1 Eastern Meditation Techniques and Christian Spirituality: The Example of Vipassana

This article is a theological reflection on Vipassana meditation. Starting with the practical experience of an introduction to this technique, it asks: what is the place of such a discipline, originating as it does in Buddhism, in the life of western Christians? It finds the practice a promising tool in our efforts to make up what Ronald Rolheiser calls our ‘contemplative deficit’. Comparisons are made with various elements in Christian spirituality such as ascetical practices like fasting and prayer-forms like the use of a mantra or prayer-word. It concludes that the primary use of the technique is as a therapeutic ascetical practice. In a general sense, it may also be termed a contemplative practice. Whether it is helpful to use the word ‘prayer ’ to refer to it turns out to be a more difficult question