Guided healing meditation by Catholic priest -- what do you think?

Actually, it's unlikely that you're going to find anything to help you from a Catholic source. I believe that is dangerously close to something called "centering prayer" which is like what is used in yoga-like meditations (please, someone correct me if I'm wrong!)

Anyways, I think that a better way for her to open herself more to God is through Adoration. Maybe have her sign up for an hour on First Friday, and have her sit there and pray in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Blessed Sacrament. He could guide her in removing the shield.

-Just a suggestion from a young Catholic.

"suggestion from a young Catholic"

Young indeed.

Guided imagery has nothing to do with (your dreaded) centering prayer (don't know much about contemplation, do you??) and prayer using imagery has long been a part of Catholic prayer traditions.

You might try looking for works by Matthew Linn and his brother. They write in contemporary language and images that are accessible to all.

The core image is that God is the ultimate healer. Humans are big on images, stories, that help them uncover Truth.

Shannon

Please don't be rude to me.

I'm very aware of what contemplation is, and centering prayer happens to be a dangerous and distorted method of contemplation that mixes New Age, and Zen techniques to make "contemplation" easily accessable for everyone - not just those with experience. Here are two links on centering prayer that the OP might find useful.

http://catholiceducation.org/articles/apologetics/ap0005.html

http://www.ourladyswarriors.org/dissent/centerprayer.htm

There are probably ways to use guided imagery without it being centering prayer at all. Things like using a mantra are indicative of centering prayer.

Anyways, if you need more information, you can always go to the forums on catholic.com...it's really usful!

Differing views on anything can be controversial, shocking, naive, etc. to others, especially when religion is involved. Let's please continue to focus on MyTwoBlessings' original post about guided imagery.

MTB - you say your FMC is adept at deep meditation and imagery. Is the wall she's built around her heart preventing her from tapping into her meditative skills to undo what she has done? She's afraid of opening herself up again to hurt and that's blocking her? Or are you wanting her to go through the process with a priest as a way of finding her way back God and/or the Catholic Church?

_______
"I am idealistic, but I'm not a fool. And yes, I do think our ideals get us into trouble, but that's fair enough. You don't do something because you know you can win, you do something because it's worth doing." - The Edge

Lorax,

Yes, I do want her to go through the process with the priest to find her way back to god and the church. The figurative wall hasn't prevented her from meditating, she has just chosen not to since. However, she is ready to remove the wall, but wants help. She is afraid that without someone to guide her or be with her, she will get lost within herself, if that makes any sense.

Thank you

Robin

Robin of mytwoblessings

Purple

Thank you for your responses. I realize that some subjects are more controversial than others and very sorry for any offenses caused. My apologies. i won't go in to a debate or the controversies surrounding this because there are many different points of view - even within the clergy. I appreciate your feedback.

Robin

Robin of mytwoblessings

Shannon,

Thank you for leading me to matthew linn. It led to some interesting reading. I realized my question was controversial and apologize for any misunderstandings.

Robin

Robin of mytwoblessings

Robin,

No problem, I wasn't offended by your post at all. I was unaware if you knew that that subject was controversial, and I suppose it would have depended on your priest, because if he was really traditional he might not have used guided imagery as a technique.

Robin,

You might also want to take a look at the Ignatian Spiritual Exercises that you can find online. Creighton University has a good site, as do the Irish Jesuits. A good part of Ignatian prayer is using the imagination in conjunction with a Scriptural scene.

Shannon

Centering Prayer is the name applied to monastic prayer meditation by Catholic monks such as Basil Pennington and Thomas Keating. One theme of that work is the desire to show that "contemplative" christian monastics and mystics have practiced something like Eastern/buddhist/zen meditation for centuries. The topic arose as a response during the time that the secular world was entranced with transcendental meditation and oriental mysticism as somehow "superior" to western traditions. Internet searching on these two authors will provide an abundance of information. Pennington describes the Catholic monastic practice here: http://www.spiritualitytoday.org/spir2day/833533pennington.html

Two other sites:
Wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Centering_prayer
Keating: http://thecentering.org/centering_method.html

Harvard Medical School professor/cardiologist Herbert Benson studied meditation scientifically without religious overtones and found a biological healing result which he wrote about as "The Relaxation Response." The best book on this and healing is Timeless Healing by Herbert Benson, MD with Marg Stark, New York: Scribner, 1996
Benson's web site is: http://www.mbmi.org/benson/default.asp

Benson's main point is that this behavior we call meditation is a human thing common to human life. Therefore (this is my point) it is not the property of any particular religion. Some religious writers are very concerned about Catholics praying too much like Buddhists, and no doubt vice versa, but if that is a concern, a person can find out how their own spiritual tradition practices this form of contemplative prayer and in so doing stay within the guidelines of their faith.

Hope this helps.

Dave Z

Wild Gold

PS

I regret that I responded to the first comment on centering prayer prior to reading the rest of the discussion. I didn't realize that the discussion had provoked some strong feelings and I hope that mine are not perceived as an attack.

Pennington's article here (http://www.spiritualitytoday.org/spir2day/833533pennington.html) is helpful as it describes what he intends people to practice as centering prayer. If his recommendations are followed seriously, I would not think that any person would find it in any way contrary to an orthodox practice of the Catholic or Christian faith.

Here is a little information on his life from Wikipedia:
Fr. M. Basil Pennington, O.C.S.O. (1931 – 2005) was a Trappist monk and priest. He was a leading Roman Catholic spiritual writer, speaker, teacher, and director. He received a licentiate in Theology at the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum) and a licentiate in Canon Law at the Pontifical Gregorian University. Pennington became known internationally as one of the major proponents of the Centering Prayer movement begun at St. Joseph's Abbey during the 1970's. Pennington entered the Order of Cistercians of the Strict Observance at St. Joseph's Abbey in June 1951. At St. Joseph's Abbey, he was appointed professor of Theology in 1959, professor of Canon Law and professor of Spirituality in 1963, and Vocation Director in 1978. In 2000, he was appointed Superior at Assumption Abbey in Ava, Missouri, and later that same year, he was elected Abbot of the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, Georgia. He returned to St. Joseph's Abbey after retiring in 2002. He died on June 3, 2005, the Feast of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, from injuries sustained from a car accident.

The problem, of course, is in how the ideas of a good person are taken out of context, over simplified and used without thought as to the consequences. The more a person is imitating some sort of "new age" or version of transcendental meditation the less they can accurately say they are following Fr. Pennington's instructions on the traditional Benedictine practice of lectio divino based on the Bible.

The dictionary defines a "mantra" as "a sacred verbal formula repeated in prayer, meditation, or incantation..." Pennington does not advocate the use of a mantra in this article, but as a Protestant I have observed the comfort that many Catholics experience through the repetitive prayers of the Hail Mary, the Our Father and the rosary. Even these, however, are not "mantras" as they are used in Hindu meditation.

If my words are or were offensive, I regret any harm that has been done.

Dave Z

Wild Gold

I know of a Catholic Meditation/Prayer method called Taize. There is a Catholic Student Organization at my college as well as many others that have Taize sessions. I've yet to attend one. I think there is nothing wrong with trying this form of meditative prayer, and certainly nothng wrong with studying up on it to use in your novel. In fact, Taize could have many benefits for those of Buddhist, Hindu, or other Meditative Religions either converting to Catholicism or mingling with Catholics. It's not really so different than a Catholic going Trick-or-Treating on Halloween, which is ok with most Catholics, & even most Christians that I know.

NaNo 2008, what will you bring?
More WKRC? The Triumphant return of Siegfred's Giant? The Misadventures of Hans and Greta? Or the newly discovered From one Architect to Another?