A seminary student asks about pointers for offering Christian-friendly contemplative meditation that would be better suited for people who score high on the "P" scale of the Meyers-Briggs scale.. Belleruth,
I am a seminary student at a Methodist theological school and am pursuing an M.Div. degree with a specialization in spirituality. I have always been a fan of guided imagery, and recently I have been thinking of using it as a way to offer a kind of contemplative meditation technique for those of us on the "P" (rather than the "J") end of the Meyers-Briggs scale. Is there a way I can learn this technique and conference with someone as to how to modify the technique to make it distinctly Christian in its tenor? Thanks for your time,
Stan



Dear Stan,
As I mentioned in this week’s update, we get this query a lot, but usually it’s from end-users who are seeking Christian-friendly or Bible-based imagery, and less from practitioners who are game to try creating it.

And over the years we’ve carefully reviewed various attempts, hoping to find something that was efficacious, aesthetically appealing, well-produced, and psychologically and physically accurate. But up until coming across the Tranquilities Series by Dr. Robert Miller and Rev. Donna Schenk, I hadn’t run across anything I could truly get behind and recommend as a shining example, let alone proudly carry in our catalog. Our new Spring list will include the Tranquilities Stress Series and the Cancer Series, but if you want to check their work out right now, click on http://www.tranquilities.biz/ and see for yourself. They combine simple imagery with powerful insertions of scripture (usually from psalms, which are happily familiar and powerful to both Christians and Jews) and background hymn music and environmental sounds. You can also contact them directly from the site.

Good luck to you and best wishes with your degree and your new project!