Christian Meditation: Experiencing The Presence Of God

CHRISTIAN MEDITATION Experiencing the PRESENCE OF GOD JAMES FINLEY HarperSanFrancisco A Division ofHarperCollinsPublishers Biblical quotes are from the New American Standard Version and the Jerusalem Bible. CHRISTIAN MEDITATION: Experiencing the Presence of God. Copyright © 2004 by James Finley. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022. HarperCollins books may be purchased for educational, business, or sales promotional use. For information please write: Special Markets Department, HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022. HarperCollins Web site: http://www.harpercollins.com HarperCollins", Jjg ", and HarperSanFrancisco™ are trademarks of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. FIRST EDITION Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Finley, James. Christian meditation : experiencing the presence of God / James Finley. — lsted. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. 287). ISBN 0-06-059192-7 (cloth) 1. Meditation —Christianity. I. Title. BV4813.F56 2004 248.3'4-dc22 2004047253 04 05 06 07 08 RRD(H) 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 For my daughters, Kelly and Amy Contents ACKNOWLEDGMENTS VII FOREWORD XI CHAPTER 1 Divine Destination CHAPTER 2 Learning to Meditate 22 CHAPTER 3 Meditative Experience 42 CHAPTER 4 A Ladder to Heaven 72 CHAPTER 5 A Monastery Without Walls 101 CHAPTER 6 The Self-Transforming Journey 130 CHAPTER 7 Entering the Mind of Christ 175 CHAPTER 8 Present, Open, and Awake 203 CHAPTER 9 Sit Still 216 CHAPTER 11D: Sit Straight 229 CHAPTER 1 1: Slow, Deep, Natural Breathing 242 CHAPTER i : 2: Eyes Closed or Lowered 1 Toward the Ground 253 CHAPTER 1 3: Walking Meditation 266 CHAPTER 1