Spiritual Practices: Meditation

Viewing and practicing meditation through a trauma-sensitive lens.

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Each spiritual practice post will include a condensed discussion of the material in Trauma in the Pews with information about how self-regulation—later on, the pause and agency—provides a path to making the practice more accessible. The weekly discussion post questions later in the week are based on this material.

What is the purpose of the Spiritual Practice of Meditation? 

The purpose of Christian meditation is to commune with God. It is a time to look inward, change perspective and find direction through listening. Meditation is intended to allow our minds to relax from the busyness of our thoughts and lives and hear God’s voice more clearly.

How can trauma impact the Spiritual Practice of Meditation?

Shame: The message shame tells you is that there is something horribly wrong with you and you are unworthy of God’s love. The difficulty during meditation is distinguishing the message of shame from the loving voice of God who calls you beloved. 

Silence: One of the ways our subconscious protects you is to keep your minds and bodies busy. Sitting silently takes down these protections and allows traumatic memories and internalized negative messages to surface. For this reason, meditation can often result in dysregulation instead of regulation.

How can Self-Regulation make the Spiritual Practice of Meditation accessible?