Video – Difference between meditation and contemplation?
October 16, 2012 by Dan Burke
Filed under Contemplation, Meditation, Prayer, Videos
Father John Bartunek and Dan Burke discuss the difference between meditation and contemplation. About Dan BurkeDan is the founder of Roman Catholic Spiritual Direction and author of the award winning book, Navigating the Interior Life - Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God. Beyond his “contagious” love for Jesus and His Church, he is a grateful husband and father of four, the Executive Director of and... Read More
Video – The Better Part and The 4 “Cs” of Meditation
September 29, 2012 by Dan Burke
Filed under Meditation, Prayer, The Better Part, Videos
In this video, Fr. John helps us understand how to use the “Four Cs” of meditation, Concentrate, Consider, Converse, and Commit. To learn more about this method and to dig deeper in your relationship with Christ through Christian meditation, please consider purchasing Fr. John’s fantastic book, The Better Part – A Christ Centered Resource for Personal Prayer. To learn more about these videos and... Read More
Affective Meditation – Navigating the Interior Life Spiritual Dictionary
August 30, 2012 by Dan Burke
Filed under Meditation, Mental Prayer, Navigating, Prayer, Spiritual Dictionary
AFFECTIVE MEDITATION: Often the result of discursive meditation, affective prayer occurs when the heart and mind are engaged, with and beyond the intellect, with the object of the meditation. This Spiritual Dictionary Term is an excerpt from the Glossary of Dan’s book Navigating the Interior Life – Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God. To learn more, click here About Dan BurkeDan is the founder... Read More
Meditation – Navigating the Interior Life Spiritual Dictionary
August 28, 2012 by Dan Burke
Filed under Meditation, Mental Prayer, Navigating, Prayer, Spiritual Dictionary
MEDITATION: Reflective prayer. It is that form of mental prayer in which the mind, in God’s presence, thinks about God and divine things. While the affections may also be active, the stress in meditation is on the role of the intellect. Hence this is also called discursive mental prayer. The objects of meditation are mainly three: mysteries of faith; a person’s better knowledge of what God wants him or... Read More
Should I set aside my meditation and vocal prayer to go deeper in my spiritual life? (modified)
August 18, 2012 by Dan Burke
Filed under Liturgy of the Hours, Meditation, Mental Prayer, Prayer, Rosary, Vocal
Q: Dear Dan, I have a rule of life (firm spiritual commitments) and as part of that rule I have been meditating (Ignatian) and praying the rosary and the Liturgy of the Hours daily for years now. My struggle is that I have heard that if I sense the Lord’s presence (which does happen), that I should set these prayers aside and focus on the Lord. I am confused, I thought that focusing on God is what I am already doing. To... Read More
What is “Lectio Divina” and will it help my prayer life? – A Guide to Lectio Divina
April 21, 2012 by Dan Burke
Filed under Contemplation, Lectio Divina, Meditation, Mental Prayer, Prayer, Q and A, Resources
Q: Dear Dan, can you help me understand Lectio Divina and whether or not I should use it to help me improve my prayer life? I am struggling right now and feel like I need a change but I don’t know what will help. A: Any Christian seeking to deepen their relationship with Christ will no doubt be blessed through this time tested monastic prayer method. Many of you who use The Better Part to pray will discover one of the... Read More
Catechism – Meditation – 2708
March 29, 2012 by Dan Burke
Filed under Catechism, Meditation, Prayer, Prayer
Meditation engages thought, imagination, emotion, and desire. This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our heart, and strengthen our will to follow Christ. Christian prayer tries above all to meditate on the mysteries of Christ, as in lectio divina or the rosary. This form of prayerful reflection is of great value, but Christian prayer should go further:... Read More
How can we mature through the first few rooms of the Interior Castle?
March 27, 2012 by Sister Carmen Laudis OCD
Filed under Carmelite Spirituality, Meditation, Mental Prayer, Prayer, Q and A
Q: Dear Sister Carmen, in your last post you provided a really helpful summary of the first few mansions. You mentioned that they are “rooms of humility.” I would be grateful if you could help me understand the kinds of prayer that help us mature through these first few rooms. I have been advised to practice meditation for which Fr. John’s Better Part is a wonderful resource. Is this also consistent with Carmelite spirituality... Read More
Catechism – Meditation – 2707
There are as many and varied methods of meditation as there are spiritual masters. Christians owe it to themselves to develop the desire to meditate regularly, lest they come to resemble the three first kinds of soil in the parable of the sower. But a method is only a guide; the important thing is to advance, with the Holy Spirit, along the one way of prayer: Christ Jesus. About Dan BurkeDan is the founder of Roman... Read More
Catechism – Meditation – 2706
March 15, 2012 by Dan Burke
Filed under Catechism, Meditation, Prayer, Prayer
To meditate on what we read helps us to make it our own by confronting it with ourselves. Here, another book is opened: the book of life. We pass from thoughts to reality. To the extent that we are humble and faithful, we discover in meditation the movements that stir the heart and we are able to discern them. It is a question of acting truthfully in order to come into the light: ‘Lord, what do you want me to do?’ ... Read More
