CHRISTIAN AND EASTERN SPIRITUAL MEDITATION AND YOUR BRAIN

 

By Michael K. Farrar, O.D.

© God’s Breath Publications

 

Before I share the spiritual meat of this teaching I need to explain some anatomical concepts so that you will better understand what I wish to communicate. I believe you will be amazed at how our Heavenly Father made us to function and live as well as to worship and serve Him in all we do in our lives, especially in our relationship with Him and in serving Him by living and sharing our faith.

 

Our human brains are divided into left and right hemispheres. These hemispheres are connected by a “superhighway” of high-speed brain nerve tissue call the corpus collosum.

 

 

The figures above illustrate the divisions of the brain and their function associated with mind skills as well as body movement and control.

 

Our brain is a bioelectrical organ; this means that it has both chemical signals and also electrical signals as well. Which hemisphere of the brain takes dominance in thought or action is altered by changing electrical activity in the brain. As brain nerve circuits fire together in different ways, they will create different patterns of electrical signals. These electrical signals are classified into four general categories: alpha, beta, theta and delta waves.

 

Alpha waves occur when the brain is resting such as in REM sleep, when you are dreaming while you are sleeping.

 

Beta waves occur when we are awake, reading, speaking to others, engaging in a focused activity, attempting to solve a problem through thinking about solutions.

 

Theta waves occur when we “zone out” such as “daydreaming” or our minds are allowed to wander.

 

Delta waves occur when we are in a deep sleep, the “nondream” state.

 

Various “Eastern meditations” techniques such as: Buddhist, Hindu, Chinese, Sufi, Zen, Vipasana, Mindfulness, Metta, Transcendental, Yoga, Self-Enquiry/”I Am”, Qigong, Guided Meditation are examples of meditation techniques that increase the frequency of “alpha” and “theta” waves in the brain and suppress the “beta” waves of the brain. This causes increased secretion of “dopamine” which enhances visualization (forming a mental image of something in your thoughts). This provokes a dominance of the right-brain activity in ones thoughts thus altering a person’s entire consciousness. This causes a person practicing such meditation a loss of self-awareness. They would feel a “oneness” or “unity” with the universe or creation. They would have a more intense experience of imagery in their thoughts and would be less aware of time and space. It would also unfortunately decrease the ability of the person meditating to discern evidence-based truth. In other words they would have difficulty in making decisions when it comes to detecting lies amidst true statements of fact.

 

When a Disciple of Christ practices Eastern meditation of one form or another; the person’s mind is overwhelmed. When such a Christian is concerned about how this is affecting their thought processes and discernment skills they are encouraged that it is all right and they should just repeat a mantra (a word or sound repeated to aid concentration in meditation) such as “Jesus be with me” or “God have mercy on me.”

 

Unfortunately the results of such meditation practices is an imbalanced brain that causes an increased right-brain dominance and the resulting loss of reason, clear thinking and self-individuality. We all know as Christians that the Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth and love.

 

John 14:16-17

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.”

 

Galatians 5:22-23

“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”

 

1 John 4:7-9

“Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love. By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him.”

 

It is a scientific fact that “truth” is comprehended and understood through the use of the left hemisphere of the brain. On the other hand, our sense of unity, oneness and relational connections to others is experienced in the right side of our brains.

 

When we meditate on the Word of God, we are not focusing our minds on “nothing”! We are not emptying our mind of our ability to think. We are not chanting mantras over and over again. When we meditate on the Word of God we are always centering our thoughts on who God is; His character of His deep love for us, His wisdom which is beyond measure and His grace towards us as His spiritual children.

 

Below are some excellent examples of Biblical meditations: 

 

Joshua 1:8-9

“This book of the law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it; for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success.”

 

Psalm 1:2

But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.”

 

Psalm 48:9-10

“We have thought on Your lovingkindness, O God, In the midst of Your temple. As is Your name, O God,”

 

Psalm 119:15-16

“I will meditate on Your precepts And regard Your ways. I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word.”

 

Psalm 119:27

“Make me understand the way of Your precepts, So I will meditate on Your wonders.”

 

Psalm 119:48

“And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments, Which I love; And I will meditate on Your statutes. “

 

Psalm 63:6-8

“When I remember You on my bed, I meditate on You in the night watches,  For You have been my help, And in the shadow of Your wings I sing for joy. My soul clings to You; Your right hand upholds me.”

 

Psalm 77:12-14

“I will meditate on all Your work And muse on Your deeds. Your way, O God, is holy; What god is great like our God? You are the God who works wonders; You have made known Your strength among the peoples.”

 

Psalm 119:78

“But I shall meditate on Your precepts.”

 

Psalm 119:148

“My eyes anticipate the night watches, That I may meditate on Your word.”

 

Psalms 143:5-6

“I remember the days of old; I meditate on all Your doings; I muse on the work of Your hands. I stretch out my hands to You; My soul longs for You, as a parched land.”

 

Psalms 145:5

“On the glorious splendor of Your majesty And on Your wonderful works, I will meditate.”

 

Holy Scripture is replete with numerous examples of instruction by God for us to meditate on HIS LAW OF LOVE! This love of His is an intimate expression of the central core of His being! His character of love has always existed, before the world was created, while He created the entire Universe and the earth and it will exist forever.

 

The meditation on His Word; the law of love, is not an empty, mindless, haphazard, thoughtless, self-centered meditation! It is a deeply contemplative and reflective meditation on the great wisdom, gorgeous beauty and deep wisdom of our infinite God and the countless methods of how He loves us in so many ways.

 

This Biblical and godly meditation necessitates a balanced use of both of the hemispheres of our brains. When we meditate on the Word of God as well as God Himself; on His love and power, the results are better health in our lives; physically, mentally and spiritually. It also produces growth in our Christian life. We become more Christ-like in our thought life, and actions. We grow spiritually and thus are able to live out our faith in a responsive manner to the needs of others when we properly meditate on the Word of God with our motivation being growing closer to our Heavenly Father, honoring the Holy Spirit who resides within us as Disciples of Christ and living in a manner like Christ our Lord and Savior.

 

Dr. Curt Thomson states shares his insight on this topic by stating:

 

“Neuroscience research has discovered that people with a reasonable balance and level of helpful integrated communication between different areas of their brains tend to have reduced anxiety and greater sense of well-being. In other words, they have put themselves in the position to be available for the Holy Spirit to create those very characteristics that we so long to take root in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.”

 

Timothy R. Jennings, M.D. in his book; “The God-Shaped Brain” states;

“In order to experience the fullness of both truth and love we must have the activity balanced in both hemispheres of our brains balanced. We must guard against attacks that obstruct the experience of truth and love.”

 

As I listed them earlier, in this world we are exposed to numerous Eastern meditation methods and ideas of how to meditate with our brain, body and spirit. We are also unfortunately also sometimes attacked by false teachers within our own Christian faith who attack the left side of our brain in their promotions of their false doctrine. We are presented with false ideas about God; that He is vengeful, manipulative, merciless, and cruel which stimulates us to fear Him in an unholy manner. God’s Word is denigrated, ignored and disrespected which undermines the Truth that we live by. Jesus, the Living Word, is pandered off as just a simple man that taught some simple truths, if He even existed at all. Godless theories are promoted that Jesus was just a simple man that was very intelligent and a talented speaker so He was able to mislead and pull the wool over the eyes of those who heard Him teach. There are even distorted ideas about who the Spirit of God is and how He manifests Himself and ministers to us. He is not a person of the Holy Trinity to false teachers, He is a simple “force,” an “emotion,” an “influence,” a ‘feeling” we get when we reach a higher state of consciousness.

 

Unfortunately many Christians are led astray and become involved in Eastern meditative techniques and practices because they seek to medicate their failure to grow spiritually and the fears and stress in their lives with false teachings and concepts rather than by being submissive to the Father, Son, Spirit and the Holy Word.

 

These Eastern meditation techniques and practices actually inactivates the left brain and shuts it down, the result for these poor souls is they pursue an emotional, transcendental experience that hinders their ability; both physically, mentally and spiritually to discern truth versus error. They also become dependent on such meditation techniques, the substitute that Satan has influenced to draw people and especially Disciples of Christ away from basic Christian teachings and hinder their spiritual growth.

 

Dr. Andrew Newberg, Professor and Director of Research Marcus Institute of Integrative Health at Thomas Jefferson University and Hospital, has done brain research on practitioners of Eastern meditation. His research supports the conclusion that Eastern meditation causes imbalance in our brains. It contributes to a false sense of reality in our mental and emotional world.

The thalamus is a central hub in our brain that processes data. All the information of our moods, thoughts and sensory inputs travels through the thalamus as it is carried to its final nerve destination. The main action of the thalamus is to helps us determine what is real and what isn’t real. People who practice eastern spiritual meditation for any length of time over ten years developed an imbalance in their Thalamus activity. The results of this would be that they would believe that the “nirvana” or “unity” with a higher power would be real, when in reality it was not. It was determined that Thalamus does not make any distinction between inner and outer realities. What this means is that those who practice eastern spiritual meditation would have difficulties distinguishing between the real world and a perceived “false world”. In other words they would not be able to live and make decisions properly because their discernment skills would be hindered by their practice of eastern spiritual meditation. This means that any idea, thought, perception or concept they might think of, though totally a lie or untrue, would appear accurate, true or real, though in actuality it was not.

 

In summary, Eastern religious meditation results in the following:

 

1. It never leads or guides a person to an intimate personal relationship with God but actually it encourages isolation from God.

 

2. Does not transform ones character, but places such character development on hold stagnating spiritual and mental growth.

 

3. Instead of encouraging them to overcome fear and selfishness in their life, it promotes avoidance of the reality of the person’s terminal condition spiritually and gives them instead a transcendental euphoric experience which over time they crave to have again and again.

 

Eastern religious meditation does not deliver oneself from the infection of evil and sin in their life it continually promotes the eternal existence of good and evil. Much like a revolving door, there is never progress made towards spiritual maturity in the one true God. Disciples of Christ on the other hand, know they will never be fully sanctified until they reach Heaven. But they also know they are in a close relationship with God the Father, Son and Spirit. They know they are to seek to be like Jesus their Lord and Savior while submitting to the precepts of the Holy Bible and to being led by the Holy Spirit who lives within them. Their calling as Followers of Christ is to live out their lives growing in knowledge of God, ministering to others, meditating on the Word of God, expressing the spiritual gifts that God has bestowed upon them and loving all those whom they come in contact with.

 

Christian meditation is not mindless thought; nor is it unbridled emotionally focused repetitious words. It is the focus of the spirit and mind of the Christian on the precepts of God, their fellowship with the Father, Son and Spirit, the submission to the calling of God upon their lives to live Holy and pure as Christ was and is.

 

I greatly appreciate the resource I read that led to this teaching; it is the book by Timothy R. Jennings, M.D., “The God-Shaped Brain, How Changing Your View of God Transforms Your Life.”)