David O. McKay on the power and blessing of meditation

President David O. McKay (1873-1970) was called to the Quorum of Twelve Apostles in 1906.  He served as a counselor in the First Presidency to Heber J. Grant and George Albert Smith beginning in 1945, then then as the president of the Church from 1951 to his death in 1970 at age 96.

"I think we pay too little attention to the value of meditation, a principle of devotion. In our worship there are two elements: One is spiritual communion arising from our own meditation; the other, instruction from others, particularly from those who have authority to guide and instruct us. Of the two, the more profitable introspection is the meditation. Meditation is the language of the soul. It is defined as 'a form of private devotion or spiritual exercise, consisting in deep, continued reflection on some religious theme.' Meditation is a form of prayer....

"Meditation is one of the most secret, most sacred doors through which we pass into the presence of the Lord....

"You will find that when these most inspirational moments come to you, you are alone with yourself and your God. They come to you probably when you are facing a great trial, when a wall is across your pathway and it seems that you are facing an insurmountable obstacle, or when your heart is heavy because of some tragedy in your life. I repeat, the greatest comfort that can come to us in this life is to sense the realization of communion with God. Great testimonies have come in those moments."

- David O. McKay, Conference Report, April 1967, p. 86; see TDOM pp. 253-4

The "art of meditation" may be disappearing from our modern culture in the midst of our busy, complicated, noisy lives. President McKay felt its importance in his life, and spoke of it on many occasions, encouraging Church members to find quiet time alone with themselves and with God. He knew from personal experience how crucial this action is to developing spirituality:

This beautiful explanation gives us into what meditation is, and how we can approach it:

The key, according to President McKay, is to find time to be "alone with yourself and your God." This is particularly crucial in times of challenge and difficulty. I love this testimony:  "The greatest comfort that can come to us in this life is to sense the realization of communion with God. Great testimonies have come in those moments."