Everything about meditation involves the mind. For the Catholic faithful, meditation is a particular method of prayer. This kind of prayer involves the raising of the mind and heart to God. Opposite to meditation is the vocal prayer that involves the usage of words as in conversation, either out loud or silently. That is why in meditation imagination is a very important element for without it meditation is not possible.
Meditation in Catholicism is far different from the meditation in other beliefs. For some religions, meditation is emptying the mind. For Catholicism, meditation is a thoughtful undertaking as the imagination is used in prayer. This is what essentially differs about meditation from other religions and from the Catholic faith.
For Catholics who are practicing meditation, they are usually following four steps in order to achieve the goal of the meditation.
Finding a Place
The first step about meditation is to find a place where meditation can be done peacefully. It does not mean going physically to a church. The Catholic faithful believe that God is present everywhere. It is, therefore, a common understanding that meditation can be done in the most peaceful peace anywhere it may be.
Asking God for Help
The second step about meditation is to ask God for help. This is another important element about meditation since by himself a man can never enter meditative state without the help of God. It is only through the grace of God that a person is able to meditate successfully. The object of prayer is God, and it is important to commune with him during meditation. This is what makes it interesting about meditation since people are able to pray to God only through his grace and gift.
Thanking God
The third step about meditation is the actual moment of prayer. Entering into the state of meditation begins the moment a person shuts down his eyes. Closing the eyes is important because they are the source of distraction. Meditation is a mental prayer that needs focus and dedication in order to achieve. In fact, a small amount of noise can shatter a person's meditative state. Focus is, therefore, another important factor about meditation.
The fourth step about meditation is to give thanks to God. Once meditation is completed, it is but natural for people to give thanks to God for the grace of communing with him during meditation. In fact, thanking God is a prayer in itself, a thanksgiving prayer.
Everything about meditation, therefore, is a prayer. From the start until the end of the meditation, a person is entering into a process of meditative state with God.