Before we launch into all of the disciplines listed in the last post about how rest and discipline go hand in hand, I wanted to share about the practice of Centering Prayer.
If you attended En Route last week, you heard about the church calendar, and specifically, the time we are in now: Ordinary Time. Steph Vander Lugt shared how the color for this season of the church calendar is green to signify growth. It’s not the extraordinary time of Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, etc, but a time of growing deeper in our faith and preparing to celebrate the busier seasons paramount to our faith.
So, in the nature of Ordinary Time, centering prayer seems like a wonderful way to be with God in the ordinary. And, in full disclosure, I’m new at this type of prayer, but it’s been really helpful and connecting for me to slow down and rest in and beside God.
I will quote from the bulletin of a prayer service that I attended recently as it gives a beautiful, simple explanation of what centering prayer is:
Centering Prayer is a method of prayer, which prepares us to receive the gifts of contemplative prayer. Centering Prayer consists of responding to the Spirit of Christ by consenting to God’s presence and action within. Centering Prayer facilitates a movement from more active modes of prayer - verbal, discursive or affective prayer - to receptive prayer of resting in God. Centering Prayer is meant to enrich and complement other forms of prayer, not exclude them or replace them.
I have heard Roxanne Morgan explain that Centering Prayer is somewhat like sitting beside someone you love and just enjoying being with them in silence. It is a stilling of ALL of oneself to receive and realize the fullness of Christ within (Col. 1:27) It is prayer CENTERED in Christ alone, yielding and consenting to him.
Here are some directions from the book “Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening” by Cynthia Bourgeault:
“It’s very, very simple. You sit, either in a chair or on a prayer stool or mat, and allow your heart to open toward the invisible but always present Origin of all that exists. Whenever a thought comes into your mind, you simply let the thought go and return to that open, silent attending upon the depths. Not because thinking is bad, but because it pulls you back to the surface of yourself. You use a short word or phrase, known as a “sacred word,” such as “abba” (Jesus’ own word for God) or “peace” or “be still” to help you let go of the thought promptly and cleanly. You do this practice for twenty minutes, a bit longer if you’d like, then you simply get up and move on with your life.”
I will testify that this is harder than it sounds! It’s hard to still your mind, stop letting your mind race, and simply be with the Lord. Bourgeault states in her book that the hardest part is agreeing to not think. For me, one very significant piece has been learning that I am not who I am because of my actions, my thoughts, my desires or hopes; I am just me… something deeper than all these things. And that rest in God and rest with God simply means letting this very inmost part of me connect with Him. I am trusting God delights in this and longs for more of it.
If you are interested in learning more, here are a few resources:
- “A Taste of Silence” by Carl Arico.
- “Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening” by Cynthia Bourgeault
- Contemplative Outreach of Charlotte (http://www.cpcharlotte.org/) is hosting an introduction to Centering Prayer workshop on November 2nd. See website for details.
- “Open Mind, Open Heart” by F. Thomas Keating, a classic by one of the modern day "founders."
- Join a Contemplative Practices small group at Warehouse 242! . It is one of the practices we try out/ introduce in these groups.
As we continue through our year of learning more about resting with the Lord, I hope you will consider trying Centering Prayer. If you find yourself especially intrigued or moved by what you have read here, consider participating in one of our short term Contemplative Practices groups that will be offered in the spring. For more information about those groups, email libba@warehouse242.org
written by: Jennifer Coggins
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