I was introduced to The Journey To Wild Divine last week so I thought I'd post a few embryonic thoughts.
What is Wild Divine? Well it looks like a video game but in actual fact its a sophisticated piece of biofeedback hardware. Using finger sensors it measures your body's heart rate variability and skin conductance to guage your progress in various meditation exercises.
Now I'd heard of this program some time ago but I'd never seen it in the flesh before. However, after the pagan drumming circle last Friday night (first for the year) I got chatting to a few of my fellow drummers and was invited to try it out given my interest in meditation.
Well I was a bit too wired up to do the energy lowering exercises (for various reasons which I wont go into) but I tried some of the energy raising exercises and they were amazing. It was almost like telepathy the way you could use your mind to send objects wizzing around the screen. I can see how this could be helpful for developing concentration and mental discipline.
Yet, as a Christian I do have to question its value as a tool for spiritual growth – at least in certain respects. You see, there is nothing in a program that can ensure growth in faith, hope and love, the Christian measures of spiritual growth. Progression through exercises can just as easily nurture arrogance. Mind you, this caution can be extended to the practice of meditation as whole or even prayer so I don't want to come across as too dismissive. Its just I wonder of its potential to feed our desires for instant gratification. For an instant spiritual quick fix. But maybe I'm just being technophobic. Bah. I'll have to meditate on this some more.
My hosts themselves cautioned me that Wild Divine came with a philosophical overlay that they themselves didn't agree with, pointing out the involvement of Deepak Chopra in its inception. I suppose the message to get out of this is that what you bring to these exercises may be just as important – if not more so – as what you hope to get out of them.
Anyways, I had a fascinating and enjoyable evening with lots of food for thought.
Curious Christian 
