A noted author and director of the World Community of Christian Meditation, Freeman says the contemplative traditions never really went away. Instead, they were marginalized to the monasteries and deserts, where monks and nuns living celibate lives were deemed to be most suited for the practice. BUT THAT ALSO reflects the teachings of Jesus. Prayer and meditation belong to all, he says. Freeman says the return to this practice is really a natural instinct.
People crave balance, harmony and personal integration.
The Christian church's response may have been reactive. Many Christians were gravitating toward Buddhism and other Eastern traditions in their quest to connect mind, body and spirit. So in the past few decades, we're seeing more churches offer workshops on Christian faith-centered meditation. She and her husband, Chuck, make time for meditation every morning and evening, dedicating about 20 to 25 minutes per session. In 1973, Chuck became a paraplegic from injuries suffered in a skiing accident.