When we think about meditation, Eastern religions might come to mind, like Zen Buddhism or the practice of yoga. But a new study from the Pew Research Center finds that meditation is much more common across religions than you might think.
In fact, 40 percent of Americans reported that they meditate at least weekly, and many Christians — including 49 percent of evangelical Protestants and 40 percent of Catholics — say they do, too.
Six in 10 Mormons say they meditate at least once a week, as well, but what they define as “meditation” might differ, according to Thomas McConkie. He’s a practicing member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and he’s trained in Buddhist mindfulness.
And, as part of his nonprofit, the Lower Lights School of Wisdom, he leads meditation workshops around the country, teaching people of all faiths how to deepen their faith with this traditionally Eastern practice.
I spoke with McConkie more about the practice of meditation and how he sees it growing among a new generation of Mormons.
