On the night before his crucifixion, Jesus met with his apostles and gave them a gift – the Eucharist. We may not be accustomed to talking about it in this way, but the rite of the Eucharist is a great discipline of meditation.
The Eucharist as Meditation
Carrie Skarda, author The Power of Silenceteeth, Grow your podcast“The final gift Christ gave to his disciples was meditation. [in essence] “You will forget me, so I will give you the tools to help you remember me,” he said. [that gift was] We continue to participate in the sacrament to this day.”
The Sacrament is a designated time to focus our attention on spiritual things. So why did Christ give us this gift? Carey suggests it’s because He understood the power of silence.
“The scriptures say: [Christ] “I would often go to secluded places to pray,” she said. “How often do we go to secluded places to commune with our Heavenly Father and deepen our relationship with Him? I believe the Savior gave us the sacrament as an opportunity to incorporate silence into our weekly routine because He knew from His own personal experience how powerful it can be in growing spiritually strong.”
The sacrament is not the only opportunity for silence for Latter-day Saints. In fact, silence is built into much of what we do. Other practices that intentionally focus attention on spiritual things include:
- Offer a prayer.
- Ponder the Bible.
- Honor the Sabbath.
- Visit a templeCarey suggests that temple worship doesn’t have to be just about “chanting the name” but can be a way to “stop doing and just be with God.”
- fasting. Carrie says the practice is “a time to engage our whole body, clear our minds, and focus solely on the spiritual.”
Why silence is beautiful
In other words, God knows our lives are busy, so He designed quiet time into our religious practices, and when we experience quiet, we are better able to sense the Holy Spirit.
“When we are in a more physical, conscious state, we can feel the guidance of the Holy Spirit, which helps us to become our best selves and connect with those around us in a more divine way,” says Carrie.
You can listen to the full version of Carrie here Expanding You can find the episode on Silence wherever you listen to podcasts or in the player below.
For more articles on silence and meditation, check out the links below:
▶ Expert tips for enjoying mental calm no matter what you’re doing
▶ “How do I avoid feeling overwhelmed?” Sharon Eubank’s brilliantly simple answer
▶ The most productive things you can do to witness are also the simplest
How to get mental rest without feeling tired, according to President Nelson
