Should I Meditate for Spiritual Growth?

Meditation and contemplative prayer: Some say that these are the only paths to authentic spiritual growth. Are they? Is the contemplative path right for everyone?

The following is a text version of this posting.

Today, we are surrounded by various messages about the value of contemplative prayer. We are encouraged to pause and breathe deeply, to make time for meditation, to appreciate silence, to be mindful, and to live in the present moment. Of course, all of those things are excellent in and of themselves. But are they required to experience deep spiritual connection or even mystical experience?

I consider myself a contemplative. Practices like meditation, spiritual reading, and contemplation are major aspects of my spiritual life. That’s where I’m most comfortable. It’s understood that a contemplative path leads a person inward to experience their true self, the Divine Light, or their Buddha nature. That process is transformative. As a result, a person’s life becomes marked by greater compassion and contentment.

Contemplative spiritual practices primarily grew from monastic practices. Those living in Buddhist or Christian monasteries or Hindu Ashrams found these practices to be incredibly important for spiritual growth and development. Because of their devotion to these practices as well as their ability to spend hours in spiritual practice and write about it, a general assumption arose that these were the best spiritual practices and led to the most fruitful spiritual growth. But is that true?

Over the years as a spiritual director, I met many people who found that a contemplative path just didn’t work for them. Many were kinesthetically oriented. To be kinesthetic means that you perceive the world and yourself through your body. For kinesthetically oriented people, movement, dance, and rhythm are very important. Knowing dancers, musicians, and artists, I am aware that expressive people may struggle with the linear, mentally oriented practices associated with contemplation.

Some years ago, I spoke with a Lakota man who was a Sun Dancer. The Sun Dance is a unique and important ceremony in Lakota culture. It’s also a test of endurance. A Sun Dancer prepares for the ceremony for several months, often fasting for long periods and living in the wilderness. At the ceremony, the dancer’s chest is pierced in two places with bones. Tethers are tied to the bone piercings and attached to a central pole. The dancers then engage in a rhythmic dance until the bones pull through their skin. This ceremony is understood as a way to share in the pain of the world and to bring healing. It’s not what I would consider a contemplative practice. Yet, the man I spoke with at length and many others report deep mystical experiences in both the preparation for and the Sun Dance itself. This is a kinesthetic experience.

While psychology and neurology have conducted a great deal of research on meditation and the ways contemplative practices impact the brain, little is known about spirituality and kinesthetically oriented people. Most often, kinesthetically oriented people are not in monasteries. But they are more likely to be found in churches or other settings that focus on music, dance, and verbal expressions, like a traditional Afro-Centric church. This expressive spiritual path is just as real and valid as a contemplative path.

For many people, the experience of awe and wonder leads them to mystical experiences. The experience of awe can be found in music, art, nature, and any aspect of life. While spiritual writers like Rabbi Abraham Heschel have written about awe, this too is an area of spirituality that’s not well understood by science.

In the end, I find it important to not assume that spiritual practices developed in monasteries are the best practices for all people. The spiritual dimension of life is infused in every aspect of life. We need to avoid putting people in categories that just don’t work for them.