Meditation for Thursday 31st July 2025
The very essence of meditation is in the practice of being in the ‘now,’ being in the present moment. No matter what form our meditation takes we are not ambitious to be elevated to a ‘higher state,’ but simply we try to be in the ‘here and now.’ We do this by becoming aware of the present moment.
As we strive to empty our mind of all thoughts and distractions it becomes clear that our consciousness is veiled by prefabricated concepts and whatever we try to fit into some pigeonhole or in some way make it fit with pre-conceived ideas. Concepts and theories, and for that matter religious thoughts or theology can become obstacles to achieving our goal of emptying the mind and resting in the present.
In meditation we try to transcend concepts. US author and educator, Sarah Gallagher calls this mystical intelligence.*
“The mystics have long known this disposition: an openness to paradox, a surrender to the unknown. Reason alone is no longer our most powerful guide in complexity….It is time to recover the mystic’s wisdom in valuing attentive presence, wonder and readiness for mystery.”
Meditation is a matter of exercise: it is a working practice. It is not a question of going into some inward depth, but of widening and expanding outwards.
Once we become comfortable in ‘our’ way of meditating at some stage the technique seems to die out. It is then the mystical experience of joy and grace will be found.
So now as we meditate let’s not become caught up by the ritual but rather let us be natural and spontaneous, simply identifying with the breath or with the particular mechanism you use to aid concentration.
Meditation
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- Sarah Gallagher is an educational leader, a classist and writer living in Rome. The quote is taken from “It’s Time to Educate for Mystical Intelligence” an article in the Jesuit magazine “America,” July 24, 2025
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