Christian Meditation: Experiencing the Presence of God

CHRISTIAN MEDITATION Experiencing the PRESENCE OF GOD JAMES FINLEY HarperSanFrancisco A Division ofHarperCollinsPubl

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Citation preview

CHRISTIAN MEDITATION Experiencing

the

PRESENCE OF GOD

JAMES FINLEY HarperSanFrancisco A Division

ofHarperCollinsPublishers

Biblical quotes are from the New American Standard Version and the Jerusalem Bible. CHRISTIAN MEDITATION: Experiencing the Presence of God. Copyright © 2004 by James Finley. All rights reserved. Printed in the United States of America. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews. For information address HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022. HarperCollins books may be purchased for educational, business, or sales promotional use. For information please write: Special Markets Department, HarperCollins Publishers, Inc., 10 East 53rd Street, New York, NY 10022. HarperCollins Web site: http://www.harpercollins.com HarperCollins", Jjg ", and HarperSanFrancisco™ are trademarks of HarperCollins Publishers, Inc. FIRST EDITION

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Finley, James. Christian meditation : experiencing the presence of God / James Finley. — lsted. p. cm. Includes bibliographical references (p. 287). ISBN 0-06-059192-7 (cloth) 1. Meditation —Christianity. I. Title. BV4813.F56 2004 248.3'4-dc22 2004047253 04 05 06 07 08 RRD(H) 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1

For my daughters, Kelly and Amy

Contents

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

VII

FOREWORD

XI

CHAPTER

1

Divine Destination

CHAPTER

2

Learning to Meditate

22

CHAPTER

3

Meditative Experience

42

CHAPTER

4

A Ladder to Heaven

72

CHAPTER

5

A Monastery Without Walls

101

CHAPTER

6

The Self-Transforming Journey

130

CHAPTER

7

Entering the Mind of Christ

175

CHAPTER

8

Present, Open, and Awake

203

CHAPTER

9

Sit Still

216

CHAPTER

11D:

Sit Straight

229

CHAPTER

1 1:

Slow, Deep, Natural Breathing

242

CHAPTER

i : 2:

Eyes Closed or Lowered

1

Toward the Ground

253

CHAPTER

1 3:

Walking Meditation

266

CHAPTER

1