Basil penningtons article, centering prayer, taken from the contemplative prayer online magazine. The source of centering prayer, as in all methods leading to contemplative prayer, is the indwelling. Centering prayer and inner awakening is a complete guidebook for all who wish to know the practice of centering prayer. Centering prayer a seamless whole friday, february 17, 2017 guest writer cynthia bourgeault continues exploring the contemplative practice of centering prayer. Practitioners of centering prayer are known for the great enthusiasm they bring to the practice of this ancient discipline. It has its roots in the prayer tradition of the church fathers and desert fathers and incorporates the prayer. We may think of prayer as thoughts or feelings expressed in words. Find a quiet space where you are unlikely to be disturbed. Centering prayer is a method of contemplative prayer that opens us up to experience gods presence within us. Dimensions of contemplative prayer from open mind, open heart by thomas keating, continuum,2006 contemplative prayer is the world in which god can do anything. It tends to build communities of faith and bond the members together in mutual friendship and love. Teresa of avila and centering prayer introduction the purpose of this study is to locate st teresa of avila in the contemporary terrain of centering prayer. The prayer of consent, a brochure by thomas keating available at this brochure can be a helpful resource for you in practicing centering prayer, but is written from a catholic perspective with language and ideas that are not always familiar to evangelicals.
Centering prayer is an opening, a response, a putting aside of all the debris that stands in the way of our being totally present to the present lord, so that he can be present to us. Warnings on the dangers of centering prayer what have the vatican, recent popes, exorcists, and saints said about the dangers of practicing centering prayer. Thomas keating instructs practitioners of centering prayer in his classic work on the contemplative dimension of the gospel. Centering prayer and attention of the heart cynthia bourgeault i n the thirty years now since centering prayer first moved beyond the walls of st. Cynthia bourgeault goes further than offering an introduction, however. A variety of complimentary classes also are available to enrich and support your spiritual growth and prayer practice, no matter where you may be on your journey. Centering prayer helps me to grow in trust of god and to manage my emotions, especially anger and sadness when things get tough. Do not look for signs that this prayer is working for you in your subjective experiences during the prayer period. Centering prayer march, 20, 27 silence is gods language. Many of our sisters and associates practice centering prayer. Find out whats happening in contemplative prayer group meetup groups around the world and start meeting up with the ones near you.
Centering prayer is a modernized prayer method based on the intuitive prayer rooted in lectio divina. And so lets look at the guidelines from that perspective. Thomas merton and gerard hughes reflects on contemplative prayer according to pantheism and new age spirituality 63 4. Thomas keating and programs that integrate the contemplative life into our daily lives. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. Both a relationship with god and a discipline to foster that relationship, centering prayer serves to enhance other prayer forms. Our center for contemplative living in denver offers introductory workshops on centering prayer, as well as father thomas keatings indepth, fivepart spiritual journey series. A deepening retreat in centering prayer friday, march 15, 7.
Centering prayer meets the vatican the vaticans congregation for the doctrine of the faith warned about the dangers of blending christian prayer and eastern methods of meditation e. This group meets on the second and fourth mondays of. Praying together supports a daily practice of centering prayer. Our centering prayer group meets each wednesday evening at 7 pm. A centering prayer is a simple way of praying in which breath and a prayer word keep attention focused on gods presence. Centering prayer is a new term but an old reality, originating with thomas mertons insight into centering as. Josephs abbey in spencer, massachusetts in the 1970s. Like being with a very close friend or lover, where words are not required, centering prayer brings your relationship with god to a level deeper than conversation, to pure communion. Centering prayer is a contemporary name given to an ancient practice of meditation within the christian tradition. It is a movement beyond conversation with christ to communion. Centering prayer is a method of prayer, which prepares us to receive the gift of gods presence, traditionally called contemplative prayer. Once every month we offer a 24hour experience of centering prayer practice using the method. Centering prayer is basically loving attention to god dwelling within us. It comes to us from the earliest times and has always found a place among us albeit with different names and manners of presentation.
Centering prayer and inner awakening kindle edition by bourgeault, cynthia. This practice affirms our intention and consent to the spirits actions within each of us. For those committed to centering prayer who desire a deepening experience of the holy spirit in centering prayer. In a few short years it has spread all over the world. It consists of responding to the spirit of christ by consenting to. Consent on the go what god arranges for us to experience at each moment is the best and holiest thing that could happen to us. Centering prayer is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience gods presence within us, closer than breathing, closer than thinking, closer than consciousness itself. I had read of the practice of centering prayer, heard of the practice in seminary, and had even been invited to.
Centering prayer catholic meditation or occult meditation. The centering prayer movement is a relatively new phenomenon in the church, but it has become remarkably widespread. Centering prayer the centering prayer group meets each thursday from 12. The fruits of centering prayer are found in daily life. A oneyear daily companion for going deeper into the love of god peter traben haas on. Spiritual practice centering prayer community of christ. It is at the same time a rela tion ship with god a nd a discipline to foster that relationship. It is written from the heart of davids relationship with god and his discoveries along his contemplative journey in solitude, in community, and in spiritual direction. However, like all good spiritual books, the point of this book will be missed if it does not.
It is to be open to the infinite and hence to infinite possibilities. This same nonverbal love that human beings experience is the core of the prayer of the heart or centering prayer. Quotes and certain ways of articulating things are borrowed from the method of centering prayer. The source of centering prayer, as in all methods leading to contemplative prayer, is the indwelling trinity. My personal centering prayer journey i began my centering prayer journey on a cold winter saturday in 1991 at a workshop retreat to the chicago cenacle retreat center. The focus is the desire to be in relationship with god and being present to gods spirit. Though not a wellknown practice, breath prayer is shaped by the action most essential to our lives. Either sitting on a chair with your feet rooted to the floor or sitting crosslegged directly on the floor, come to a comfortable and rooted position. The focus of centering prayer is the deepening of our relationship with the living christ. We call these centering prayer intensive retreats, intensive because several. Josephs abbey, a trappist monastery in spencer, massachusetts.
Now that weve practiced welcoming prayer, centering prayer, and lectio divina, lets pause in the middle and take a breath, shall we. Blackie within the christian tradition, there is a wide range of tried and tested approaches that facilitate. In centering prayer one moves beyond words and images to a form of interior prayer beyond thoughts however noble or pious and the senses. Centering prayer and inner awakening kindle edition by. In this paper i propose to interface the carmelite tradition on contemplative prayer and two popular forms of contemplative practice called centering prayer and christian meditation. The modern centering prayer movement in christianity can be traced to several books published by three trappist monks of st. The carmelite tradition and centering prayer christian. The path of centering prayer is a beam of light in what can sometimes be a dark and unknown journey with god. A oneyear daily companion for going deeper into the love of god. Please share with courageous priest any comments, concerns, or personal experience with centering prayer. It is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of contemplative prayer, prayer in which we experience the divines immanent presence with us. Genuine prayer is based on recognising the origin of all that exists, and opening ourselves to it.
Support for your ongoing centering prayer practice. The following quotes are taken from the above online magazine and illustrate the typical errors that have entered the catholic. Centering prayer is a gift of our christian heritage. This prayer is beyond thoughts, emotions, or sensations. Centering prayer is a method of meditation used by christians placing a strong emphasis on. Participants often use a single word or phrase, repeated silently, to help them in this practice. Those are real enough, especially the caveat that one should be both psychologically stable and in a. Click image to download pdf click image to download pdf. Workshops teaching different styles of prayer including ignatian prayer, centering prayer, and praying the rosaryto help one explore ones relationship with god a class exploring anglican identity and spirituality a series of forums on racial justice and reconciliation in the church, including small group. The carmelite tradition and centering prayer page 50 the carmelite tradition and centering prayer christian meditation introduction. Basil pennington took up the challenge, and centering prayer is the result. This method of prayer is both a relationship with god and a discipline to foster that relationship. Herein youll find spiritual enrichment and resources for new and existing practitioners and those interested in the teachings of fr. Centering prayer is dedicated to transmitting the living tradition of the contemplative christian heritage through the works of fr.
If youre new to meditation, you can start with five minutes, but traditionally. It is a laying aside of thoughts, so that the heart can attend immediately to him. Features include parish news, mass and confessions schedule, bulletins, parish calendar, descriptions of. Week 1 summary center for action and contemplation. Centering prayer is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to experience gods presence within ourselves and in our lives. Centering prayer is simply sitting in silence, open to gods love and your love for god. Centering prayer sacred time dominican sisters of peace. Centering prayer is not a trick to reduce stress or reach some other selfhelp goal.
1468 1270 1181 845 866 1360 558 54 146 605 807 1526 326 607 1020 640 963 1224 1125 61 133 1446 1547 799 294 1301 721 1278 1516 259 385 878 1457 1604 686 23 153 1161 804 826 400 1454 289 947 1220 933 1013