64. Getting the Bible from the Head to the Heart, with Ron Ovitt

In this episode, Ron Ovitt shares about something called Integrated Meditation. Integrated Meditation is a process designed to help us get Scripture beyond the head and to the heart. Through a process that fosters deep emotional healing and profound spiritual formation, Integrated Meditation helps us get scripture into our heart and our gut and our spirit.

THIS EPISODE’S HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:

Ron Ovitt is the President of Empower Ministry and the creator of Emotional Relearning, which you can learn about in Episode 32, “Emotional Resilience and Spiritual Leadership, with Ron Ovitt.”
Ron developed Integrated Meditation to help people in the process of Emotional Relearning.
Integrated Meditation is a way of experiencing the Bible in such a way that it touches not only the mind but also reaches to the heart.
Integrated Meditation involves six steps:
1. Reading – Read the text in two translations.
2. Comprehension – What are the key points of the passage?
3. Introspection – Looking inward. What do I sense as I read this passage? How does my body respond? What emotions am I feeling? What questions does this passage raise? What am I believing about myself? What am I believing about God?
4. Contemplation – Create space for the divine to enter. Shift from the brain to the heart by remembering a time when someone loved me.
5. Reflection – What am I going to believe as a result of reading this? What am I going to do now? What feelings will I embrace as a result of this? Who do I feel I should share this with?
6. Visualization – Visualize yourself receiving the scripture from God. Visualize knowing what I need to think, feel, and do—and visualize myself doing it.
Ron suggests that pastors might use these six steps as a way for congregations to dig deeper into the sermon text after the service, helping get the sermon from the head to the heart.
You can get a resource with ten Integrated Meditations by going to www.empowerministry.org/meditation.
You can e-mail Ron at ron@empowerministry.org.
You can listen to Ron’s podcast, Mr. Change Agent, and see his videos on his Mr. Change Agent YouTube channel.

RELEVANT RESOURCES AND LINKS:

Ron Ovitt:
- Free Resource: https://www.empowerministry.org/meditation/
- Website: https://www.empowerministry.org/
- E-mail: ron@empowerministry.org
- Ron’s Podcast: Mr. Change Agent
- Ron’s YouTube Channel: Mr. Change Agent YouTube channel

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