Meditation

The term meditation has a wide range of meanings. In its basic sense, as described by Cicero and Quintilian, meditation refers to intense contemplation characterized by the concentration of mental and physical forces. Thus, physical work is already part of meditation and serves the purpose of inner reflection. The variety of meditative forms is astonishing: the daily prayers of Christian communities, mystical immersion, the exercises of Ignatius, the treasures of church hymns collected by Johann Gerhard in the Meditatiiones sacrae, as well as sermon meditations and much more. In the Berneuchener communities, both object-oriented and non-object-oriented meditation were practiced from the very beginning. Physical work and sitting in silence, heart prayer and contemplation, Eutony and yoga are integral components of the programs in spiritual retreat houses. The Quatember booklet shares experiences with various forms of meditation and reflects on their application within Christian spirituality.