centering prayer - wordpress.com · 2017. 1. 18. · keating, thomas (1987) open mind, open heart....

During the1980’s agroup ofTrappist monks, among them Thomas Keating, setoutto recover the contemplativedimension of the Gospel. Drawing on thewritings oftheDesert Fathers, the Christian mystics, and - inparticular – the anonymous 14thcentury English classic on prayer, The Cloud of Unknowing, they distilled amethodof silent prayersuitablefor the presentday. It has becomeknownas CenteringPrayer. It can be used by itself,or alternativelymanyuse it in associationwithotherformsofprayersuchalectiodivina.

CenteringPrayer - unlike the concentrativemethod (based on the repetitionof amantra) developed by John Main – is a receptive method in which we consent, inever-renewed interiorsilence,to the presenceandtransformative actionof theHolySpiritwithinus.

Resourcesandcontacts

Keating,Thomas(1987)OpenMind,OpenHeart.

Contemplative Outreach istheworld-wide association established byThomasKeating toteachandfosterthepracticeofCentering Prayer:ContemplativeOutreachInternationalOfficeContemplative Outreach LtdButlerNJ,USA+1973-838-3384office@coutreach.orgwww.contemplativeoutreach.orgContemplative Outreach EastandSoutheast Englandinfo@centeringprayer.org.ukwww.centeringprayer.org.uk

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CenteringPrayer

SilenceisGod’sfirstlanguage…

The Prayer Pack

ThiswayofprayingcancentreusandgroundusinGodaswemoveintootherprayersorprayerpractices.

ChooseasacredwordasthesymbolofyourintentiontoconsenttoGod'spresenceandactionwithin.

ThesacredwordexpressesourintentiontoconsenttoGod'spresenceandactionwithin.

Thesacredword ischosen during abriefperiod ofprayer totheHoly Spirit.Useawordofoneortwosyllables, suchasGod,Jesus,Abba,Father,Mother,Mary, Amen.Other possibilities include Love, Listen, Peace,Mercy,letGo,Silence,Stillness,Faith,Trust.

The sacred word is not sacred because of its inherent meaning, butbecause of the meaning we give it as the expression of our intention andconsent.

Havingchosenasacredwordwedonotchangeitduringthetimeofprayerasthatwouldbetostartreflecting.

Sitting comfortablyand with eyes closed, settle briefly and silentlyintroduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God'spresenceandactionwithin.

‘Sitting comfortably’means relatively comfortableso as not to encouragesleepduring theprayer time.Whatever sitting positionwechoose,wekeepthebackstraight.

Wecloseoureyesasasymboloflettinggoofwhatisgoingonaroundandwithinus. Weintroducethesacredwordinwardlyasgentlyaslayingafeatheronapieceofcottonwool. Whenyoubecomeawarethatyouareengagedwithyourthoughts,returneversogentlytothesacredword. ‘Thoughts’ is an umbrella term for every perception, including bodilysensations, sense perceptions, feelings, images, memories, plans,reflections,concepts,commentariesandspiritualexperiences. Thoughtsareaninevitable,integralandnormalpartofCenteringPrayer. By ‘returningeverso gentlyto the sacredword’a minimumof effortisindicated. This is the only activity we initiate during the time of CenteringPrayer. During the course of CenteringPrayer the sacred word may disappear orbecome vague. This is itself also part of the practice of letting go of all ourthoughts. Attheendoftheprayerperiod,remaininsilencewitheyesclosedforacoupleofminutes. Theadditional2minutesenablesustobringtheatmosphereofsilenceintoeverydaylife.