Eastern Meditation and Mysticism: Infiltrating the Church with a Counterfeit Spirit
In recent decades, Eastern meditation has quietly infiltrated Christian churches, often cloaked in terms such as “centering prayer,” “contemplative silence,” or “Christian yoga.” While they may sound peaceful or even biblical, these practices originate from Hinduism, Buddhism, and New Age spirituality—systems not built on the Word of God but on mysticism, self-deification, and contact with unclean spirits.
The Shift from Prayer to Meditation
Many churches now encourage practices that resemble Transcendental Meditation (TM) or Zen Buddhism, replacing biblical prayer with breathwork, mantras, and “quieting the mind.” The goal of this form of meditation is to achieve inner stillness—not to hear God’s Word, but to silence the rational mind and unlock hidden, mystical consciousness.
Meditation sessions typically involve sitting with closed eyes for 15–20 minutes, repeating a mantra to suppress conscious thought. This mantra could be a biblical-sounding word, but its purpose is to trigger an altered state of consciousness—much like occult and Eastern rituals.
Naomi Humphrey, a meditation advocate, claims that it helps free people from fear by unlocking a new perception of reality—one where spirit and matter become integrated. This is not biblical renewal. It is spiritual deception designed to blur the lines between the Creator and creation.
“God Within” – A Doctrine of Demonic Origin
Eastern meditation promotes finding “God within yourself.” This self-deification is the original lie of Satan: “You shall be as gods” (Genesis 3:5). Adrian B. Smith, a Roman Catholic priest and meditation proponent, openly endorses this. He writes that TM and Christian meditation are simply different routes to the same mystical experience of inner divinity.
Christian meditation, according to Smith, helps people “develop consciousness of the depth within us.” Yet scripture teaches us to look outside of ourselves—to Christ, the only true Savior (Hebrews 12:2). When people seek mystical unity within their own being, they risk opening their spirits to seducing spirits (1 Timothy 4:1).
Left Brain Off, Right Brain On – The Path to Demonic Invasion
Eastern meditation intentionally disengages the rational mind (left brain) and activates intuitive, mystical perception (right brain). This altered state opens a doorway into the spiritual realm—yet not the realm of God’s Spirit. Dr. Willem Nicol, a promoter of Christian mysticism in the Dutch Reformed Church, admits that meditation leads to “deep consciousness” where thoughts arise that may come from “evil powers.”
He even warns: “If one waits for thoughts, your subconscious mind, or even evil powers, may talk to you.” This is not a safe spiritual environment—it’s a wide-open door to demonic deception.
Even New Age authors admit the spiritual danger. Marilee Zdenek warns that intuitive meditation can attract spirits masquerading as gods, goddesses, or dragons. But scripture exposes these as demons in disguise (2 Corinthians 11:14).
Mysticism: The Gateway to One-World Religion
This mystical movement is doing more than deceiving individual believers. It is merging Christianity with Eastern faiths into a new syncretic religion. The more people silence their minds and connect with an “inner god,” the more they accept the lie that all religions lead to the same truth.
Dr. Celia Kourie of the University of South Africa promotes mysticism as the path to religious unity: “Mysticism is a profound phenomenon that cuts across all religions.” She believes all faiths offer mystical encounters with God and that the “spirit of one god” works through them all. But scripture tells us clearly: There is only one way to the Father—through Jesus Christ (John 14:6).
This belief in a shared mystical experience across religions is paving the way for the coming One World Religion. As Christians abandon biblical study for mystical feelings, Satan blinds their minds from the gospel of Christ (2 Corinthians 4:4). They no longer rely on the Holy Spirit or the Word, but instead on strange lights, inner voices, and altered states.
Contemplative Prayer: A Christian Facade for a New Age Practice
Ray Yungen, in A Time for Departing, exposes contemplative prayer as a Trojan horse for New Age spirituality. He warns that contemplative silence isn’t about pondering God’s Word—it’s about silencing the mind until one encounters a mystical void.
Yungen explains that contemplative prayer techniques—using breath prayers or sacred words—mimic Eastern meditation to reach an inner stillness where “God” supposedly speaks. But the Bible never tells us to empty our minds or seek God in the silence. Instead, God commands us to meditate on His Word (Psalm 1:2), to renew our minds (Romans 12:2), and to test every spirit (1 John 4:1).
Seducing Spirits and False Light
Catholic priest Philip St. Romain described entering passivity through silent prayer and encountering swirling lights, voices, and an “inner adviser.” He began making decisions based on this inner voice. But was this voice the Holy Spirit? No—this is how familiar spirits operate: appearing wise but leading people away from Christ.
Experiences like these, common in contemplative circles, echo occult phenomena. Sadly, many Christians are unaware they are engaging in practices condemned by scripture (Deuteronomy 18:10–12).
A Call to Discernment
The Word of God is the only sure foundation. True Christian prayer involves engaging with the mind, submitting our hearts to God, and praying in the Spirit and in truth (John 4:24). Any practice that tells you to silence your mind, stop thinking, or empty yourself is dangerous. That’s not submission to the Holy Spirit—it’s opening the door to spiritual counterfeits.
We must expose the infiltration of Eastern mysticism into the church, confront the deception behind “Christian” meditation, and call believers back to the pure gospel of Jesus Christ.
Testimony of a former New Ager
“Three years ago, I read a book called A Time of Departing, which claimed that many Christian leaders were teaching a mantra-meditation technique. You can imagine my shock when I discovered the New Age had infiltrated Christianity through such a technique, a practice called contemplative prayer. The technique involves repeating a word or phrase over and over until reaching what is called silence. Sometimes, the breath is focused upon instead of a word or phrase, thus the name breath prayers. The goal? Reaching an altered state of consciousness to communicate with God.
“Contemplating God's Word is a good thing. But the contemplative prayer I speak of is not. First practiced by monks centuries ago, it died out and did not re-enter again until the 1960s when Catholic monks Thomas Keating and Thomas Merton decided to introduce the practice to mainstream Christianity. Richard Foster, a supporter of contemplative prayer, writes a curious warning about this practice in his book, Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home: ‘I also want to give a word of precaution.
“Then why do it, Mr. Foster? Why would God put me in a position to fend for myself in this unknown spiritual realm surrounded by spiritual beings that are not in cooperation with God and his way? He would not.
“The Achilles' heel for Mr. Foster is that there is no scriptural support for contemplative prayer other than this warning, ‘And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions, as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. Therefore, do not be like them. Your Father knows what you need before you ask Him’ (Matt. 6:7-8).
“What would martyrs of the faith who departed from Islam, Hinduism, or Buddhism say to us if they could speak of our intermingling Christianity with Eastern mystical practices? As a former New Age medium, I know the difference between Eastern meditative practices and biblical Christian prayer. Sadly, too many in the Christian community do not” (end of quotation).
Why would believers want to revert to the mystical practices of the Dark Ages when they can worship God in an alert, sober, biblical way while honoring and observing His Word in their hearts so that they might not sin against Him? (Ps. 119:11).
The critical question for discerning Christians today is this: Can meditation—particularly Eastern-style contemplation, centering prayer, or “mystical silence”—be regarded as a legitimate form of Christian prayer? Is there any biblical basis for what many now call “Christian meditation”? Or is this simply paganism repackaged?
The answer is clear when we return to the authority of God’s Word.
The Nature of Biblical Prayer
Biblical prayer is an expression of faith—spoken, thoughtful, and rooted in truth. It requires a sober and active mind. Scripture never calls for mind-emptying silence or repetitive mantras. Rather, Jesus Himself warns against “vain repetitions as the heathen do” (Matthew 6:7).
True prayer involves rational communication with God. James 1:6 and Hebrews 11:6 make it clear that prayer is to be a faith-filled dialogue, not a mystical trance. Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing, not by silencing or bypassing the mind.
What Does “Meditate” Mean in the Bible?
The Bible does indeed mention meditation—but not the kind promoted by Eastern mystics or contemplative prayer teachers. To meditate biblically means to think deeply upon God’s Word.
Psalm 1:2 describes the righteous person as one who “meditates day and night” on the law of the Lord. Psalm 119 is filled with references to mindful, word-based reflection—not silence, but engagement.
“Open my eyes, that I may see wondrous things from Your law.” (Psalm 119:18)
“I will meditate on Your precepts and contemplate Your ways.” (Psalm 119:15)
“Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day.” (Psalm 119:97)
The biblical model is clear: Read God’s Word, meditate on it with understanding, pray in response, and live by faith. There is no model in Scripture for the type of mystical experience that contemplative prayer encourages.
Silence Is Not God's Language
Contemplative advocates often claim “silence is the language of God.” But Jesus declared:
“The words that I speak to you are spirit, and they are life.” (John 6:63)
God speaks through His Word, not through a silent void. Biblical silence is a posture of reverence—not an invitation to open ourselves to spiritual impressions from an undefined realm.
Eastern Meditation: A Counterfeit Experience
Eastern meditation invites practitioners to empty their minds in pursuit of union with a mysterious “god within.” This form of self-deification is the original lie of Satan (Genesis 3:5). In these altered states, people report encounters with spiritual “guides,” voices, and swirling lights.
These are demonic deceptions. The Bible warns:
“Satan himself transforms into an angel of light.” (2 Corinthians 11:14)
In a passive, trance-like state, the mind is unguarded. Discernment is shut off. The person cannot test the spirits or compare what they experience with the written Word of God. Many who pursue contemplative prayer end up spiritually confused, ecumenically compromised, and emotionally wounded.
Brian Flynn’s Testimony: A Former New Age Medium
Brian Flynn, founder of One Truth Ministries, testifies from experience:
“As a New Age medium, I used meditation to contact spirit guides, not realizing they were demonic. After giving my life to Jesus, I no longer needed chants, trances, or rituals. The Word of God and the Holy Spirit became my source of peace.”
Flynn warns that contemplative prayer, introduced to Christianity by Catholic mystics like Thomas Merton and popularized by Richard Foster, is identical to the practices he once used as a medium. The goal is to enter an altered state of consciousness—exactly what Jesus warned against.
Even Foster admits this danger in Prayer: Finding the Heart’s True Home:
“In the silent contemplation of God… there are various orders of spiritual beings, some of which do not cooperate with God.”
Why, then, would any believer enter a realm where hostile spirits roam? Scripture never instructs us to do so. Instead, we are called to pray with vigilance and a sound mind (1 Peter 4:7).
Meditation Leads to Religious Compromise
Eastern meditation often leads to a pantheistic worldview—the belief that God is in everything and everyone. Over time, practitioners lose their distinct view of God as a holy, personal Creator. Instead, they embrace a “universal Christ” found in all religions.
This is spiritual deception.
“For if he who comes preaches another Jesus whom we have not preached... you may well put up with it!” (2 Corinthians 11:4)
Contemplative mysticism often blurs the line between Christianity and Hinduism, Buddhism, or Sufi Islam. It encourages ecumenism, one-world religion, and a denial of Jesus Christ as the only way to God (John 14:6).
Why Is This Dangerous?
-
Biblical discernment is deactivated. Meditation promotes passivity, not alertness.
-
The mind becomes a target. Demons communicate with the subconscious when the rational mind is silenced.
-
It opens the door to “another Jesus.” Mystical experiences may include a false “Christ” offering universal salvation and unity among all faiths.
-
It promotes self-dependence. Meditation becomes a form of self-salvation—man discovering the god within, rather than surrendering to the real Christ.
God Has Set Boundaries
God created clear distinctions among peoples, faiths, and practices (Acts 17:26). We are called to be separate (2 Corinthians 6:14–17) and not conform to this present evil world (Galatians 1:4). Biblical Christianity cannot coexist with mystical Eastern philosophies. They are in direct conflict.
The Call to Return to Biblical Prayer
Let us reject every mystical counterfeit.
Let us return to Spirit-led, Word-saturated prayer. Let us:
-
Walk in holiness (1 John 3:22)
-
Be mentally alert (1 Peter 1:13)
-
Live in accountability (Romans 14:12)
-
Pray God’s will, not our own (1 John 5:14)
With love and truth,
Teresa Morin
President of Touch of God Int’l Ministries
🌐 https://www.touchofgod.org
Of Healing and Deliverance, Ordained Minister, Public Speaker
📣 Featured in Who's Who Press Release
🔥 Ready to Break Free?
If you've participated in any form of occult practice, even unknowingly, or stuck in sin and cannot break free such as any type of addiction? There is hope. Jesus Christ is ready to forgive, cleanse, and deliver. Repent, renounce the practice, and seek healing.
👉 🖥 Join the Free Bi-Weekly Deliverance Prayer Webinar - 2nd & 4th Monday nights at 7:00 PM CST!
Want powerful biblical teaching and breakthrough prayers every other week—for FREE? Join our next session and grow spiritually stronger.
🎟 Reserve Your Spot
👉 🙏 Book Your Personal One-on-One Deliverance Session:
Need focused prayer and deep healing? Don’t wait. Begin your journey to freedom with one-on-one deliverance ministry.
🕊 Schedule Now
👉 🙋♀️ Thrive Group Mentoring for Women:
Don’t struggle alone. Join Spirit-filled women as they grow and heal together through mentorship, emotional healing, and biblical deliverance. We pray for one another.
💖 Join the Thrive Group
✝️ Become a Member of Touch of God Ministry — It’s 100% Free! Get free eBooks, early event access, member-only discounts, and more.
🙏 Join Us for Prayer Every Tuesday Night at 10:00 PM CST
Experience corporate anointed intercession and the power of unity in the Spirit.
📅 Join the Facebook Prayer Group
📖 Get Your FREE Copy of Unraveling Deliverance
Discover how demons enter, how to fight back, and how to walk in freedom with this powerful digital resource.
📘 Download Free Now
💥 Summer Special – Save $5 Now! 💥
Uprooting Evil Witchcraft Forces – Spiritual Warfare Prayer Manual (Digital Download). Take authority over darkness! This powerful manual equips you with targeted prayers to break witchcraft, curses, and demonic attacks.
✅ Spiritual warfare tools
✅ Protection for you and your family
✅ Instant digital download
Now just $10 — $5 off for a limited time!
📘 Get Yours Now
Need Prayer?🙏
.webp "breaking soul ties prayer")
.png "get your free download book on anxiety")
