MEDITATION and CONTEMPLATION........
Creative Visualization can be considered a volitional act [of the will] of the imagination as a method of prayer which is affective of the senses [sensory]. It is thus a faculty of the soul [will, mind, memory, emotions, awareness, knowledge, etc].
The type of prayer in question is meditation which itself has many degrees and aspects. We might say that at the lightest extreme of meditation is the method of verbal prayer accompanied by thoughts or mental pictures of a cursory nature [such as might be found in the Rosary]. A mean example of meditation will often lack verbal prayer and the mental images are more lasting and vivid - commonly the subject will be a gospel scene or a particular mystery of the Faith [such as found in meditating on the Way Of The Cross]. At the other extreme we have meditation which shows a greater concentration on the subject, some lack of awareness of the external environment and perhaps some sense of personal involvement in the subject. For the most part, meditation is of a discursive nature.
Contemplation on the other hand, seeks to void the senses [of both body and soul], and lay open to deep spiritual communion with the Spirit of God. What takes place is often unknown and inexplicable. It is often referred to by the term used by John Of The Cross: 'A Dark Night' because of [1] its unknowability, [2] its austerity in the denial of senses, and [3] its reliance on purity of faith.
CV is thus only applicable within the context of meditation, although affirmations and visualization can be performed at will at almost any time. the same as verbal or ejaculatory prayer.
OLD TESTAMENT..........
There is no way of knowing to what extent the imagination was used in prayer in Biblical times but we can assume that it was as much apart of man's nature, then as now. We should believe however that when the Lord spoke to his people, or to the prophets in particular, that His communique was:
[1] entirely at His own initiative and discretion [even when sought out]
[2] most often taken to be transmitted from outside the human person except for within dreams [which was depicted as a non-volitional act] or
[3] delivered through other persons exercising human wisdom, or else
[4] as prophesy - gift, or some other charismata.
Humans did not resort to the imagination in their dealings with God who was not to be seen, nor whose Name could even be spoken.
We also know that those who did make use of imagination-visualization did so as practitioners of the occult.
NEW TESTAMENT...........
It is said that Jesus prayed by way of visualization/affirmation/meditation [by NA writers]. His prayer in Gethsemane is quoted in this regard, especially that He "......prayed a third time, saying the same words" [Mt 26:44]. This claim and tie-in is quite tenuous. His very own advice on how one should pray was that one should pray to a [transcendent] Father who is in Heaven.
As for the new Christians, they were overwhelmingly preoccupied with the charismatic phenomena. The Holy Spirit which was upon them was leading them in its own way. That they made use of verbal prayer, meditation and contemplation is not in question in an atmosphere where they were exhorted to pray 'unceasingly'. What we need to consider is their approach and attitude in the spiritual experiences undergone at Pentecost.
Miracles and healings which took place were the result of Divine Gift accepted in faith. There is no suggestion of a mental task but rather, as the Christians zealously pursued their mission, the Holy Spirit opened doors for them to reveal a God who loved. God's work, His initiative, His plan and purpose, while the new believers merely needed faith in Him ............. but in no way did these neophytes summon down power or 'work' miraculous deeds through some visualization or meditative process.
Discernment of God's Will seems to have been a spontaneous transmission from within, or it was gleaned from circumstantial evidence. Such seems to be the case in Paul's deciding where to go next on his mission for, somehow, the Holy Spirit warned him not to go to Asia.
And as for prayer itself, the Christians were obviously taken up with verbal acclamations of praise, both in the vernacular and in tongues. The picture of Eastern meditation does not fit here at all even though we do not know what took place when they "went into their own room to pray in private". We can, nonetheless, claim to be privy to their mentality in prayer as in life, which was a mentality of service, mission, and an all out effort to bring about a manifestation of Christ's resurrection presence in themselves and in the world at large. "It is no longer I that live, but Christ living in me", could be validly claimed by Paul as the spiritual denouement of the rather austere wish of the Baptist: "....that I may decrease and that He increase". Can the Christian who practices meditation and visualization today, lay claim to such motivations?
So, we need to ask if CV/Affirmation is an improvement on such spiritual austerity.
An oft-quoted piece of Scripture by CV advocates: "Knock and it shall be opened, seek and you shall find" [Mt 7:7] often ignores the conditions into which this promise is originally set. And we don't have to turn too many pages to find warnings like: We can't serve both God and materialism [Mt 6:24]; not to be concerned about your own needs [v 25ff]; the Way of Life is concealed [7:13] and beset by false prophets [v 15]; even those who profess Jesus as Lord are anathema if they do not pursue God's Will [v 21]; and, obey Jesus' teaching [v 24].
The latter teaching gives us an insight into why miracles are wrought and why spiritual power is not withheld from those who "knock and seek". The availability of the Lord's promises, sought through CV/affirmation or any other way are no indication that we travel the right road however. There are those who work wonders in Jesus' Name yet do not even travel with Him.
Certainly God's promises can be claimed under many guises but not all are blessed through it. Those who are blessed through it are:
- the spiritually austere [those who entrust themselves to God's Marcy in the face of any eventuality]
- the humble
- those whose greatest desire is to do what God requires
- the persecuted and insulted [5:3ff].
It has been necessary to make somewhat of a digression as has been made before considering the historical practice of later periods, as we shall see following the next section.
THE EARLY CHURCH.........
Without a great deal of research, there is little to elaborate here on this period, [being mindful that this essay is a preliminary overview of the topic of comparative prayer styles between New Age methods and Christian living and practices apart from the immediately preceding. A friend with whom I correspond on such matters rightfully insists that a definition of Christianity is necessary in this topic as in all relevant discussions involving Christianity. For the purposes herein I have taken it that the basics are understood by the reader. That definition very briefly works from the premise that Christianity is a seamless garment of Faith, reason and logic and diversions from immutable truths known to this garment are usually down to modernism, relativism and the notion of evolutionary development. While I have not used this primary approach, I certainly agree that New Age trappings run counter to God's Will and original purpose of Creation and can whatismore be very dangerous and threatening to our eternal existence].
Still, while this area of Early Church is sparse, even a cursory view is interesting. For example, if we look at the desert tradition of the fourth-fifth centuries, especially at the Verba Seniorum [The Sayings of the Fathers], we note a definite shift towards interior prayer, meditation and contemplation.
The use of imagination/visualization by the Egyptian monks is evident. Let us have an example which appears supportive, and one which does not. Seemingly supportive of CV is ............
"He said again, 'If we seek God, He will appear to us and if we hold Him, He will stay with us'". [Desert Fathers, Helen Waddell, p119]. Doesn't this appear to damage my case! But, it's only one example, and the Fathers are not infallible. Whatismore they were highly advanced spiritually. But here is a contrary and exemplary warning from the same writings............
"Father, according to my strength, I keep a modest rule of prayer and fasting and meditation and quiet and, according to my strength, I purge my imagination: what more must I do?" [Ibid Book X11, par V111].
What we are to make of this will depend on a more searching look. We can see the interior journey was developed along the way by such notables as Cassian and Ruysbruck.
Whatever we discover by way of methodology may not be as important as some underlying rationale. Hence, I would harken back to the previous section which explored the dispositions of pray-ers in NT times. While there has been a shift in methodologies, I believe that certain principles have been maintained by the Fathers and mystics at prayer, being:
- complete focus on God
- for His Glory
- to increase the Kingdom [within and without]
- according to His Will
- by service to others
- through self-abrogation and humility.
Next, I will discuss the issues as relevant to much later times.
................... END PART 3 ...................
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