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History of Meditation in Pentecostal Christianity
Ancient Teachings & Historical Practices of Meditation
An Overview of The History of Meditation In Charismatic Christianity & Pentecostal Christianity
The Pentecostal or charismatic branch of Christianity has relatively recent origins in the U.S. However, its roots are connected to the same Bible heroes, church fathers, and historical figures. Meditation is a traditional practice among the earliest Christian religions and mystic sects. Christian meditation is a historical avenue to reintegrate one’s body, soul, relationships, and routine into unity with the Spirit.
Charismatic denominations hold the belief that believers should be in pursuit of a post-conversion, Divine experience called “baptism with the Holy Spirit.”[1] This idea carries a common thread with the purpose and outcome of Christian meditation: to commune with or encounter God. Engaging in meditative practices can deepen your inner flow and enrich your encounter with the Divine.
Historical Figures In Christian Meditation & Pentecostal Faith
Christian meditation has its roots in many denominations across the globe and shares many founders of the faith with other churches, including Evangelical Christianity, Catholicism, and Eastern Orthodoxy.
John Cassian
One notable Desert Father of the fifth century is John Cassian. He wrote a series of teachings and instructions called Conferences, where he revealed many of the meditations and practices of the earlier Desert Fathers, including Evagrius Ponticus. In conference 10, John reveals that to “progress towards the continual recollection of God” requires continual prayer, spiritual contemplation, and meditation.[2] He described a method known as “pure prayer,” which is a contemplative focus and reflection on God alone.
Symeon, The New Theologian
Symeon was a Byzantine poet and monk who lived in the 10th-11th century. He was a founding influence in the practices of Christian mysticism and Hesychasm. He believed and taught the idea of theoria, which promotes a direct experience with God. While general mysticism is not always aligned with charismatic Christian teachings, they share a common thread of direct personal experience with God that cannot always be quantified in facts and figures.
Symeon is the author of The Way of the Pilgrim, which discusses the Biblical theme of praying without ceasing. He also taught breathwork principles within the practice of contemplative prayer and meditation:
Sit down alone and in silence. Lower your head, shut your eyes, breathe out gently, and imagine yourself looking into your own heart. Carry your mind, that is, your thoughts, from your head to your heart. As you breathe out, say, ‘Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.’ Say it moving your lips gently, or simply say it in your mind. Try to put all other thoughts aside. Be calm, be patient, and repeat the process very frequently.[3]
This method puts these words of life on your lips and the person of Christ in your lungs, creating space for experiencing the Spirit.
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St. John of the Cross
St. John of the Cross lived in Spain in the 16th century and is the author of The Ascent of Mount Carmel, which details the life and teachings of the Desert Fathers of the third and fourth centuries. His work describes a transformative experience within meditation practices that helps people make the transition from a practical guided framework to living a more supernatural experience.
Here’s how he described that experience in one of his many poems, part of The Collected Works of St. John of the Cross, [4] (Also see “The Cloud of Unknowing, below.)
I entered into unknowing…That perfect knowledge was a peace and holiness held in profound solitude. It was something so secret that I left stammering, transcending all knowledge.
St. John describes two types of meditation, one practical and one supernatural.
The one way is supernatural, wherein representation can be made, and is made, to these senses passively, without any effort of their own; these we call imaginary visions, produced after a supernatural manner, and of these, we shall speak hereafter. The other way is natural, wherein, through the ability of the soul, these things can be actively fashioned…[5]
He expounds on an experience full of visions that are outside of the five senses, much like a transformative meditation encounter. He goes on to say,
…All these imaginings must be cast out from the Soul…that it may attain to Divine union… [6]
He taught that you could identify when you’re ready to transition from the practical, mundane meditation format into a Divine, supernatural experience when you’re dissatisfied with the practical method and long to experience the presence of God, but struggle to engage with formulaic meditation practices. [7]
Much of his work was based on his study and reflection on the letters from his contemporary, St. Teresa of Avila, to religious and world leaders and fellow believers. In The Ascent of Mount Carmel, he further describes the need for total detachment for a transcendental meditation experience to ignite transformation “in God.”
St. Theophan the Recluse,
St. Theophan lived through most of the 19th century and was a bishop and theologian of his day. He wrote many letters and homilies throughout his time on Earth and shared his teachings on contemplative prayer. He is credited with the phrase,
To pray is to descend with the mind into the heart, and there to stand before the face of the Lord, ever-present, all-seeing, within you.”[8] He believed that to truly experience God in meditation, you have to enter your heart space and clear your head space, and it is there that you will “find life in your heart.
Pentecostal Practices
Speaking In Tongues or Prayer Languages
Historically, speaking in tongues was an actual language that bridged the gap in ethnic and regional communication to spread the Good News of Jesus. It is often a sign of the “Baptism of the Holy Spirit” and could be in a known or unknown language where the speaker is supernaturally empowered to speak, whether in public or in solitude, as a personal prayer language. [9]
The spiritual gift of tongues is one of the nine gifts of the Holy Spirit, as described in 1 Corinthians 12:8-10, and parallels the aim of meditation or contemplative prayer. As believers, we seek a direct, meaningful encounter with God, which cannot be quantified. Through these practices, one can allow the Divine to move within and activate transformation.
More About The Cloud of Unknowing
St. John of the Cross mentioned entering “into unknowing,” and this thread is carried over in the main idea of The Cloud of Unknowing, author unknown. This is a 14th-century resource that came about later than the Desert Fathers but was intrinsically influenced by them.
It teaches how it is possible to explore the endless mysteries of God, the world, and spirituality in general through the regular practice of contemplative prayer. This historical guide has inspired many forms of Christian meditation, including the Centering Prayer.
In this resource, we learn the ancient truth that one can only come to know God on a deep and transformative level through focused, loving presence and intentional contemplation. The Cloud of Unknowing says this,[10]
That by virtue of this work a sinner truly turned and called to contemplation cometh sooner to perfection than by any other work; and by it soonest may get of God forgiveness of sins.
More On The Ascent of Mount Carmel
Other sections of the text offer other insights into how to practice meditation and what a divine encounter via meditation looks and feels like:[11]
- Focus on a one-syllable word and continually repeat it to clear the mind. This will release the intellect from interfering and open the soul to greater spiritual possibilities.
- The first session of transcendental meditation will feel like “darkness” and “a cloud of unknowing.” In this moment, one is not fully seeing or feeling God but is empowered by a pure, wordless desire for the Spirit, holding space to set your heart on the divine.
- The state of consciousness required to “feel Him” must circumvent the intellect and be activated through a “spark of the soul” through infused contemplation.
- When engaged in this type of meditation, allow your soul to rest and focus a loving heart toward God, free of anxiety and without intellectual evaluation.
- Operating outside of reason, the soul is free to gaze upon God and the Spirit.
- In this way, it is possible to experience a deep, transformative peace and rest that elevates the soul and transcends reason.
- Once this higher meditation has been experienced, the soul experiences a dryness, which causes dissatisfaction with other meditation methods.
No other work offers such significant insights from millennia gone by into the inner workings, experiences, and outcomes of Christian meditation practices.
What Is The Jesus Prayer?
The Jesus Prayer is a rote prayer often memorized for repetitive recitation and meditation. It states,
Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me.
This simple but powerful prayer is an established practice to implement the instruction to “pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17, ESV). Anyone can master this prayer and reflect on the themes hidden within, even beginners in meditation.
Our Editorial Standards:
All our content on Christian meditation traditions, prayers, and spiritual practices is reviewed by Dr. Megan Remington, PhD, ensuring theological soundness and spiritual depth.
We draw from centuries of Christian contemplative tradition, citing respected theological sources, biblical references, and established spiritual practices.
Our team understands that spiritual struggles are deeply personal. We approach topics of anxiety, strength, healing, and peace with compassion and biblical wisdom.
We continuously review and update our spiritual resources to ensure they remain relevant and aligned with orthodox Christian teaching.
Each article clearly identifies our writers and reviewers, along with the theological sources and biblical foundations used.
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The legacy of these spiritual leaders and the traditions they carried light the way for meditation practices we can experience today. Participate in this meaningful experience of Christian spirituality. Activate your own spiritual growth and experience transformation through meditation.
Sources
All Scripture references were cited from: English Standard Version Bible. (2001). ESV Online. https://www.esv.org
[1][9]Encyclopædia Britannica, inc. (n.d.-c). Pentecostalism. Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Pentecostalism
[2]Conference 10. CHURCH FATHERS: Conference 10 (John Cassian). (n.d.). https://www.newadvent.org/fathers/350810.htm
[3]Finley, J. (2024, May 29). The jesus prayer: Weekly summary . Center for Action and Contemplation. https://cac.org/daily-meditations/the-jesus-prayer-weekly-summary/
[4]“Transcending all knowledge” – st. john of the cross: Transcendental meditation® blog. Transcendental Meditation Blog. (n.d.). https://usa.tm.org/blog/meditation/pure-and-simple-wisdom/
[5][6][7][11]Ascent of mount carmel. christian classics ethereal library. (n.d.). https://www.ccel.org/ccel/j/john_cross/ascent/cache/ascent.pdf
[8]The roots of Christian meditation. (n.d.-g). https://iceont.ca/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/The-Roots-of-Christian-Meditation.pdf
[10]The Cloud of Unknowing. (n.d.-g). https://www.catholicspiritualdirection.org/cloudunknowing.pdf