There’s a ton of misinformation in Christian circles about meditation and yoga. Most of it is rooted in fear of “the devil” infiltrating the mind and warping people into doing evil. Well, kids, that happens even without yoga or meditation. When others tell you that you shouldn’t meditate or practice yoga, they’re not trusting you to discern what is from God and what is illusory. The Vatican document about meditation is pretty valid. It tells me what I already know—what my yoga teaching tells me—that we can’t believe our sensory experiences to be spiritual ones. It ends by saying we should choose any method to turn our hearts toward God. The desire for God—not the selfish desire for a “mystical experience”—should be the principal driver.

The desire to achieve enlightenment might be a noble one, but the biggest barrier to it is the pride of the false self. If we seek enlightenment for a self-serving benefit, it will elude us. If we’re looking for a sensory experience, it will elude us. When we drop expectations and attachments of the false self, enlightenment emerges like a deer from the woods.

The philosopher Seneca said that we have an abundance of time, but we don’t know how to use it. How easily we busy ourselves with the ridiculous, yet we don’t make time for what’s most important? How we spend our time says what’s important to us. It tells us our priorities and what we really value. Sit down for a moment and ask yourself, “How do you spend your time?”

The Cloud of Unknowing is a 15th Century text that serves as the basis for Centering Prayer. The discourses themselves provide insight into contemplative living. Several chapters deal with humility, which is often lost these days in self-centered social media. Humility is a critical virtue in that it brings us in communion with others through forgiveness.

Although I’m quite critical of self-help for its emphasis on division, there is definitely a need for self-inquiry. Too often we speak from our “gut,” which is often an emotional reaction based on unhealed wounds. In our self-improvement efforts, the goal isn’t being right or being above others. It is about bridging divides through love and understanding.

In spirituality, we often like to dive into the deep end head first. We want the profound contemplative experience quickly. It’s like rushing love in a relationship—it takes time to grow. Take the time to progress through each stage, continually moving forward as your love deepens.

When we talk with people with whom we disagree, we sometimes label their comments or their personality using extreme terms like “fascist” or “racist.” Labeling others is ineffective persuasion. It furthers divides and reveals your need for approval from your group’s standpoint.

If I saw 17 shooting stars during this year’s peak of the Geminids meteor shower, does that mean I get 17 wishes? Meteors enter the Earth’s atmosphere all the time, but often we don’t notice them because we’re not looking up. It’s the same with good things in our life. We don’t see them because we’re not looking in the right direction.

How hypocritical we can be when we hold resentment towards others without seeking forgiveness for our own words and behaviors? I believe many people cannot sit alone with themselves because their resentment towards others builds upon the times they’ve wounded others. Instead, we can begin to set ourselves free by forgiving “those who trespass against us.”

Many secular or New Age people will talk about their Dark Night of the Soul as if it’s a challenging moment, a depression, or just a bad experience. It’s much deeper than that. If you hear of someone talk or write about the Dark Night of the Soul without mentioning St. John of the Cross, it’s probably just a challenging time. The Dark Night of the Soul is a purgative process in the mystical tradition where we’re called to let go of our material desires and sensory gratification. There is no spiritual bypassing here.