Centering prayer is the foundation of all other spiritual practices for me, so I like to write and comment on it often. In this section, I will deal with common issues that arise in the practice of centering prayer, and I will write about some of my personal experiences as well. If you are not sure what I mean by “centering prayer,” please head over to the Spiritual Advising section of this site. In that section, I have free instructions about how to begin practicing this type of prayer.
It has been a long time since I have written here! While I don’t think I can promise that posts will be quite as regular as they used to be, I have finished the major projects that have taken up the last 6-9 months. If you are interested in reading them, then they will be Read More …
It may come as no surprise to anyone who has browsed around this website that my two favorite spiritual practices are centering prayer and mindfulness meditation. While I use a variety of practices, these two speak to me personally in such a deep and resonant way. A significant reason that I like them is that Read More …
While the basics of centering prayer can be learned and put into practice in less than an hour, this practice is always capable of presenting a new facet – a different nuance – a fresh variation of practice. So, what about this one? Most variations of a centering prayer practice have the participant close his/her Read More …
Ambitious title, right? Well, let me explain what I mean. Recently, I was going back through some of my older centering prayer journals, and I found plenty of entries of things that came up in my prayer time — images, words, intuitions, inklings, etc. In the midst of centering prayer, it is possible that you Read More …
There are times in centering prayer when I sense, whether in reality or only in the eye of my imagination, that the distinct separateness of all things is breached, and I am one with all things, radiating out from where I physically sit. This feeling does not destroy the uniqueness of anything, even myself; rather, Read More …
Here are some brief points outlined by Father Thomas Keating (cf. Open Mind, Open Heart) which can help structure one’s understanding and practice of centering prayer. If you are curious about any particular point, please post a comment, and I’ll do my best to clarify/explain in greater detail — During the prayer period various kinds Read More …
“The false self is the self that we set up that tells us we need to satisfy the energy centers through a program for happiness that involves acquiring symbols of worth” (Paul Lawson, “Systems Theory and Centering Prayer,” in Centering Prayer in Daily Life and Ministry, ed. Gustave Reininger, p. 85, emphasis added). It is Read More …
God is the wind, and we cannot see him, but on a windy day — With all the blowing dust in west Texas — It is stimulating to think that we see God by how he moves the dust of the earth… And, to think, we are made from the dust of the earth…to see Read More …
I do not have “visions” in centering prayer or meditation, at least not in the way is depicted in popular media. Instead, there are times as I pray that a very interesting image occurs to my imagination — something that just doesn’t seem to fit with my normal flow of memory, thoughts, and daydreams. I Read More …
I slightly touched on this issue in an earlier post, but I want to spend a few more moments on the concept of psychological breakthrough — specifically how psychological breakthrough is NOT the purpose of centering prayer. It’s easy to see how many negative distractions can plague your mind as you try to be still Read More …
