This article gives a brief historical introduction to meditation in the Christian and other religious traditions, relating it to concepts of Freud and Bion. Following a description of the technique of meditation, its essence is then discussed - especially in terms of its embeddedness in mystical traditions which hail from the old religions of the Orient. The main part of this paper concerns the work and teachings of John Main, the Benedictine monk who arguably did most to re-introduce the ancient discipline of Christian meditation to contemporary Western practitioners. Parallels are drawn between Main's view of silence in meditation and silence in psychoanalysis.

The article ends with some cautious notes on the possibility that meditation, as Main described it, may not be ideal for schizoid, dissociated, or overly narcissistic individuals. Those practitioners with good ego-strengths are likely to benefit the most.