What is behind the “New Age” meditation? – The Beige Lounge

Excerpt from an article by IFamNews :

The first thing to distinguish is that prayer and meditation are not the same thing.

Meditation is a way of thinking about something, a situation, events or our life in general. It’s a way to find yourself. It is very necessary nowadays, when we are immersed in an accelerated rhythm and with a lot of noise around us which prevents us from thinking. But along with meditation, we must not forget prayer.

Prayer is an encounter with the Other who is not me, it is an exit from myself to have a direct relationship with God. Christians, knowing that God is our Father, turn to him in prayer, which makes us transcend this material world. In this way, we can not only experience great calm and inner peace, but also discern God’s will in our lives.

Meditating on the Word of God is another way for Christians to enrich themselves and increase their faith.

However, New Age meditation has nothing to do with our relationship with God. The different techniques introduce you to the world of Buddhism or Hinduism, which, far from what is apparently shown with a monk in the face as if he had never broken a plate in his life, we find spiritual practices which can introduce us to the world of occultism, esotericism and Satanism. Its roots are linked to the obscure practices of Freemasonry at the end of the 19th century. It may seem far-fetched, but more and more testimonials and studies show this harsh reality. The increase in anxiety and depression in those who have practiced it diligently is proof of this.

The goal of New Age meditation is to reach Nirvana, that is, to let go of our self, our being, to merge with another being from beyond, a kind of energy. We are taught to despise our body, which is totally against our Christian religion, because we are the temple of the Holy Spirit. This meditation takes you away from God because it makes you focus on yourself, in a selfish individualism, seeking relaxation and well-being away from the peace that the Holy Spirit gives us. But it also distances you from the acceptance of suffering, that is, of the Cross. And a Christian cannot exist without the cross, it is our sign and what opens the door to eternal life.

A Buddhist, on the other hand, will always try to escape suffering by seeking the pleasant earthly life, thereby ignoring sin and, above all, Jesus Christ as the Son of God who saves us and delivers us from this bondage. It is not we, by our own strength, who can purify this evil. We are not the only ones who can achieve total relaxation. Alone we cannot, we need God, our Father, in our lives, and New Age meditation prevents us from reaching him.