A short biography is at about Newman . Be sure to look at Cardinal Newman's Short Road to Perfection. This mobilization of faculties is necessary in order to deepen our convictions of faith, prompt the conversion of our heart, and strengthen our will to follow Christ.
Meditation is above all a quest.
To meditate on what we read helps us to make it our own by confronting it with ourselves. Catechism of the Catholic Church. In these meditations, Cardinal Newman suggests you use your imagination to enrich scripture and prayer. Don't forget that it was St. Ignatius of Loyola who strongly promoted the use of imagination in meditation. His work, the Spiritual Exercises , is a monumental classic of the Catholic Tradition.