I learned how to meditate in 2012 to help with chronic health conditions of Eosinophilic Esophagitis, Gastroparesis, and Mind Body Syndrome. At my first appointment with my counselor who used guided imagery techniques, she did a meditation with me and asked me to think of a place where I felt safe and to see if I could see an image with it. I started seeing this image in my mind of a beautiful waterfall. It was so beautiful and other-worldly that I think it was an image of a heavenly waterfall. Focusing on that image balanced my mind and I felt a healing energy flowing through my mind and body. When I was first learning how to meditate, I could only focus on that image of a waterfall for about 10 to 15 seconds.  Over time, I was able to focus on the image longer and it was extremely healing.

When I was looking up definitions of what meditation is, the AI generated response to my Google search said: In psychology, meditation is defined as a practice that involves training the mind to achieve a state of focused attention, calmness, and awareness. It encompasses a variety of techniques that aim to regulate thoughts, emotions, and physiological responses.

And an article on the Mayo Clinic website explains that:

During meditation, you focus on one thing. You get rid of the stream of thoughts that may be crowding your mind and causing stress. This process can lead to better physical and emotional well-being.

Meditation can give you a sense of calm, peace and balance that can benefit your emotional well-being and your overall health. You also can use it to relax and cope with stress by focusing on something that calms you. Meditation can help you learn to stay centered and keep inner peace. (Meditation: Take a stress-reduction break wherever you are – Mayo Clinic)

So focusing on that image of a waterfall balanced my mind and helped to calm all the other streams of stressful thoughts that were flooding through my mind. I kept learning to meditate over time and working with different healing images. Then I started using imagery from the Bible in my meditations. There is imagery all throughout the Bible that we can use to meditate on God. It will expand your mind and help you to grow closer to Him. And hymns have Biblical imagery in them. I will be writing posts that explain the imagery in individual hymns. Learning to meditate with hymns can be a very meaningful experience in your walk with God and can have a powerful healing effect on the mind. I hope you find it helpful.