Twelve Steps and Yiddishkeit

A recovering person writes:

I learnt in a Litvish Yeshiva where the concept of meditating was never mentioned or encouraged. So much so, people would have laughed if I had made reference to having a spiritual experience or felt G-d’s presence… It happens to be that one of the things I gain most from the program is simply sitting and appreciating closeness with G-d, even asking Him to to help me further this connection. Though I am aware there are stories like the Chafetz Chaim who spoke to Hashem from his attic, I feel like this concept of meditating is not the Judaism that I was raised with.

Rabbi Twerski Responds:

The fact that yeshivos do not emphasize meditation is a shortcoming of the teaching system, not of Yiddishkeit. The Talmud says that the pious people used to meditate a full hour before prayer. Both Chassidic and mussar writings stress meditation, feeling close to G-d and spiritual experiences.