Is the meditation encouraged by the Bible (e.g., Psalm 19:14) the same as New Age or TM?

Question

TM = Transcendental Meditation

What is the purpose of meditation as mentioned in the Scriptures? What does it accomplish?

Answer 1

What do you do when you meditate?

You engage in thought or contemplation; you reflect.

Thinking on a subject what will this accomplish?  Well kids do it all the time in school, they meditate on their school work.

So yes meditation dose help and it will accomplish what ever you want it to do.  

If you want to learn what a certain scripture means you take not only that one scripture but read the whole chapter. Then meditate on it, think about what you just read and if it don't make since to you read it again. Pray about it, then if it still don't make since, ask.  Here you can ask just like you just did about this subject and you will get lots of answers I'm sure here.

But the best place to go for answers is your Bible. Prove all Things it teaches. 1 Thessalonians 5:21

Hope this helps and have a Blessed Day.  

Answer 2

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

Answer 3

Depends on how you mean. Some religious people can put themselves into a very deep meditative state and experience metaphysical events; while others use meditation as a means of intensely focusing on the communion with God (as with Lecto Divino). Some Bible scholars feel that some religious who lived in Biblical times were able to achieve very intense meditative states (with or without pharmaceutical assistance!).

Answer 4

"Be still and know that I am God." That is from the psalms also.

Jesus said: "Worship in Spirit" to the woman at Jacob's well.

Yes, it is the same thing and this will explain the connection in great detail. http://gospelenigma.com

Meditation is recommended not only by the Bible, but by Jesus himself.

"Let thine eye be single." That is Jesus from the Sermon on the Mount. So you see, this was at the very core of the Original Gospel. Jesus said in the gospels "Become the Children of the Light."

So this practice brings the light to remove the darkness. That is the purpose of it.

Answer 5

Scriptural meditation is a pondering or thinking deeply on a subject. Not an opening your self to any influence that comes along. Scriptural meditation excludes Spiritism. Something that the God of the bible detests.

(Deuteronomy 18:10-12) " There should not be found in you anyone who makes his son or his daughter pass through the fire, anyone who employs divination, a practicer of magic or anyone who looks for omens or a sorcerer, 11 or one who binds others with a spell or anyone who consults a spirit medium or a professional foreteller of events or anyone who inquires of the dead. 12 For everybody doing these things is something detestable to Jehovah, . . ."

Answer 6

No - it is not transcendental meditation.

It means to dwell on the scripture so as to understand it fully. Put yourself into the situation the scripture is describing. Consider the mindset of people at that time. Make sure you are familiar with the complete context of the scripture. Ask yourself how you would feel if you were there and Why and all the other questions such as Who? What? When etc. Consider other scriptures that deal with the same thought or words and use the cross references if your Bible has them.

Answer 7

They are opposite.

The best way to explain is using New Age terminology. There are two kinds of religions revealed and created. Revealed religion works from the premise that God created the world and everything in it. God is a higher being and is not subject to growth since God is the source of all knowledge. God is associated with consciousness.

Created religions work from the opposite premise God is not complete but incomplete. Creation came about because God was seeking completion. This concept is associated with reincarnation transmigration, karma and is more pantheistic in nature. In this paradigm God is associated with the subconsciousness and God does not have a personality.

Likewise Meditation in the West is associated with an active attempt on something sound instead of silence The goal is to consider the meaning of things.

In the East it involves emptying of consciousness  by focusing on emptiness sound may be used but the idea is to find silence. Focus is on nothingness.

Although TM uses sound (The name of a Hindu God typically) the idea is to stop the active focus on something to nothing.  

In the Western spiritual traditions meditation are a focus on something. Examples of this are the Jesus prayer, Rosary etc.  

Answer 8

NOT the same thing

Answer 9

According to Rabbi Alexander Seinfeld, who studied Buddhist extensively before becoming a Rabbi, yes if you pray in Judaism the way it's designed, it is essentially the same as meditation.  New Age & TM were developed base on Hindu & Buddhist mediation.

Also, studies show that prayer, hypnosis, mediation, all put a person into the same delta brainwave state.  Also, that this state has healing effects for the practicioner.

======

Wow. I'm going to guess from the TDs & questions that got some TUs, some people are bigots who can't stand that Judaism or any non-Christian religion has a role in religion.  (If it was just a sense the answer was irrelevant -- no TD would be used.)

Answer 10

No, not at all.

As recorded at Psalm 19:14, David said: “Let the sayings of my mouth and the meditation of my heart become pleasurable before you, O Jehovah my Rock and my Redeemer.” The Hebrew word here translated “meditation” comes from a root word literally meaning “speak with oneself.” Yes, David ‘spoke with himself’ about Jehovah, his activity, his works, his laws, and his righteousness.—Psalm 143:5.

Reading the Bible is invaluable, but after reading, we must meditate, think deeply, or “speak with ourselves” about what we have read. Just as digestion is needed if we are to benefit fully from the food we eat, meditation is needed if we are to absorb what we read in the Bible. Proper meditation does more than merely remove negative thoughts. It also allows us to consider Bible-based solutions to our problems. Such meditation can help us deal successfully with the anxieties of day-to-day life.—Matthew 6:25-32.

Answer 11

Meditation is defined as the kind of deep, concentrated thinking in which a person seriously reflects on past experiences, ponders and muses over current matters, or thoughtfully contemplates possible future events.  The Bible encourages this type of meditation

Proverbs 15:28 – “The heart of the righteous one meditates so as to answer, but the mouth of the wicked ones bubbles forth with bad things”

It is not the same as new age or TM

For more information contact Jehovah's Witnesses

Answer 12

Visit http://www.meditationsguide.com for more info

Answer 13

No, it is not.

Meditating on the word means thinking about the scripture, what the original writer intended it to mean and what you can learn from that.

Answer 14

It is different.  

Regarding scriptural meditation: reading the Bible is invaluable, but after reading, we must meditate, think deeply, or “speak with ourselves” about what we have read. Just as digestion is needed if we are to benefit fully from the food we eat, meditation is needed if we are to absorb what we read in the Bible. Proper meditation does more than merely remove negative thoughts. It also allows us to consider Bible-based solutions to our problems. Such meditation can help us deal successfully with the anxieties of day-to-day life.—Matthew 6:25-32.

But TM is very much different.

TM involves sitting upright with eyes closed and letting the mind drift effortlessly toward a word or phrase known as a “mantra.” Advocates of TM say that it is neither a religion nor a philosophy nor a way of life. They advertise TM as simply “a natural and effortless technique for improving all aspects of life.”

However TM is somewhat related to nonChristian religion.

The Hindu connections of TM are especially evident in the initiation ceremony. For that occasion, a candidate must bring along pieces of fruit, a white handkerchief and some flowers. The TM teacher, or “initiator,” places these upon an “altar” containing a candle, incense and a picture of Swami Brahmananda Sarasvati Maharaj, also known as “Guru Dev.”

After lighting the candle and incense, the initiator chants in the Sanskrit language a “puja” (worship). In a lengthy “invocation” to Hindu divinities and holy men, the puja includes the following: “To LORD NARAYANA, to lotus-born BRAHMA the Creator . . . I bow down. . . . To the glory of the Lord I bow down again and again, at whose door the whole galaxy of gods pray for perfection day and night.”

This chant continues with numerous praises of “Shri Guru Dev.” One of these praises mentions the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Siva, as follows: “GURU in the glory of BRAHMA, GURU in the glory of VISHNU, GURU in the glory of the great LORD SHIVA.”

TM is definitely not for Christians.

Indicating the correct view for Christians regarding any practice related to false religion, the Scriptures admonish: “Do not become unevenly yoked with unbelievers. For what fellowship do righteousness and lawlessness have? Or what sharing does light have with darkness? . . . ’ “Therefore get out from among them, and separate yourselves,” says Jehovah, “and quit touching the unclean thing”’; ‘“and I will take you in.”’”—2 Cor. 6:14-17.