Category Archives: Book

Free Book Promotion

20150530_081901To celebrate the opening of Sunrise Meditation and Counseling in Sautee Georgia, the electronic Kindle version of Christian Tantric Meditation Guide is being offered for free for a limited time through Amazon.com.  Kindle ebooks can be easily read on PC’s, Macs, and Android devices using free Kindle Aps which are available through Amazon.com  The promotion will be running from May 31st 2015 through June 4th 2015.

Our first meditation workshops are being offered on June 13th 2015.  Based on the book Christian Tantric Meditation Guide, these workshops will introduce key concepts and introductory practices required for engaging in Christian Tantric Meditation.  The skills of Mind Stabilization and Stress Reduction Meditation will be shared in the morning workshop, and the skills of Opening Consciousness and Self Awareness Meditation will be shared in the afternoon workshop.

Christian Tantric Meditation is unique in that several practice disciplines are utilized in a series.  Each practice builds on the skills introduced in the previous practice.  After the introductory practices are learned, more advanced practices are introduced, including Self Emptying, Divine Communion, and advanced Compassion training.

While many meditation techniques are primarily focused on the mind, CTM exercises the mind, heart, and core areas of consciousness.  This holistic approach to meditation increases mind body self awareness and can be used to address issues such as anxiety, physical pain, and physical cravings.  CTM practice can also increase a person’s capacity for love, self esteem, Spirituality, and Compassion, and reduce blocks to success and intimacy.

Registration for classes is easy, either sign up on our website or call 678-358-8775 for more information.

 

Press Release

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Ecumenical Christian Wellness Ministries Releases
Christian Tantric Meditation Guide

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Dave Miller, Administrator
Ecumenical Christian Wellness Ministries
678-358-8775
dave@ecumenicalwellness.org

 

Atlanta, Ga – Dec 6, 2014

Ecumenical Christian Wellness Ministries is pleased to announce the release of the book “Christian Tantric Meditation Guide” by author David J. Miller. The book is now available in paperback and electronic forms from all major on-line retailers, including Amazon.com, BarnesandNoble.com, and BooksaMillion.com. The book is also available at select independent book stores in the Greater Atlanta and North Georgia areas.

In the book, Miller presents Tantric Meditation practices using a Christian perspective. Miller describes the combined practice as “an exercise for the heart, mind, and core areas of consciousness.” He further elaborates that the practice increases a person’s “capacity for mindfulness, spirituality, and compassion.”

When asked who would find this practice valuable, Miller replied “anyone who desires greater success in life, anyone dealing with unhealthy habits or emotions, relationship challenges, or anyone desiring a closer relationship with God through Christ will find this practice useful.”

About Dave Miller

Dave Miller has earned a Master’s in Community Counseling from Argosy University Atlanta, Georgia, a Master’s in Theological Studies from Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia, and a Bachelor’s of Science in Electrical Engineering from Milwaukee School of Engineering, Milwaukee, Wisconsin. As a Lay Minister and as a Licensed Associate Professional Counselor, Dave has worked in Recovery, Mental Health, Judicial, and Church settings. His training and experience in Counseling and Christian Ministry, combined with his studies in Tantric meditation techniques, all contributed to his development of this powerful and unique Christian Tantric Meditation practice.

About Ecumenical Christian Wellness Ministries:

In an unconditionally accepting environment, ECWM provides Christian Tantric Meditation Retreats and Workshops, Individual Mindfulness Oriented Therapy and Non-Denominational Christian Spiritual Direction in the Atlanta Metro and North Georgia areas. Call 678-358-8775 or visit Ecumenicalwellness.org for more information.

Tantra, Christianity, and Sex

Hi everyone, my name is Dave Miller and I’m the author of Christian Tantric Meditation Guide, now available at Amazon and BarnesandNoble.com in paperback and ebook forms. I’m here today to answer some questions that people have been asking about Christian Tantric Meditation. It seems that Christian people ask the question, why include Tantra, Non-Christians ask why include Christianity, and a lot of people ask whether this practice involves sex in any way.

To answer the first question, Tantra includes several practices that can be easily adapted to almost any religion or tradition. The concepts of energy centers and flowing breath energy are actually common to many if not all human cultures and religions, including Christianity. The practices of self emptying, Divine Communion or Guruyoga, and Compassion are also common to many if not all cultures and religions.

To answer the second question, which was why Christianity, Tantric Guruyoga meditation can be practiced with saints in mind or teachers or revered ancestors, or even Deities from other traditions. In practicing Christian Tantric Meditation, we visualize Jesus the Christ as our Guru and connection with Divinity.   We also visualize 3 energy centers or chakras rather than the 7 usually visualized in Yogic or Tantric practices. These chakras correspond to the mind, center of thought and hope, the heart, center of love, and the core, center of faith and wisdom.

Now to answer the third question, what about sex? Its true that there are many books and programs that describe Tantric practice in sexual terms. Those practices generally involve Chakras associated with sexual energy. Again, Christian Tantric Meditation utilizes Mind, Heart, and Core Chakras. With regard to sexuality, in Judeo-Christian Scripture the creation story tells us that a whole being adam was divided into male and female counterparts, Adam and Eve. Scripture also describes the female aspect of God as being Sophia or Wisdom. Christian Tantric Meditation recognizes that we are made in the image of God, having both male and female character attributes. So in meditation, we strive for developing wholeness and balance within ourselves, Consciously, Spiritually, physically in terms of taking care of ourselves, and in relationships also.

So, I hope this little video blog was helpful in answering questions you may have regarding CTM. If you have any other questions, feel free to visit our contact page at ecumenicalwellness.org/contact-us, and there is also a Facebook group called Ecumenical Meditation Insights for sharing meditation techniques, questions, and experiences as well. For people local to Atlanta Georgia in the US, we are now offering meditation workshops in Gainesville and Cumming Georgia, visit ecumenicalwellness.org/workshops for more details. If there is an interest in workshops outside of the Atlanta area, visit the website and let us know, we’re always willing to share.

Christian Tantric Meditation Book Reviews

We have been very blessed to receive positive book reviews at Amazon.com from Bruce Alderman Integral Scholar, Rev. Lou Kavar PhD, and Kim Waters Rose LPC.  Excerpts from those reviews are included below:

A Luminous Guide to Living the Fruits of the Spirit, Bruce Alderman Integral Scholar

Bruce AldermanFor many people, the word ‘tantra’ either evokes images of exotic, arcane rituals or ancient erotic arts. While these associations with the term are not entirely inaccurate, they obscure the essence of tantric practice, which is a sophisticated, artful means of human self-cultivation and self-transformation. In the Christian Tantric Meditation Guide, David Miller has beautifully distilled several essential elements of this practice and has applied them, quite fruitfully and imaginatively, within a Christian context.

Miller’s patient, gentle approach in this text makes the navigation of unfamiliar concepts and practices almost seamless, and his explication and frequent illumination of these concepts with Christian scriptural passages and images helps to demonstrate the relevance and power of these tantric exercises for deepening Christian practice. This book is not only for Christians, however.

I expect it will also be of interest to Western Buddhists who may have had Christian or Jewish roots, or who may be sympathetic to Christian tradition; to ‘spiritual but not religious’ practitioners who appreciate the archetypal power of religious language and imagery; to interfaith dialogue practitioners; and to individuals interested in the emerging integral and interspiritual approaches of Ken Wilber, Thich Nhat Hanh, Brother Wayne Teasdale, Bede Griffiths, Kurt Johnson, Cynthia Bourgeault, Beatrice Bruteau, the Dalai Lama, and many others. Highly recommended.

Insightful for those moving beyond traditional Christianity Rev Lou Kavar PhD.

Rev Lou Kavar-trimmedAs a spiritual director, I’ve worked with many individuals who find that their spiritual path leads them from the Christian tradition of their family to explore forms of Buddhist meditation. Few books integrate these two traditions in a way that reflects such spiritual journeys. Miller’s book presents a clearly organized approach that blends Buddhist practice with Christian metaphor in a way that many people will find comfortable. The book is an important addition to spiritual literature which will be useful for those exploring beyond traditional Christian spirituality and belief.

A great bridge between philosophies KIm Waters Rose LPC

Kim Waters RoseAs a Licensed Professional Counselor, many of my clients often struggle with stress and learning how to quiet their mind. With hectic schedules and little time for themselves, more and more counselors are turning to Buddhist techniques and principles for use in therapy because they are helpful and consistent with sound psychological healing practices. What this book does is help to make these principles and techniques accessible to Christian clients.

The chapter on mindful “self emptying” can be useful to therapists and clients alike. This practice helps a person to be “fully present” for another, and increases self awareness of the inner desires, attachments and resentments, and fears that can interfere with being
“fully present.”

One of the things I appreciate about this book is the emphasis on balance in
life and practice. For example, in the chapter describing “Divine Communion”,
the female “Mary-Sophia” aspect of what it means to be a person made in the image of God is an integral part of the process, and is presented in a way that includes both Old and New Testament biblical references.

Another example of balance is provided in the chapter describing compassion,
where the importance of healthy boundaries is emphasized. Understanding of the problems associated with codependency inform an approach to compassion that increases self-awareness of unhealthy motivations and cycles that can contribute to codependent behaviors.

One of the most powerful experiences a person can gain from this book is the integration and acceptance of self – made in the Image of God – as human, Divine, and Spirit in nature. This exercise in self integration occurs as part of the “compassion for self” practice.

Over all I would highly recommend this book for anyone who has a desire to experience the benefits of meditation and has a cultural, religious, or Spiritual connection with Christianity.