Q: My grandmother was a devout Catholic. I am an atheist. I love her so much, and miss her like crazy, but cannot be religious or pray as she would like me to, because it makes me feel like a hypocrite. It troubles me that I may be a disappointment to her that way. Is meditation equivalent to prayer?
MM: Meditation is basically wordless prayer unless you are doing a mantra meditation or certain Vipassana meditations. You can be sure that Jesus meditated a lot. Prayer is somewhat easier because it gives our minds direction and something to do "while meditating". It is the undisciplined, endless chatter of the mind, often negative or judgmental, that gets us into trouble.
Prayer and meditation are an attitude, too, or you could say they create an attitude. A turning away from the material world towards something "other than" oneself, or one's worldly concerns. It is important to turn inward regularly.
When the apostles asked Jesus how to pray he is said to have taught them the Lord's Prayer. No question your grandmother prayed this prayer regularly. You could connect with her through it. So let's take a look at how an atheist like you could use that prayer.
The first line which instantly causes trouble for non-believers, is:
"Our Father who art in heaven" -
We can think of "Father" as "where I come from, my source". "Mother" may be a better choice but before people understood where babies came from they thought men deposited tiny little babies in women's wombs. Christian Scientists pray to Father-Mother-God, for example.
If we simply think of "heaven" as "not the material world but the infinite and eternal vastness that is non-material and the source out of which everything arises and to which everything returns", you could rephrase that line as:
"Our infinite and eternal place of origin and destiny,
Which is not of this material world,"
"Hallowed by thy name"
"For which I have no name but infinite awe"
(if you don't have infinite awe yet, look at some Hubble telescope images, nature images, look at the stars at night, hold a baby, or go for a walk in nature... simply contemplate our amazing and awe inspiring existence)
"Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" -
"May it unfold in perfect harmony according to its nature, here, now, on earth, as it does in infinity and eternity"
"Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who have sinned against us"
"May we be well and whole and taken care of for today,
As we tend to others likewise in mutual compassion"
"And lead us not into temptation"
"Without distraction,"
"But deliver us from evil"
"And free from all that causes distraction"
"For thine is the kingdom and the glory and the power."
"For the formless source
In its infinite powerlessness,
Is the greatest power there is."
"Lord's Prayer" For Atheists and Grand-Daughters
Our infinite and eternal place of origin and destiny,
Which is not of this material world,
For which I have no name,
But infinite awe
May it unfold in perfect harmony according to its nature,
Here, now, on earth, as it does in infinity and eternity
May we be well and whole and taken care of for today,
As we tend to others, likewise, in mutual compassion
Without distraction,
And free from all that causes distraction
For the formless source
In its infinite powerlessness,
Is the greatest power there is.
Or, if you want to be personal and more efficient - in your case you could pray
Dear Grandma
Please keep me well, and whole,
And taken care of for today,
As I tend to others, likewise,
In mutual compassion.
Please keep me free from distraction
And the root cause of all distraction.
I believe in you and trust in you, always.
(Amen)
("Amen" is simply a sound like "Om" that unites and calms the body/mind, much like the sound "Mom" instinctively used by children)
There is great psychological benefit in making prayer personal to someone you associate with unconditional and total love, and who you either imagine or would trust to watch over you. It can be difficult to generate that emotional energy flow into "just" meditation. Therefore even atheists find gurus, scientists, musicians and other celebrities to be in love with and worship, the way people used to be in love with and worship God and saints.
Our brains seem to thrive on love, worship, trust, and humble surrender to the big picture. We also seem to benefit from holding an ideal/idol in our minds, but are being warned about idol worship. This is simply because idols fall short of perfection associated with God. God - if nothing else - is simply the idea of absolute perfection.
Once you become experienced in prayer and/or meditation - wordless prayer is the highest form of it - and distinctions between "believer" and "atheist", "insignificant me" and "most significant celebrity", or "I, me" and "You, God", simply disappear. You become still. You become One.
Posts
