Across Christian denominations and traditions, there is tremendous diversity in practice and dogma. But most Christians believe that the Lord has a plan for each of us, and that the Lord wants to communicate with us. Meditation is an incredibly powerful vehicle for this, but many Christians do not engage in this practice (though surprisingly many do!).

John Main’s meditation instructions are a simple and beautiful way to start meditating. The effort is in continuously returning to the mantra, “Maranatha”, which translates to “Come, Lord”. What I would like to focus on here is a particular phrase which is important to those who are beginning to meditate and often overlooked, “If thoughts or images come, these are distractions at the time of meditation“.

Thoughts or images always come to mind. And they are distractions, but during the time of meditation. When you are new to this practice, explicitly return to your mantra from your distractions during your meditation, but after your designated time for meditating, try to write them down. Some will be trivial such as hunger, some will be recurring, and some might be enlightening or revelatory. This should not be a stressful activity of recollection, but rather a reflective activity which reveals what occupies our subconcious throughout the day. You may just find it helps you be a better Christian.