Category Archives: meditation

meditation, Prayer

Penitential Psalms Series and podcast

2 Comments

For some time I have been considering starting a podcast here at I Trust When Dark My Road. While I am in the process of setting this up, I am going to start posting some of my interviews from Issues Etc. on the Psalms. Here is the link to my interview on Psalm Six.

Would you be interested in a podcast? If so, what kind of content would most interest you? Interviews, devotional, or something else? Thanks for your thoughts.

-DMR (a.k.a. Pr. Peperkorn)

anfechtung, faith, meditation, mental illness

So what could you use spiritually?

8 Comments

My recent post about reading has prompted a further question for me.  The comments, as well as the experience that I have had, tells me that people who are going through depression rarely have the mental energy (or whatever you want to call it) to sit down and read.  Even if it’s short.  Even if it’s great.  If you don’t have the energy to look at the comics, a book on the theology of the cross and depression just isn’t going to help you.

So what will?

I’m not talking about medical or psychological help.  I mean spiritual help.  What will help heal your soul?  Audio, video, something else?

I’m just thinking out loud here.  I’d like to hear your thoughts.

-DMR

faith, meditation

Meditation, Depression and Christianity

6 Comments

Meditation

A reader recently asked me to comment on the relationship between meditation and depression. I’ve already posted on this once, but it seems a worthy topic.  Before we can begin in earnest we need to define a few things:

What is meditation?

The ever-reliable Wikipedia describes meditation like this: Continue reading Meditation, Depression and Christianity →

anxiety, depression, meditation, pharmacology

Medication or Meditation: Was ist Das?

2 Comments

One of our gentle writes asked me to write a little about meditation vs. medication. If you read much in the way of comments here, you will find that many of the readers here have a much lower view of pharmacology and medication that I do. That’s okay, I can take the heat.

One does not have to do much research to discover that there is a whole field of study on the relationship between meditation and depression. Some of the articles I found after a quick search are HERE, HERE and HERE. One of the things we have to establish is what is really meant by meditation.

Meditation can mean everything from yoga, visualization techniques, Cognitive Therapy (my personal favorite), and a world of other types of meditation that may or may not have a religious element to them. Probably the common element among them is using some method to cleanse or clear the mind, to focus on one thing, and through this process to change one’s thinking. I won’t claim to be an expert on non-Western forms of meditation, but I know just enough to be dangerous.

Here are a few preliminary observations from a Lutheran perspective:

  • Evaluate whether the technique works within the framework of a religious system that is contrary to Christianity. Some types of meditation are benign; others have a totally skewed view of human spirit (usually a variation on denying original sin). Does the form of meditation have aspects of it that just don’t sit with the theology of the cross? Is meditation seen as a way of supplanting prayer?
  • What are the expectations of the writer/teacher/guide who is leading the meditation? If there is talk about being a disciple of a certain form, I would start to get nervous.
  • Does the form have history, is it established and recognized at least at some level by professionals in different fields? While this isn’t absolutely necessary, if something is written off as complete quackery, it may be because it is.

My therapist has used and is a proponent of cognitive therapy or cognitive reframing. We have also used some basic relaxation techniques to help deal with anxiety. I’ve found them both to be extremely helpful. Are they THE solution? No? Can they replace medication and other means of help? Not for me. If you don’t have the energy to get out of bed, it is very difficult to imagine having the energy to meditate, no matter how relaxing or liberating it may be. I can know something is good for me and still not be able to do it.

Anyway, those are a few initial thoughts. What are yours?

-DMR

anxiety, depression, meditation, pharmacology

Medication or Meditation: Was ist Das?

2 Comments

One of our gentle writes asked me to write a little about meditation vs. medication. If you read much in the way of comments here, you will find that many of the readers here have a much lower view of pharmacology and medication that I do. That’s okay, I can take the heat.

One does not have to do much research to discover that there is a whole field of study on the relationship between meditation and depression. Some of the articles I found after a quick search are HERE, HERE and HERE. One of the things we have to establish is what is really meant by meditation.

Meditation can mean everything from yoga, visualization techniques, Cognitive Therapy (my personal favorite), and a world of other types of meditation that may or may not have a religious element to them. Probably the common element among them is using some method to cleanse or clear the mind, to focus on one thing, and through this process to change one’s thinking. I won’t claim to be an expert on non-Western forms of meditation, but I know just enough to be dangerous.

Here are a few preliminary observations from a Lutheran perspective:

  • Evaluate whether the technique works within the framework of a religious system that is contrary to Christianity. Some types of meditation are benign; others have a totally skewed view of human spirit (usually a variation on denying original sin). Does the form of meditation have aspects of it that just don’t sit with the theology of the cross? Is meditation seen as a way of supplanting prayer?
  • What are the expectations of the writer/teacher/guide who is leading the meditation? If there is talk about being a disciple of a certain form, I would start to get nervous.
  • Does the form have history, is it established and recognized at least at some level by professionals in different fields? While this isn’t absolutely necessary, if something is written off as complete quackery, it may be because it is.

My therapist has used and is a proponent of cognitive therapy or cognitive reframing. We have also used some basic relaxation techniques to help deal with anxiety. I’ve found them both to be extremely helpful. Are they THE solution? No? Can they replace medication and other means of help? Not for me. If you don’t have the energy to get out of bed, it is very difficult to imagine having the energy to meditate, no matter how relaxing or liberating it may be. I can know something is good for me and still not be able to do it.

Anyway, those are a few initial thoughts. What are yours?

-DMR