BIG NEWS: My new book Jesus: A Field Manual is out October 3, 2023! You can pre-order the ebook in the Kindle store right now, and the paperback is out on Oct. 3. a.co/d/c5CuJgb For updates on the book and all my other work, contact me through withjonadams.com to sign up for my new email newsletter.
That's such a beautiful image. Do you feel the waves against your feet when you are there? Can you smell the sea and hear the waves caressing the sand? I think being by the sea with Jesus is an amazing image. My mom imagines walking with Jesus through the woods. She can describe the smell of the woods, the crunch of the leaves, the colors of the trees, and the warmth of the light coming from Jesus and filling up her entire being. Time with Jesus is always time well spent.
You are hitting home runs Jon! How our brains continue to grow & develop through the influences of what we listen to, see, read and put into practice, is astounding. All those stimuli are the gym in which the muscles of our brain works out in. The results can be healthy or damaging. I wish more people understood this.
Mediation is so transformative for me but I always allow the Holy Spirit to be very present in my mediations. Thank you. Your video was very clear and Scripturally based.
Thank you for this video, I have been dying for silent meditation but i live on fire for Jesus, that's how I ended up here. Good to know from Scripture that they don't clash
I am so happy you made this video. There have been a number of studies done on meditation and there are so many mental and physical benefits-and a Christ centered meditation is even better! ✝️
For some time, I have been consciously redirected my mental scripts when the outside stimuli wants to initiate worry, fear, anger, or doubt. I start praising God and giving thanks. I remind myself of God's character and works.
Hi :) what about the rosary? I tried meditating for years and it never did anything for me. Then I started praying the rosary and I reach meditative state in minutes and I LOVE it. Also, it is proven that it lowers your heart rate rather quickly and is a more effective way to get into a relaxed state than a lot of other relaxing techniques. ❤
As someone who has always believed in God as being something both within me and as an external powerful force, and identified as a christian, but has had powerful supernatural experiences and also believes in myself as a healer- I have to say this is really affirming and refreshing. Thank for your balance. Your energy is much better than so many I've seen on youtube that have simply brought fear upon me where there was none before. Meditation has saved me, not only spiritually- but emotionally, as a trauma survivor, it helps our brains rewire. I naturally, as someone who has always felt connected to God- feel his presence in meditation, as well as my "higher self" but I do not aim to seek only what is within me, but rather what is holy. I hope this makes sense. I want to explore christian mysticism further. Thank you.
How are you in your seeking? I too am seeking. Discovered meditation during COVID shut down. Just discovered Jon Adams and am SOo excited to grow in understanding Christian mysticism!
Wow. Just started listening to your videos (2). These are great!!! You are really speaking to me. Keep up the good work. It is having an impact. Just ordered your book.
great content, thank you! I like saying the Jesus prayer for meditation, and also Song of Songs 2:16 "My beloved is mine, and I am his." (I meditate the first part on inhale, the second part on exhale). I find this captures the way I experience my relationship with Christ. such a nice confirmation too- in my own small intuitions in my own mystical journey, I was called to sit in silence in the presence of God. One way to make it Christian is to pray at the beginning, as I always start my meditation with a prayer and a request that Jesus cleanse me of my sins, wash me with his Blood, fill me with his Body, and open my heart to his love. Then I request that God fill me with his Holy Spirit and give me ears to hear what He wants to tell me. Then I sit in silence before the Lord. thanks for the wonderful content. I'm enjoying these videos immensely and they are a great help and confirmation that I (un-trained, un-read, and un-educated in the ways of mysticism) am on the right path!
Hello John, love your videos. I have been on a devout mystical path for some years now, immersed in the teachings of Rumi and the Yogic teachings. My older brother and significant other are both Christian, and I have grown to become interested in the bible and Christian mysticism in general. Thank you for the videos, I believe in time your videos will gain tremendous popularity, as they are well made and very informative.
Thank you for this video. Your clarification of the difference between Christian and other Eastern meditation was something I think I knew at some level but it was helpful to hear your distinction between the two.
Great video man. An enthusiast here checking on all your vedios regarding this subject. I'm a hindu by the way and your words on ' hindu meditation ' is very generalized. It is surely the philosophy of monism which is prevalent in west ,whereas here in India we have many philosophies like qualified monism and Dualism. I'm born in a family of Dualism which resonates more with what you are saying. Whereas for some Hindus it may be different than what they actually practice. Great help for learner like me. Thankyou.....
I just discored your channel looking for kabbalaha teaching and Christian mysticism. I already have years of intense meditation experience in the budhist tradition namely theravadin. I believe all ancient religions and tribal shamanism contain indispensable gems of wisdom and I love to study all spiritual practices. Keep up the good work buddy
Contemplation is contemplation as you described focused meditation. You read a passage from David this has a mystical element to it. The “right hand” is clue to the right side, the non linear and right brained approach. It’s never ever done through effort. Mystics are essentially in love with the object of their devotion. The brain in love reflects effortlessly on the beloved. Read Madam Guyon in The Prayer of the Heart. Or Evelyn Underhill, The Mystic. Silent meditation is absolutely about being -but not “stopping the thought”. Many people don’t believe they can stop their thoughts and what should be an act that refreshes one turns into a struggle. It’s not effective from that approach. Silence is already the nature under all thought and speech. This meditation still benefits from an object of meditation especially the breath because they are linked like a person and their image in a mirror. Established in silence a person can realize this is where their true nature is one with God. It is mystical union. There are also experiences of transcending thought but this takes no effort and is a moment of grace as well as layers in that nearly still place that are sublime and beyond any description.
Where is the link!? I’m excited to seek more and find truth. 45 years to find this truth! Freedom. Love. Peace. God outside the box I learned to put him in. THANKYOU!!! Keep these coming! I want more!!
this year i started to meditate i was meditating at work worshiping while i walk between houses my work changed and had to stay up all night on call so i started to read scripture more i became more aware of the holy spirit and i had an underlying feeling alot of the time that i had never had before then one night i started to call on the name of the lord i had repented the day before because i knew i had resentment somewhere in me for Jesus i felt like others dictated to me who i was and who God was. that night when i was calling on the name of the lord i turned over and as soon as i had something strange happened to me it was as if all deathly expectation had left my perception and i was aware of the closeness of God and his gaze on me in away that changed everything I'm not sure how long this lasted but i felt as if God had visited me to answer my question about a personal image of Christ during the period of a month after that i had many experiences like this i was so pleased to be talking to God and aware of him that i was no longer interested in eating or sleeping i felt as if my energy was lifted instead by talking to people and praying for them during this time i can see how i wasn't prepared for this experience yet and had some thought and actions which werent from God i had times of pride and also fear. my walk with God has been very real at times but because it is in opposition to everyone around me i easily doubt and deny it after a while. the sharp change indirection and perception in my life since this experience was overwhelming i have backed off from spending time with God i did fast for a few days and it increased but the reality of Gods intimacy for me compared to my lack of faith and identity in the world and greed for relationships with others outside of God focus has left me in a place of indecisiveness my dad said to me when i was a kid if you give a dog a good piece of meat it makes them confused i think it must be like this because this is all i have ever dreamed of but I'm full of doubt and mistrust for the love i was made for.
Hey Noah, thank you for sharing your experience. There are a lot of us who had very positive experiences when we first started meditation, and then struggled later. In the mystical literature this is very common, too. All I can say is that the Spirit knows what he's doing in your life, and things will even out over time. I may talk to Zach about this in one of our live conversations, is that ok? And know that we're all here for you in spirit. Thanks again for sharing.
Frequently in Christianity, a distinction is made between "liturgical" and "non-liturgical" churches based on how elaborate or antiquated the worship; in this usage, churches whose services are unscripted or improvised are called "non-liturgical". I was a assistant Pastor for the Assemblies of God for almost 10 years . . .one day I was looking through some song books that were dated back to the 1930's. And these were Assemblies of God song books . . .to my amazement there was written literary in these song books that was used . . .by Pastors in the early days of the A/G. In my heart I said I would never use liturgy In my church services and worship times. The Holy Spirit checked my heart and told me I was just being religious. I thought to myself that this was just me and my own thinking saying that . . . But over a year God dealt with me about liturgy . . . All hymns that we sing is liturgy . . .the Lord's prayer is liturgy and the very bible is written liturgy. Every church service is liturgy or (a order of service) you sing 4 or 5 songs, tell the announcements collect the offering prays are prayed a sermon preached . . .some churches still have a altar call, then prayers of dismissal and everyone go's out to eat some where. This is all liturgy. Like a radio there are a lot of frequencies out there in the world . . .sin comes in many sounds, vis·u·al a·cu·i·ties. God spoke everything into existence, Jesus is the spoken word of God, faith comes by believers speaking it. Harmonics of the Spoken Word can products life or death. God doesn't habit every frequency. Not everything you do is pleasing to God, many things grieve the Holy Spirit. The Vibratory formulae ...or Harmonic Resonance; when you worship God, individually or with others, you are Resonating a Frequency that only God, can Harmonize too. . .all other frequency res·o·nances, do not set up a Harmony Resonance that God, can Resonate too, ....God in Habits our Praises because he Resonates on that Frequency . . . It's not religious in the modern vernacular of the word . . .I love spending time in the presence of God . . . The More we worship God the more we spend time in God's Plane of Existence . . Using candles and burning incense can help set up a vis·u·al a·cu·i·ty, to help us focus on God and be less distracted by the other frequencies around us . . .Using written liturgies like Hyms and Prayers can help us stay focus on the worship at hand, dialed into or more clarified to the Holy Spirit. There are a lot of voices out there in the world, trying to draw your attention away from God, there is only one frequency we need to be dialed into, and there is only one order of service that let's us har·mo·nize with God and it's the Blood of Jesus. . .being applied by faith to a sinners heart. I love liturgy now . . .it helps me resonate with God in Christ Jesus in Harmony with all that is Holy and Righteous. -Friar Rodney Burnap .
I have a podcast and would love have you on my show. I don't both a silent and focused meditation with a single meditation. Sometimes one or the other in a session, sometimes a mixture.
I am coming over from study/practice of the Eastern religions for just the reasons you mentioned. I have a hard time trusting, I guess, and it seems much less daunting to find God within us, rather than we being a separate entity. But when I look inside myself, even in deep meditation I find nothing but confusion and anger. Can you expound a little on whether the scripture says God, or God's spirit, actually dwells within us? How can we go about communicating with a being that cannot be seen or heard? Thank you so much for your videos!
Hi Jon, I got a little confused with the difference between the end goal of other spiritual paths that also practice meditation (like hinduism or budism). I may have undestood you wrong, I am not an expert but I am studying and practicing yoga and the self discovery is an essential part of the path of yoga but it is not the end goal at all, the end goal is to know that we are a spirit and it's part of god and we are all connected. We do that by practising ethics, postures and meditation (that calms the mind chatter to feel the love of god). So to me it does not look that different. Thank you Jon, peace.
I see it as both, the masculine and feminine aspects of our planet's cultural understandings of the Creator. I hope that Christians begin to see that God speaks through many mediums, and begin to discover God in all things.
I think that in Hindu devotional meditation (Bhakti) the devotee is usually concentrated upon a personal god for instance Krishna. Brahman is the impersonal 'Godhead' that one wishes to attain in that tradition but Bhakti is usually about a personal deity in my limited understanding. If I am wrong with that statement I'd be happy to hear from other's where I have made an error
Nirguna Brahman is God which is existence itself/the unmanifested/utterly simple and beyond even being .Saguna brahman would be the manifested personal God with attributes
Can a person on the path to Christian Mysticism repeat the Um or Om chant as a means opening up oneself and listening for God's voice while feeling the energy of creation flow through the body?
I just found your channel, thank you for your content! I have been seeking someone to help me explain Christian mysticism and the experiences I've been having. I have been rejected and rebuked by the Orthodox Christians that I love around me. Thank you for helping me
I'm glad you picked up on that! I've done some reading on hesychasm, and although I don't think too many of us can become true hesychasts, I think their practices can definitely enrich our prayer lives.
Does a Christian Mystic acknowledge all scripture as the inerrant Word of God? Or does a Christian mystic wait for revelation and go with what they think is considered dogma?
My next video is about the mystical relationship to Scripture. Christian mystics usually don't just think the Bible is true - they take responsibility for making it's spiritual truth true in them.
@@withjonadams thanks! I'll keep an eye out for it. My sister shared with me that she is a Christian mystic and big into yoga/meditation. I'm confused that she claims we don't know Truth nor that anyone can...and that there is no heaven or hell. Or that scripture is not necessarily something we can trust as it's interpreted in so many ways. Is this a fair representation of a Christian mystic? I'll keep an eye out for your next video and hope you can address this. Just subbed you.
@@myke23111 No, I wouldn't say that her opinion as you described it represents the historical mystical tradition that I talk about. But I wouldn't discard what she's trying to say, she probably has good reasons for thinking that way and it would be good for you to learn from her experience :)
@@withjonadams absolutely, I wouldn't degrade her experience or path towards Truth; however, it seems that a Christian mystic believes that the Bible is the inspired word of God and that there is a heavenly realm or place where we go in spirit form when we die.
. . ."Again this is "Lectio Divina". . . Not all "Friar's" are Roman Catholic, most have nothing to do with the Roman Catholic Church and deeply believe it's the Roman Catholic Church that is the real heretic . . .a "cult" that preaches a different Jesus, and a different gospel then what is outlined in the Holy Bible. The Word Friar just means brother or brethren of the faith, we are a brotherhood, of believers in the Way of Christ. . .Christ Way of Living. We are not Roman Catholic's or Protestant believers, but are first Century Believers in Christ, doctrines an theologies, that have been adapted from Bible verses after the passing of the 12 apostles we have very little to do with. So if we seem not interested, in most of what you teach as your distinctive doctrine. . . it's not because we don't like you, it's that we are not interested in modern systematic theology. We study the bible by reading it, and praying over what we are reading... Lectio divina: read, meditate, pray, contemplate. In Christianity, Lectio Divina (Latin for divine reading) is a traditional Nazaritenn practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote Lectio divina: read, meditate, pray, contemplate. In Christianity, Lectio Divina (Latin for divine reading) is a traditional Nazaritenn practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's Word.[1] It does not treat Scripture as texts to be studied, but as the Living Word.[2] Traditionally Lectio Divina has 4 separate steps: read, meditate, pray and contemplate. First a passage of Scripture is read, then its meaning is reflected upon. This is followed by prayer and contemplation on the Word of God.[3] The focus of Lectio Divina is not a theological analysis of biblical passages but viewing them with Christ as the key to their meaning. For example, given Jesus' statement in John 14:27:. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you" an analytical approach would focus on the reason for the statement during the Last Supper, the biblical context, etc. But in Lectio Divina rather than "dissecting peace", the practitioner "enters peace" and shares in the peace of Christ.[4] In Christian teachings, this form of meditative prayer leads to an increased knowledge of Christ. them with Christ as the key to their meaning. For example, given Jesus' statement in John 14:27:. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you" an analytical approach would focus on the reason for the statement during the Last Supper, the biblical context, etc. But in Lectio Divina rather than "dissecting peace", the practitioner "enters peace" and shares in the peace of Christ.[4] In Christian teachings, this form of meditative prayer leads to an increased knowledge of Christ. We study the Bible as the "Living Word of God" or "Lectio Divina". . . Jesus said in Luke 14:33 Whosoever KJV to become a Disciple you have to forsake all, so we do that we forsake all . . ."Lectio Divina". The Bible also tells us that our giving is how God measures how much to bless us back with. . .so forsaking all, means in God's timing we will get it all back . . .the things God wants us to have. . . Luke 6:38 King James Version 38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. Again this is "Lectio Divina". We read the Living Word of God, then enter into what it's saying . . . Mark 16:15 Go into all the World and Preach the Gospel of Salvation to everyone . . .so we have Forsaken all, this freeze us up to Go into all the World and Preach the Gospel of Salvation to everyone . . . Jesus told his disciples, to only take the bare necessities with them . . .so we live by faith with what we can carry, or need to for fill this part of our missionary journey . . . Matthew10:7-10, Mark 6:8-12, Luke 9:3-12, Luke 10:2-7 Again this is "Lectio Divina".
Frequently in Christianity, a distinction is made between "liturgical" and "non-liturgical" churches based on how elaborate or antiquated the worship; in this usage, churches whose services are unscripted or improvised are called "non-liturgical". I was a assistant Pastor for the Assemblies of God for almost 10 years . . .one day I was looking through some song books that were dated back to the 1930's. And these were Assemblies of God song books . . .to my amazement there was written literary in these song books that was used . . .by Pastors in the early days of the A/G. In my heart I said I would never use liturgy In my church services and worship times. The Holy Spirit checked my heart and told me I was just being religious. I thought to myself that this was just me and my own thinking saying that . . . But over a year God dealt with me about liturgy . . . All hymns that we sing is liturgy . . .the Lord's prayer is liturgy and the very bible is written liturgy. Every church service is liturgy or (a order of service) you sing 4 or 5 songs, tell the announcements collect the offering prays are prayed a sermon preached . . .some churches still have a altar call, then prayers of dismissal and everyone go's out to eat some where. This is all liturgy. Like a radio there are a lot of frequencies out there in the world . . .sin comes in many sounds, vis·u·al a·cu·i·ties. God spoke everything into existence, Jesus is the spoken word of God, faith comes by believers speaking it. Harmonics of the Spoken Word can products life or death. God doesn't habit every frequency. Not everything you do is pleasing to God, many things grieve the Holy Spirit. The Vibratory formulae ...or Harmonic Resonance; when you worship God, individually or with others, you are Resonating a Frequency that only God, can Harmonize too. . .all other frequency res·o·nances, do not set up a Harmony Resonance that God, can Resonate too, ....God in Habits our Praises because he Resonates on that Frequency . . . It's not religious in the modern vernacular of the word . . .I love spending time in the presence of God . . . The More we worship God the more we spend time in God's Plane of Existence . . Using candles and burning incense can help set up a vis·u·al a·cu·i·ty, to help us focus on God and be less distracted by the other frequencies around us . . .Using written liturgies like Hyms and Prayers can help us stay focus on the worship at hand, dialed into or more clarified to the Holy Spirit. There are a lot of voices out there in the world, trying to draw your attention away from God, there is only one frequency we need to be dialed into, and there is only one order of service that let's us har·mo·nize with God and it's the Blood of Jesus. . .being applied by faith to a sinners heart. I love liturgy now . . .it helps me resonate with God in Christ Jesus in Harmony with all that is Holy and Righteous. -Friar Rodney Burnap .
With love This is beyond stupid ! It’s like me playing with a ouija board and saying I don’t wanna conjure up demons ! I only believe in and acknowledge angels so I’m gonna talk to angels, but I’m playing with the ouija board 🫤 lol, meditation 🧘♂️ with trying to control your consciousness on any level is from eastern mysticism as you mentioned ! 🤦🏽 it’s from religions that don’t acknowledge Christ as the son of God!!!!! So you can’t take their practices and make it spiritual or beneficial to the Holy Ghost bro. You’re treading on dangerous ground and playing with spirits and you don’t even know it! Then you’re teaching it to other folks.. smh the Bible doesn’t teach any of this , when it says meditate they went off to be alone with God, pray or seek him. Not contemplative prayer , not quieting the mind none of that foolishness ! Stop merging the devils tactics to open folks up to other spirits with Christianity! This is what the Bible calls the spirit of error! Peace
BIG NEWS: My new book Jesus: A Field Manual is out October 3, 2023! You can pre-order the ebook in the Kindle store right now, and the paperback is out on Oct. 3.
a.co/d/c5CuJgb
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His delight is in the law of the Lord, and on it does he meditate day and night - Psalm 1
I just got into meditation and I love it. I never thought it would be against God. When I meditate, I imagine sitting by the ocean next to Jesus.
That's such a beautiful image. Do you feel the waves against your feet when you are there? Can you smell the sea and hear the waves caressing the sand? I think being by the sea with Jesus is an amazing image.
My mom imagines walking with Jesus through the woods. She can describe the smell of the woods, the crunch of the leaves, the colors of the trees, and the warmth of the light coming from Jesus and filling up her entire being. Time with Jesus is always time well spent.
Amy Akins I mostly feel God’s light shining on our faces and the cool breeze from the ocean lol. I should try to do better with visualizing lol.
@@a.b.2405 I think your visualization is beautiful!
Amy Akins thank you so much!
@@amyakins1284 How is she able to achieve that🤯?
You are hitting home runs Jon! How our brains continue to grow & develop through the influences of what we listen to, see, read and put into practice, is astounding. All those stimuli are the gym in which the muscles of our brain works out in. The results can be healthy or damaging. I wish more people understood this.
Mediation is so transformative for me but I always allow the Holy Spirit to be very present in my mediations. Thank you. Your video was very clear and Scripturally based.
Wonderful explanation 🔥🔥🔥
Thank you for this video, I have been dying for silent meditation but i live on fire for Jesus, that's how I ended up here. Good to know from Scripture that they don't clash
I am so happy you made this video. There have been a number of studies done on meditation and there are so many mental and physical benefits-and a Christ centered meditation is even better! ✝️
For some time, I have been consciously redirected my mental scripts when the outside stimuli wants to initiate worry, fear, anger, or doubt. I start praising God and giving thanks. I remind myself of God's character and works.
Hi :) what about the rosary? I tried meditating for years and it never did anything for me. Then I started praying the rosary and I reach meditative state in minutes and I LOVE it. Also, it is proven that it lowers your heart rate rather quickly and is a more effective way to get into a relaxed state than a lot of other relaxing techniques. ❤
Yes; the collective energy. Right now, it's very painful with all the stress in the news right now. We could heal it, though.
I just discovered this truth and I am now trying to heal it with you.
As someone who has always believed in God as being something both within me and as an external powerful force, and identified as a christian, but has had powerful supernatural experiences and also believes in myself as a healer- I have to say this is really affirming and refreshing. Thank for your balance. Your energy is much better than so many I've seen on youtube that have simply brought fear upon me where there was none before. Meditation has saved me, not only spiritually- but emotionally, as a trauma survivor, it helps our brains rewire. I naturally, as someone who has always felt connected to God- feel his presence in meditation, as well as my "higher self" but I do not aim to seek only what is within me, but rather what is holy. I hope this makes sense. I want to explore christian mysticism further. Thank you.
How are you in your seeking? I too am seeking. Discovered meditation during COVID shut down. Just discovered Jon Adams and am SOo excited to grow in understanding Christian mysticism!
Wow. Just started listening to your videos (2). These are great!!! You are really speaking to me. Keep up the good work. It is having an impact. Just ordered your book.
great content, thank you! I like saying the Jesus prayer for meditation, and also Song of Songs 2:16 "My beloved is mine, and I am his." (I meditate the first part on inhale, the second part on exhale). I find this captures the way I experience my relationship with Christ.
such a nice confirmation too- in my own small intuitions in my own mystical journey, I was called to sit in silence in the presence of God. One way to make it Christian is to pray at the beginning, as I always start my meditation with a prayer and a request that Jesus cleanse me of my sins, wash me with his Blood, fill me with his Body, and open my heart to his love. Then I request that God fill me with his Holy Spirit and give me ears to hear what He wants to tell me. Then I sit in silence before the Lord.
thanks for the wonderful content. I'm enjoying these videos immensely and they are a great help and confirmation that I (un-trained, un-read, and un-educated in the ways of mysticism) am on the right path!
Make more episodes!!! Please! 😅😅
Hello John, love your videos. I have been on a devout mystical path for some years now, immersed in the teachings of Rumi and the Yogic teachings. My older brother and significant other are both Christian, and I have grown to become interested in the bible and Christian mysticism in general. Thank you for the videos, I believe in time your videos will gain tremendous popularity, as they are well made and very informative.
Thank you for this video. Your clarification of the difference between Christian and other Eastern meditation was something I think I knew at some level but it was helpful to hear your distinction between the two.
Great stuff! שלום!
Great video man. An enthusiast here checking on all your vedios regarding this subject. I'm a hindu by the way and your words on ' hindu meditation ' is very generalized. It is surely the philosophy of monism which is prevalent in west ,whereas here in India we have many philosophies like qualified monism and Dualism. I'm born in a family of Dualism which resonates more with what you are saying. Whereas for some Hindus it may be different than what they actually practice.
Great help for learner like me. Thankyou.....
Thank you so much for your insight!
I just discored your channel looking for kabbalaha teaching and Christian mysticism. I already have years of intense meditation experience in the budhist tradition namely theravadin. I believe all ancient religions and tribal shamanism contain indispensable gems of wisdom and I love to study all spiritual practices. Keep up the good work buddy
Contemplation is contemplation as you described focused meditation. You read a passage from David this has a mystical element to it. The “right hand” is clue to the right side, the non linear and right brained approach. It’s never ever done through effort. Mystics are essentially in love with the object of their devotion. The brain in love reflects effortlessly on the beloved. Read Madam Guyon in The Prayer of the Heart. Or Evelyn Underhill, The Mystic.
Silent meditation is absolutely about being -but not “stopping the thought”. Many people don’t believe they can stop their thoughts and what should be an act that refreshes one turns into a struggle. It’s not effective from that approach. Silence is already the nature under all thought and speech. This meditation still benefits from an object of meditation especially the breath because they are linked like a person and their image in a mirror. Established in silence a person can realize this is where their true nature is one with God. It is mystical union. There are also experiences of transcending thought but this takes no effort and is a moment of grace as well as layers in that nearly still place that are sublime and beyond any description.
Beautiful and so simple yet takes much work I'm finding most of the things of God r simple nice John insightful thank u
Where is the link!? I’m excited to seek more and find truth. 45 years to find this truth! Freedom. Love. Peace. God outside the box I learned to put him in. THANKYOU!!! Keep these coming! I want more!!
Thank you , for this video on meditation
this year i started to meditate i was meditating at work worshiping while i walk between houses my work changed and had to stay up all night on call so i started to read scripture more i became more aware of the holy spirit and i had an underlying feeling alot of the time that i had never had before then one night i started to call on the name of the lord i had repented the day before because i knew i had resentment somewhere in me for Jesus i felt like others dictated to me who i was and who God was. that night when i was calling on the name of the lord i turned over and as soon as i had something strange happened to me it was as if all deathly expectation had left my perception and i was aware of the closeness of God and his gaze on me in away that changed everything I'm not sure how long this lasted but i felt as if God had visited me to answer my question about a personal image of Christ during the period of a month after that i had many experiences like this i was so pleased to be talking to God and aware of him that i was no longer interested in eating or sleeping i felt as if my energy was lifted instead by talking to people and praying for them during this time i can see how i wasn't prepared for this experience yet and had some thought and actions which werent from God i had times of pride and also fear. my walk with God has been very real at times but because it is in opposition to everyone around me i easily doubt and deny it after a while. the sharp change indirection and perception in my life since this experience was overwhelming i have backed off from spending time with God i did fast for a few days and it increased but the reality of Gods intimacy for me compared to my lack of faith and identity in the world and greed for relationships with others outside of God focus has left me in a place of indecisiveness my dad said to me when i was a kid if you give a dog a good piece of meat it makes them confused i think it must be like this because this is all i have ever dreamed of but I'm full of doubt and mistrust for the love i was made for.
Hey Noah, thank you for sharing your experience. There are a lot of us who had very positive experiences when we first started meditation, and then struggled later. In the mystical literature this is very common, too. All I can say is that the Spirit knows what he's doing in your life, and things will even out over time. I may talk to Zach about this in one of our live conversations, is that ok? And know that we're all here for you in spirit. Thanks again for sharing.
“Meditate like Christ. When he was on the cross he felt love, not pain. He lost himself in love.” - Neem Karoli Baba (Hindu saint)
He definitely felt pain, it was the only time he was separated from Father because he was bearing all the sins of the world.
Glad I found your channel. Enjoying your content
Thank you for your insight
Psalm 91 over and over and over in the wee hours of the morning
Frequently in Christianity, a distinction is made between "liturgical" and "non-liturgical" churches based on how elaborate or antiquated the worship; in this usage, churches whose services are unscripted or improvised are called "non-liturgical".
I was a assistant Pastor for the Assemblies of God for almost 10 years . . .one day I was looking through some song books that were dated back to the 1930's. And these were Assemblies of God song books . . .to my amazement there was written literary in these song books that was used . . .by Pastors in the early days of the A/G.
In my heart I said I would never use liturgy In my church services and worship times.
The Holy Spirit checked my heart and told me I was just being religious.
I thought to myself that this was just me and my own thinking saying that . . .
But over a year God dealt with me about liturgy . . .
All hymns that we sing is liturgy . . .the Lord's prayer is liturgy and the very bible is written liturgy. Every church service is liturgy or (a order of service) you sing 4 or 5 songs, tell the announcements collect the offering prays are prayed a sermon preached . . .some churches still have a altar call, then prayers of dismissal and everyone go's out to eat some where. This is all liturgy.
Like a radio there are a lot of frequencies out there in the world . . .sin comes in many sounds, vis·u·al a·cu·i·ties. God spoke everything into existence, Jesus is the spoken word of God, faith comes by believers speaking it. Harmonics of the Spoken Word can products life or death. God doesn't habit every frequency. Not everything you do is pleasing to God, many things grieve the Holy Spirit.
The Vibratory formulae ...or Harmonic Resonance; when you worship God, individually or with others, you are Resonating a Frequency that only God, can Harmonize too. . .all other frequency res·o·nances, do not set up a Harmony Resonance that God, can Resonate too, ....God in Habits our Praises because he Resonates on that Frequency . . . It's not religious in the modern vernacular of the word . . .I love spending time in the presence of God . . . The More we worship God the more we spend time in God's Plane of Existence . .
Using candles and burning incense can help set up a vis·u·al a·cu·i·ty, to help us focus on God and be less distracted by the other frequencies around us . . .Using written liturgies like Hyms and Prayers can help us stay focus on the worship at hand, dialed into or more clarified to the Holy Spirit.
There are a lot of voices out there in the world, trying to draw your attention away from God, there is only one frequency we need to be dialed into, and there is only one order of service that let's us har·mo·nize with God and it's the Blood of Jesus. . .being applied by faith to a sinners heart.
I love liturgy now . . .it helps me resonate with God in Christ Jesus in Harmony with all that is Holy and Righteous.
-Friar Rodney Burnap
.
I have a podcast and would love have you on my show. I don't both a silent and focused meditation with a single meditation. Sometimes one or the other in a session, sometimes a mixture.
I am coming over from study/practice of the Eastern religions for just the reasons you mentioned. I have a hard time trusting, I guess, and it seems much less daunting to find God within us, rather than we being a separate entity. But when I look inside myself, even in deep meditation I find nothing but confusion and anger. Can you expound a little on whether the scripture says God, or God's spirit, actually dwells within us? How can we go about communicating with a being that cannot be seen or heard? Thank you so much for your videos!
Just subscribed. Good videos.
Excellent teaching. Are you doing more?
Yes there are more coming soon. Thanks for subscribing!
Hi Jon, I got a little confused with the difference between the end goal of other spiritual paths that also practice meditation (like hinduism or budism). I may have undestood you wrong, I am not an expert but I am studying and practicing yoga and the self discovery is an essential part of the path of yoga but it is not the end goal at all, the end goal is to know that we are a spirit and it's part of god and we are all connected. We do that by practising ethics, postures and meditation (that calms the mind chatter to feel the love of god). So to me it does not look that different. Thank you Jon, peace.
I see it as both, the masculine and feminine aspects of our planet's cultural understandings of the Creator. I hope that Christians begin to see that God speaks through many mediums, and begin to discover God in all things.
This is great
I think that in Hindu devotional meditation (Bhakti) the devotee is usually concentrated upon a personal god for instance Krishna. Brahman is the impersonal 'Godhead' that one wishes to attain in that tradition but Bhakti is usually about a personal deity in my limited understanding. If I am wrong with that statement I'd be happy to hear from other's where I have made an error
You are right
Brahman is the unmanifested/god the father and The son is the manifested/image of the father .
Nirguna Brahman is God which is existence itself/the unmanifested/utterly simple and beyond even being .Saguna brahman would be the manifested personal God with attributes
@@khamnung-saowa indeed
Hi Jon is it okay if I use christian hyms in the background while I meditate?
Hey Yolanda, Zach and I just answered your question on our live stream (Sept 15) :)
Your hairline is a blessing from God lol
Can a person on the path to Christian Mysticism repeat the Um or Om chant as a means opening up oneself and listening for God's voice while feeling the energy of creation flow through the body?
I just found your channel, thank you for your content! I have been seeking someone to help me explain Christian mysticism and the experiences I've been having. I have been rejected and rebuked by the Orthodox Christians that I love around me. Thank you for helping me
Buddha and Jesus both lived, and that’s ok .
I wonder if you are at all familiar with the practice of hesychasm? Lots of overlap with what you're talking about here.
I'm glad you picked up on that! I've done some reading on hesychasm, and although I don't think too many of us can become true hesychasts, I think their practices can definitely enrich our prayer lives.
Does a Christian Mystic acknowledge all scripture as the inerrant Word of God? Or does a Christian mystic wait for revelation and go with what they think is considered dogma?
My next video is about the mystical relationship to Scripture. Christian mystics usually don't just think the Bible is true - they take responsibility for making it's spiritual truth true in them.
@@withjonadams thanks! I'll keep an eye out for it. My sister shared with me that she is a Christian mystic and big into yoga/meditation. I'm confused that she claims we don't know Truth nor that anyone can...and that there is no heaven or hell. Or that scripture is not necessarily something we can trust as it's interpreted in so many ways. Is this a fair representation of a Christian mystic? I'll keep an eye out for your next video and hope you can address this.
Just subbed you.
@@myke23111 No, I wouldn't say that her opinion as you described it represents the historical mystical tradition that I talk about. But I wouldn't discard what she's trying to say, she probably has good reasons for thinking that way and it would be good for you to learn from her experience :)
@@withjonadams absolutely, I wouldn't degrade her experience or path towards Truth; however, it seems that a Christian mystic believes that the Bible is the inspired word of God and that there is a heavenly realm or place where we go in spirit form when we die.
So mudras or No
. . ."Again this is "Lectio Divina". . .
Not all "Friar's" are Roman Catholic, most have nothing to do with the Roman Catholic Church and deeply believe it's the Roman Catholic Church that is the real heretic . . .a "cult" that preaches a different Jesus, and a different gospel then what is outlined in the Holy Bible.
The Word Friar just means brother or brethren of the faith, we are a brotherhood, of believers in the Way of Christ. . .Christ Way of Living.
We are not Roman Catholic's or Protestant believers, but are first Century Believers in Christ, doctrines an theologies, that have been adapted from Bible verses after the passing of the 12 apostles we have very little to do with. So if we seem not interested, in most of what you teach as your distinctive doctrine. . . it's not because we don't like you, it's that we are not interested in modern systematic theology.
We study the bible by reading it, and praying over what we are reading...
Lectio divina: read, meditate, pray,
contemplate. In Christianity, Lectio Divina (Latin for divine reading) is a traditional Nazaritenn practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote Lectio divina: read, meditate, pray,
contemplate. In Christianity, Lectio Divina (Latin for divine reading) is a traditional Nazaritenn practice of scriptural reading, meditation and prayer intended to promote communion with God and to increase the knowledge of God's Word.[1] It does not treat Scripture as texts to be studied, but as the Living Word.[2] Traditionally Lectio Divina has 4 separate steps: read, meditate, pray and contemplate. First a passage of Scripture is read, then its meaning is reflected upon. This is followed by prayer and contemplation on the Word of God.[3] The focus of Lectio Divina is not a theological analysis of biblical passages but viewing them with Christ as the key to their meaning. For example, given Jesus' statement in John 14:27:. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you" an analytical approach would focus on the reason for the statement during the Last Supper, the biblical context, etc. But in Lectio Divina rather than "dissecting peace", the practitioner "enters peace" and shares in the peace of Christ.[4] In Christian teachings, this form of meditative prayer leads to an increased knowledge of Christ. them with Christ as the key to their meaning. For example, given Jesus' statement in John 14:27:. "Peace I leave with you; my peace I give unto you" an analytical approach would focus on the reason for the statement during the Last Supper, the biblical context, etc. But in Lectio Divina rather than "dissecting peace", the practitioner "enters peace" and shares in the peace of Christ.[4] In Christian teachings, this form of meditative prayer leads to an increased knowledge of Christ.
We study the Bible as the "Living Word of God" or "Lectio Divina". . .
Jesus said in Luke 14:33 Whosoever KJV to become a Disciple you have to forsake all, so we do that we forsake all . . ."Lectio Divina".
The Bible also tells us that our giving is how God measures how much to bless us back with. . .so forsaking all, means in God's timing we will get it all back . . .the things God wants us to have. . .
Luke 6:38
King James Version
38 Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again.
Again this is "Lectio Divina".
We read the Living Word of God, then enter into what it's saying . . .
Mark 16:15 Go into all the World and Preach the Gospel of Salvation to everyone . . .so we have Forsaken all, this freeze us up to Go into all the World and Preach the Gospel of Salvation to everyone . . .
Jesus told his disciples, to only take the bare necessities with them . . .so we live by faith with what we can carry, or need to for fill this part of our missionary journey . . .
Matthew10:7-10, Mark 6:8-12, Luke 9:3-12, Luke 10:2-7
Again this is "Lectio Divina".
Frequently in Christianity, a distinction is made between "liturgical" and "non-liturgical" churches based on how elaborate or antiquated the worship; in this usage, churches whose services are unscripted or improvised are called "non-liturgical".
I was a assistant Pastor for the Assemblies of God for almost 10 years . . .one day I was looking through some song books that were dated back to the 1930's. And these were Assemblies of God song books . . .to my amazement there was written literary in these song books that was used . . .by Pastors in the early days of the A/G.
In my heart I said I would never use liturgy In my church services and worship times.
The Holy Spirit checked my heart and told me I was just being religious.
I thought to myself that this was just me and my own thinking saying that . . .
But over a year God dealt with me about liturgy . . .
All hymns that we sing is liturgy . . .the Lord's prayer is liturgy and the very bible is written liturgy. Every church service is liturgy or (a order of service) you sing 4 or 5 songs, tell the announcements collect the offering prays are prayed a sermon preached . . .some churches still have a altar call, then prayers of dismissal and everyone go's out to eat some where. This is all liturgy.
Like a radio there are a lot of frequencies out there in the world . . .sin comes in many sounds, vis·u·al a·cu·i·ties. God spoke everything into existence, Jesus is the spoken word of God, faith comes by believers speaking it. Harmonics of the Spoken Word can products life or death. God doesn't habit every frequency. Not everything you do is pleasing to God, many things grieve the Holy Spirit.
The Vibratory formulae ...or Harmonic Resonance; when you worship God, individually or with others, you are Resonating a Frequency that only God, can Harmonize too. . .all other frequency res·o·nances, do not set up a Harmony Resonance that God, can Resonate too, ....God in Habits our Praises because he Resonates on that Frequency . . . It's not religious in the modern vernacular of the word . . .I love spending time in the presence of God . . . The More we worship God the more we spend time in God's Plane of Existence . .
Using candles and burning incense can help set up a vis·u·al a·cu·i·ty, to help us focus on God and be less distracted by the other frequencies around us . . .Using written liturgies like Hyms and Prayers can help us stay focus on the worship at hand, dialed into or more clarified to the Holy Spirit.
There are a lot of voices out there in the world, trying to draw your attention away from God, there is only one frequency we need to be dialed into, and there is only one order of service that let's us har·mo·nize with God and it's the Blood of Jesus. . .being applied by faith to a sinners heart.
I love liturgy now . . .it helps me resonate with God in Christ Jesus in Harmony with all that is Holy and Righteous.
-Friar Rodney Burnap
.
With love This is beyond stupid ! It’s like me playing with a ouija board and saying I don’t wanna conjure up demons ! I only believe in and acknowledge angels so I’m gonna talk to angels, but I’m playing with the ouija board 🫤 lol, meditation 🧘♂️ with trying to control your consciousness on any level is from eastern mysticism as you mentioned ! 🤦🏽 it’s from religions that don’t acknowledge Christ as the son of God!!!!! So you can’t take their practices and make it spiritual or beneficial to the Holy Ghost bro. You’re treading on dangerous ground and playing with spirits and you don’t even know it! Then you’re teaching it to other folks.. smh the Bible doesn’t teach any of this , when it says meditate they went off to be alone with God, pray or seek him. Not contemplative prayer , not quieting the mind none of that foolishness ! Stop merging the devils tactics to open folks up to other spirits with Christianity! This is what the Bible calls the spirit of error! Peace