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Sacramental meditation.

David T Bradford

The Journal of Pastoral Care & Counseling : JPCC

|April 12, 2014

Summary

Sacramental meditation uses sacred objects and imagination for spiritual experiences. This practice, similar to spiritual exercises and active imagination, fosters symbolic awareness during meditation.

Area of Science:

Psychology of Religion
Meditation Studies
Spiritual Development

Background:

Sacramental meditation is a group practice utilizing sacred objects and spontaneous imagination.
It aims to prepare participants for profound spiritual experiences.
The practice draws parallels with established methods like Loyola's spiritual exercises and active imagination therapy.

Purpose of the Study:

To review the theory, methods, and effects of sacramental meditation.
To explore the role of sacred objects and imagination in spiritual practice.
To analyze the forms of symbolic awareness developed during meditation.

Main Methods:

Comparison with Loyola's spiritual exercises and active imagination.
Application of Fowler's theory of faith development to analyze symbolic awareness.

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Review of the theoretical underpinnings and practical application of sacramental meditation.

Main Results:

Sacramental meditation employs icon-like objects to facilitate spiritual engagement.
Fowler's theory effectively illustrates the symbolic awareness that emerges during the practice.
The review covers the theoretical framework, methodology, and observed effects of the meditation.

Conclusions:

Sacramental meditation is a structured approach to achieving spiritual experiences through symbolic engagement.
The practice effectively cultivates symbolic awareness, aligning with developmental theories of faith.
Further review indicates its potential as a method for spiritual growth and exploration.