SadhanaOriental Meditation and Christian Prayer
My experience of Sadhana sessions
Sadhana Experience
I am an old male living in the Tokai region, and I am not a Catholic.
About four years ago, I participated in Sadhana I in early summer 2006 because a Catholic sister who I know recommended it to me. I had never experienced things like this before, so honestly, I was perplexed.
I was doubtful whether I could achieve the goal of the program because I don’t really believe in God. In the first place, I did not know anything in advance about what the group does and in what way. I was also concerned about whether I could adapt myself to the program and accept the idea because I am not a believer of God.
But the concern I had at first disappeared quickly. I felt that a series of experience in deep concentration naturally brought out my inner self through the guidance by Fr. Lafont.
I had placed emphasis only on the real world for a long time, but as I repeated the meditation that I had never experienced, I could unconsciously go into the spiritual world through the sensory world. I had rarely “recalled” my past experience in my memory, but the meditation allowed me to look at myself honestly. (It may be the feeling of shifting from my body to my mind. I cannot describe this well, but “to bring out my inner self” may simply mean that I called up memories. I did not feel admiration for God.)
And then, I had another opportunity to participate in Sadhana II in summer 2008 with my wife. In Sadhana II, I think I was able to experience something deeper than what I experienced in Sadhana I.
I think what I learned by participating in these two sessions was the way to look at my inner self, which I had not been able to experience before. I am thankful.
By participating in Sadhana, I came to know how to “meditate.” I could direct “five senses” of my body to my “mind,” and glance at my inner “ugliness” and “conscience” unconsciously. Is it already in the spiritual domain? (I still don’t know if what I experienced is at the stage of faith, or if it happened in the psychological transformation that is beyond faith in God.)
(Tokyo Prefecture, 60s, female)