vibration may be invisible but they are real and extremely potent.” [38].
Also See Drumming Up Jesus
And it goes even further..
Altered State of Consciousness and “Witchcraft”
Following are several quotes from Laurie Cabot, who is an American witchcraft high priestess and one of the most high-profile witches in the world. Cabot, author of The Power of the Witch, The Witch in Every Woman etc. was one of the first people to popularize witchcraft in the United States. [All Emphasis Added] “Alpha is the springboard for all psychic and magical workings. It is the heart of Witchcraft. The Alpha state is the scientific basis for magic. In order to develop your own psychic powers and learn the ways of the craft, you must learn to control Alpha”. [39] “The science of Witchcraft is based on our ability to enter an altered state of conciousness we call 'alpha', where brain waves register at seven to fourteen cycles per second. This is a state of consciousness associated with relaxation, meditation and dreaming… In alpha the mind opens up to non-ordinary forms of communication, such as telepathy, clairvoyance and pre-cognition. Here we also may experience out-of-body sensations and psychokinesis, or receive mystical, visionary, information that does not come through the five senses. In alpha the rational filters that process ordinary reality are weakened or removed, and the mind is receptive to non-ordinary realities...... “ [40]
Initially the mystics were certainly not taken very seriously.. that is until science began conducting experiments of their own and verified much of what the psychic/ occult world had been saying for centuries…
Altered States of Consciousness and Science
There is little question that the benefits of repetitive prayer have been demonstrated by scientists. However the following results are true of many different relaxation training programs. Relaxation techniques that break the train of everyday thought, and decrease the activity of the sympathetic nervous system bring about the same benefits... all of which is true. However under the guise of “Saying your prayers over and over may be good for your health”, a mystical site quotes a scientific study... In the early 1970's, Dr. Herbert Benson, president and founder of the Mind/Body Medical Institute at Harvard Medical School, documented a phenomenon he dubbed "the relaxation response," which he says is the opposite of the body's fight-or-flight mechanism. Benson experimented using Sanskrit mantras. He told his subjects to sit quietly and repeat the prayer either mentally or verbally for ten to twenty minutes, to breathe regularly and to push intruding thoughts aside as they entered their minds. Benson found that those who repeated the Sanskrit mantras, for as little as ten minutes a day, experienced physiological changes-reduced heart race, lower stress levels and slower metabolism. Repeating the mantras also lowered the blood pressure of those who had high blood pressure and generally decreased the subjects' oxygen consumption (indicating that the body was in a restful state). Subsequent studies documented in Benson's Timeless Healing found that repeating mantras can benefit the immune system, relieve insomnia, reduce doctor visits and even increase high-school sophomores' self-esteem. Benson and his colleagues also tested other prayers, including "Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me, and found that they had the same effect. Even words like one, ocean, love and peace produced the response. It appears that Benson and his colleagues had uncovered a universal principle: repetitive prayer allows human beings to enter a relaxed state”. [41]
More recently an article in BMJ, (British Medical Journal) called Beyond science? Effect of rosary prayer and yoga mantras on autonomic cardiovascular rhythms: comparative study, talks about how frequently repeated brief prayers slows respiration to almost exactly six respirations per minute, increasing calmness and wellbeing, with similar effects resulting from reciting the Ave Maria or the yoga mantra. [All Emphasis Added]. “The benefits of respiratory exercises to slow respiration in the practice of yoga have long been reported, and mantras may have evolved as a simple device to slow respiration, improve concentration, and induce calm. The rhythm necessarily imposed by these repetitions induces a fixed respiratory rate at a predetermined frequency. In times when stopwatches and metronomes had still to be invented, a rhythmic formula was the easiest way to keep a reasonably accurate timing in the range of several seconds per breath, and thus a good way to learn to slow respiration to a given rate, without the need to concentrate on the respiration itself (body consciousness was not encouraged in the Christian culture of the Middle Ages). There are thus remarkable similarities in the two practices (duration and number of repetitions) and in their cardiovascular effects. The historical circumstances that brought the rosary to Europe also suggest that these similarities were not just coincidence. This practice introduced, consciously or not, a new and previously unrecognised element of oriental health practice into Western culture” [A question and answer on an Sufi mystic site has some information on the ‘Rosary’. Below]
Then goes on to repeat what we mentioned above… Is there anything linking these two geographically and culturally distant practices? Surprisingly, there is historical evidence for a link. The rosary was introduced to Europe by the crusaders, who took it from the Arabs, who in turn took it from Tibetan monks and the yoga masters of India. [42
And a New York Times article reports “deep relaxation, if practiced regularly, can strengthen the immune system and produce a host of other medically valuable physiological changes. … relaxation training has been found to widen restricted respiratory passages [In asthmatics]. In some diabetics, relaxation can reduce the need for insulin. In many patients with chronic, unbearable pain, the training has brought about significant relief”.
Warning that “… that intensive training, followed by regular use of the techniques, may be required before many medical benefits appear. Most training programs last several weeks. And, … relaxation may be better when it is taught in person rather than learned from a tape. [43]
A Step Beyond “Benefits”
Both ‘Christian’ mystics and teachers of Yoga go quite a bit further than the medical community… the Medieval monks had quite a bit to say about seeing “powerful light around them” even describing the condition as a "most pleasant heat," a "joyful boiling." when flesh is "kindled by the Spirit, so that the whole man becomes spiritual." [Above] While the Hindu “Mantra Singing Doc” talks about the effectiveness of the mantra.. [Emphasis Added]. “Mantras have wonderful effects, if they are repeated in a proper way. The holy scriptures of India are full of stories about persons who have reached superhuman and supernatural powers by chanting mantras. The Vedas, especially the Rig-Veda contains thousands of mantras. These mantras are considered highly effective although their meaning is not known. Actually the literal meaning has little to do with the power which mantras give. Our mind, our actions and things of our surrounding can be purified by mantras and charged with spiritual energy”. [44].
Further explained by Peter Fenton in Human Voice Mantras. [All Emphasis Added]. “Professor Lama Chimpa helped me understand the mechanics of mantras. Uttering a mantra, he said, causes a special effect, something like a chemical reaction in the surrounding environment. The reaction is the result of a specific vibration caused by the utterance…. mantras are said to derive their power from the inner attitude of the practitioner. Thus the intention of the person using them is the real source of mantra power…. [45]
There are many stories about the magical uses of mantra in healing and to keep away illness, exhaustion, cold, hunger, and disease. One of these maintains that through their use, an experienced practitioner can disintegrate a physical object or even a living being. In the Devil-Dancing ceremonies of Ceylon, fire-cooling mantras are used to "tame" the fire for fire-walkers. Mantras are also used, sometimes accompanied by other practices, to enable practitioners known as lung-gompas to travel extremely quickly over difficult terrain, moving both day and night until a destination is reached. [46]
‘Jewish’ Buddhists
Even modern day Jews are far from immune to the temptations of the East… An article, which originally appeared on November 1, 1995, on the Jews, for Jesus site says “Jewish poet Rodger Kamenetz journeyed to India with a small group of rabbis and other Jewish leaders. They went to meet and dialogue with the Dalai Lama, the leader of Tibetan Buddhism, who lives in India, exiled from Tibet by a most repressive Chinese regime. The Dalai Lama wanted to learn the secrets of Jewish survival to apply them to his own exiled people”. [47]
IPS Note: the short answer to the Dalai Lama’s query about the secrets of Jewish survival is ‘They survived because of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob’ Can the Dalai Lama “learn the secrets of Jewish survival” . This answer is even shorter.. No! [See Footnote III on the Dalai Lama] However to continue with the article on the jewsforjesus site... “The book that arose from this expedition, The Jew in the Lotus: A Poet's Rediscovery of Jewish Identity in Buddhist India, is the poet's candid reflections on his own Jewishness and on the attraction that Buddhism holds for a significant number of Jews. He calls these Jewish Buddhists "JUBUs."
The article goes on to say “It is apparent that the God of the Hebrew Scriptures is an obstacle to overcome for one who wants to go further into mysticism” and then quotes pp. 239-40 of The Jew in the Lotus, which (unwittingly?) sounds quite an alarm… [Emphasis Added] "The closer one gets to an experience of unity with God, the less relevant the traditional images and languages become. The imagery of father, king and judge that so deeply concern many JUBUs—and obviously create a barrier—dissolve in the contemplation." [48]
Conclusion Pertinent facts summarizing the above article are Repeating a word or phrase over and over again is nothing but a mantra. Calling it a “Jesus Prayer” does not alter the basic facts.. Mantra’s can and do lead to an Altered State of Consciousness and is often associated with the transportation to a “higher realm of consciousness” or mystical experience An Altered State of Consciousness, far from being limited to Christians, has been practiced by Hindu’s, Buddhists etc for thousands of years. This practice leads both believers and non-believers to an identical feeling of unity with God, (or the universe, or of enlightenment, however the individual interprets it. The feelings are the same. Science talks about how frequently repeated brief prayers slows respiration, increasing calmness and wellbeing, with similar effects resulting from reciting the Ave Maria or the yoga mantra Witches tell us that in the Alpha state we may receive mystical, visionary, information that does not come through the five senses. The Shaman mentions that drumming and rattles can induce a non-ordinary state so that the Shaman can journey at will through inner worlds and almost everyone has the potential, to one degree or another, to cultivate shamanic abilities if he or she wishes to do so.
Several inescapable questions and conclusions spring to mind.. Since as Martyn Lloyd-Jones says “Mysticism makes feeling the source of knowledge of God, not intellect, not reason, not understanding. [Life in Christ. Page 86]... How do the Desert Fathers and all who followed in their footsteps, employing various techniques to achieve unity with, or nearness to, God actually know that they are getting close to Him? Feelings are not a reliable indicator of facts... all of us can attest to plenty of times when our feelings were wrong. In other words, a ‘feeling’ of being in the Divine presence can not possibly be a reliable indicator of actually being in the Divine presence, especially when contemplators from other traditions and religions claim exactly the same thing.. Since the Bible does tell us in John 14:6 that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to God, how can repetitive prayer accomplish the same thing? Scripture does not promote this type of mysticism, nowhere teaching that God gives us any knowledge through ‘spiritual experience.’ In Scripture knowledge is always linked to God’s revelation, the written Word. Jesus very specifically taught us how to pray, yet said not one word about ‘Sacred Words’. On the contrary He warned not to use what He called “vain repetitions”, as the heathens do (Matthew 6:7). Additionally scripture tells us that the prayers of unbelievers are not heard by God. “Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.” John 9:31 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD, But the prayer of the upright is His delight. [Proverbs 15:8a] "But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear." [Isaiah 59:2] "For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil." [1 Peter 3:12]
Let leave the last word to Martyn Lloyd-Jones of London. Let us imagine I follow the mystic way. I begin to have experiences; I think God is speaking to me; how do I know it is God who is speaking to me? How can I know I am not speaking to man; how can I be sure that I am not the victim of hallucinations, since this has happened to many of the mystics? If I believe in mysticism as such without the Bible, how do I test my experiences? How do I prove the Scriptures; how do I know I am not perhaps being deluded by Satan as an angel of light in order to keep me from the true and living God? I have no standard. . . . 'Very well,' says someone, 'if that is your criticism of mysticism, what is the evangelical way in order that I may come to this knowledge and fellowship with God?' It is quite simple, and it is this: It always starts with the Scriptures; it says that the Scriptures are my only authority and final standard with regard to these matters, with regard to a knowledge of God. The evangelical doctrine tells me not to look into myself but to look into the Word of God; not to examine myself, but to look at the revelation that has been given to me. It tells me that God can only be known in His own way, the way which has been revealed in the Scriptures themselves." [49]
And to Pastor Bob DeWaay.... “...either humans can come to the true God by any means that they see fit or God restricts the means by which we can come to Him. This was proven by the fact that various forms of divination are forbidden where divination is defined as any technique used to gain secret information that God has not chosen to reveal. If we could come by any means, then tarot cards, Ouija boards, crystal balls, psychic powers, etc. could all legitimately be used to contact God. Since certain techniques are forbidden, then the claim that humans can come to God by any means whatsoever is unbiblical. Therefore, we conclude that God has restricted the means of coming to Him and worshipping Him... ...The restrictions God places on how and by what means we may legitimately come to Him and receive spiritual truth are for our own good. The spirit world that Christian mystics like Morton Kelsey want to explore is far more complex than even Jung and Kelsey give it credit for being. The dangers of deception are far more real. In fact, if we journey into the world of the spirits by means other that what God has ordained, we will be deceived, not may be deceived. The spirits who inhabit that world have been there for many thousands of years practicing the art of deception. They willingly give people whatever experience they would tend to think is from God” [Read Article]
Footnote I: In an interview with Anne A. Simpson called Resting In God... Thomas Keating elaborated on the differences of approach between his methods and those of John Main.. .. “I should point out that as in Buddhism, Christianity has several contemplative methods. The methods of contemplative prayer are expressed in two traditions: centering prayer, which we represent, and Christian Meditation, designed by John Main, which is now spreading rapidly throughout the world under the charismatic leadership of Father Lawrence Freeman. The John Main approach is a little different than ours, but both go in the same direction: moving beyond dependence on concepts and words to a direct encounter with God on the level of faith and interior silence”. CB: How do the methods differ? TK: I don't know that I represent the John Main method fully because I haven't done it myself, but it is rooted in the experience John Main had in India. He learned a mantra from a Hindu source and translated that into a Christian context, finding sources in the early Christian tradition that reinforced his understanding. He offered his practitioners the discipline of saying the mantra "maranatha" nonstop for 20 minutes or half an hour. You can also say some other word - there is some flexibility there - but the point is that one never stops saying the word unless it stops saying itself. In that way it resembles the Jesus Prayer of the Eastern Orthodox tradition, in which "Lord Jesus God have mercy on me" is said over and over again both during and outside of prayer periods until it says itself almost independently or arises spontaneously. CB: Both the John Main method and centering prayer use sacred words, but they each take a different tack with regard to use of this word, don't they? TK: Centering prayer involves attention, but a general loving attention without particular content. The sacred word is not the object of the attention but rather the expression of the intention of the will. CB: How do you make a word a symbol of intention? TK: In the introductory workshop people take a minute or two to think of a word that expresses their intention to consent to God's presence and action. It could be a sacred word, or it could be some other. The sacredness of the word is not in the content of the word but in the intention to be in God's presence that you invest in it. CB: In my experience, setting an intention has always been extremely powerful, but I usually do that by stating clearly what I intend. How can the repetition of a single word set an intention? TK: It's very easy when you think of it. When you get married, you say, "I do." That is an expression of intention that has all kinds of consequences in your life. But it's only two words. In centering prayer, we intend to consent, not to do something. It is a receptive attitude that doesn't require any effort. So centering prayer differs from John Main's method, at least as I understand it, in this way: Instead of doing something constantly, you keep saying the sacred word only until you feel that your intention is established in your will. With time you begin to sense when this is the case. [50]
Footnote II: The Rosary A question and answer on an Sufi mystic site has some information on the ‘Rosary’. Q. What is a rosary and how is it used? A. A rosary is called a Tasbi and it has 100 beads. After every 33 beads there is an interval. There is a long bead from where you start counting, and after every 33 beads there is an interval defined by a smaller bead. The long bead is called Imam and the two smaller beads are called Muqtadi. A rosary (tasbi) can be called the instrument for the counting of recitation. For the sake of convenience, there are two other types of rosaries. One is made of 1000 beads and after every 33 beads there is a muqtadi (interval). It is called hazara tasbi (hazar means one thousand). This tasbi is especially useful for long recitations. The other rosary is called the Tasbi-e-Fatima, which is made of a total of 33 beads only. [This rosary was used by Hazrat Bibi Fatima c. 605–632, daughter of Muhammed from his first wife Khadija and mother of Hasan and Husain].
The page goes on to say.. “God had sent this rosary through Jibril (angel Gabriel) to the Holy Prophet for Bibi Fatima as she had to work very hard in the house and would feel extremely tired.” [51]
[The most common Catholic rosary has 59 beads with sections of 10 beads called decades, although other, lesser known, rosaries have different numbers of beads].
Footnote III The Dalai Lama.. Not exactly what he says he is and certainly not what he is popularly made out to be. There is something very sinister behind this smiling ‘Man of Peace”. He believes in and teaches on the coming of the Maitreya.. and has initiated thousands of people into the Kalachakra initiation, part of which is the Shambhala myth which prophecies and promotes, on an ideological basis, a “holy war” (Shambhala war) by Buddhists against non-Buddhists, in which “supremely ferocious warriors will throw down the barbarian hordes” and “eliminate” them. The Kalachakra texts say that the 25th Kalki king will emerge from Shambhala with a huge army to vanquish "Dark Forces" and usher in a worldwide thousand-year Golden Age. And who are these ‘Dark Forces’? Shri Kalachakra I. 154 says “Adam, Enoch, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, Mani, Mohammed and the Mahdi” are characterised as the “family of the demonic snakes” {See The Dalai Lama}
Place in Text End Notes [1] http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/m/mysticism.html [2] Please Contemplate This by T.A. McMahon [3] In Life in Christ. Page 86 [4] Contemplative Prayer: Seducing Spirits And A Doctrine Of Devils By Christine A. Narloch [5] The Story of TheOOZE by Spencer Burke.
http://www.theooze.com/articles/article.cfm?id=827&page=3 [6] Brennan Manning, Gentle Revolutionaries. p. 104 [7] Paraphrased from Please Contemplate This. by T.A. McMahon [8] As Above So Below: Paths to Spiritual Renewal in Daily Life by Ronald S. Miller and the Editors of New Age Journal; 1992; pages 52 & 53. [Quoted in
www.lighthousetrailsresearch.com/contemplativprayerarticlebyray.doc [9] http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Olympus/3588/meditative.htm [10] http://www.themystica.org/mystica/articles/a/altered_states_of_consciousness.html [11] http://www.newsweek.com/id/116858/page/6 [12] What is the function of the various brainwaves? www.web-us.com/brainwavesfunction.htm [13] Zen Meditation. A Comparison Study of Synchronicity Contemporary High-Tech Meditators With Zen Monk Meditators. http://www.synchronicity.org/shopcontent.asp?type=TheZenStudy [14] http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/m/mantra.html [15] http://www.easimatch.com/~greg.c/mystic.html [16] The Way of the Heart. p. 62 [17] The Ragamuffin Gospel, p. 196. p. 205 [18] Theresa and Mark Shaltanis, Quiet Time with God, (International Lutheran Women's Missionary League, 1977), p. 35. [19] Open Mind, Open Heart, chap. 5 [20] http://www.purifymind.com/MeditationBenefits.htm [21] About Lorin Roche. http://www.lorinroche.com/page20/page20.html [22] Signature of Jesus. Page 218 [23] Letters to a Young Evangelical, Page 26 [24] Celebration of Discipline, Page 25. [25] From What Is Centering? by Don Matzat [26] Harmony: A Guide to Emotional Well-Being, (Aid Association for Lutherans, 1994), p. 60. [27] The Other Side of Silence, a Guide to Christian Meditation. Page 145 [28] Tilden Edwards. Spiritual Friends. Pages 18-19 [29] Foreword and page 336: [30] Thomas Keating. Reawakenings. Page 8 [31] www.saudiaramcoworld.com/issue/196806/worry.beads.htm [32] http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/m/mantra.html [33] Ray Yungen. A Time of Departing, p. 42, 2nd edition [34] Doctrine And Devotion: A Reunion Devoutly To Be Desired.
http://biblicalspirituality.org/devotion.html [35] George Fox, The Journal of George Fox, 101, 103. as quoted in Doctrine And Devotion:A Reunion Devoutly To Be Desired By Donald S. Whitney [36] http://www.themystica.com/mystica/articles/a/altered_states_of_consciousness.html [37] Gayatri Mantra Detailed Word by Word Meaning.
http://www.eaglespace.com/spirit/gayatribywords.php [38] http://www.theosophy-nw.org/theosnw/death/he-sbd.htm [39] Laurie Cabot from "Power of the Witch" As quoted in Book of Shadows. The Old Religion of The Mother Goddess. Online Source. http://paganbos.blogspot.com/2007/06/alpha.html [40] Laurie Cabot in 'Power of the Witch'. Quoted in Meditation Explained. http://fairwind_00.tripod.com/meditati.htm [41] www.tsl.org/creative_bk/repetition.asp [42] www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/323/7327/1446 [43] query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?sec=health&res=9A0DE5D81E3AF930A25756C0A960948260 [44] Mohani Heitel. The Mantra singing Doc. http://www.doctorshobbies.com/MantraDoc.htm [45] http://innerself.com/Spirituality/voice_mantras.htm [46] http://www.innerself.com/Spirituality/voice_mantras.htm [47] http://jewsforjesus.org/publications/bookreviews/mrb05-02/thatsfunny/publications/issues/10_4/jewishbuddhists [48] Jewish Buddhists: A Meld of Mezuzahs and Mantra? by Rich Robinson.
http://jewsforjesus.org/publications/issues/10_4/jewishbuddhists [49] Martyn Lloyd-Jones, Fellowship With God (Wheaton: Crossway, 1993), 95. [50] http://www.livingrosaries.org/interview.htm [51] http://sufi-mystic.net/text11.htm | 
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