Are you interested in experiencing God’s presence in everyday life? You might want to try this method to increase your awareness of his presence.
Definition
In a similar pattern to centering prayer, the development of a specific mystic practice known as practicing the presence of God can be traced to two particular individuals. The first, and primary, individual to define this mystic practice was the sixteenth-century monk Brother Lawrence. In his small book, The Practice of the Presence of God, he outlined his method of viewing every opportunity and activity of the day as a potential moment of intimacy and prayer with God. Through his own experience washing dishes in his monastery, Brother Lawrence described the basics of this practice. A second individual, Jean-Pierre de Caussade, advocated a similar activity in which a practitioner understood each and every moment as a sacrament in which the grace of God could be communicated to a participant and that participant could communicate with God. As can be seen in this description, practicing the presence of God is a mystic practice which is difficult to consider as a discrete practice that a practitioner would utilize at some times and not use at other times. Therefore, practicing the presence of God is more accurately seen as a settled attitude rather than a specific practice.
How to Practice
There is not necessarily a “right” or “wrong” way to practice the presence of God, since it is more of an attitude. However, to get started, you might try one of these methods:
- Set aside about five minutes. Do one of the following: stand on one foot, touch your toes, or pat your head while rubbing your stomach. See how common activities can be quite difficult without practice; see also how common activities become challenging when done for longer and longer stretches of time. Practicing the presence of God is essentially the process of paying attention to spiritual things right here, right now. Ponder how the mundane tasks of your life can be prayer.
- You can pray like Brother Lawrence: “Lord of all pots and pans and things, make me a saint by getting meals and washing up the plates!” You can adapt this prayer to whatever task you are doing at the time.
- You could also take a page out of the centering prayer method. Designate a simple prayer word of action rather than for meditation and contemplation. For instance, pray the word “Here” every so often during your day — just to remind yourself that God is right here, right now.
Resources
Brother Lawrence, The Practice of the Presence of God with Spiritual Maxims (Grand Rapids MI: Spire Books, 1999)
de Caussade, Jean-Pierre, The Sacrament of the Present Moment, trans. by Kitty Muggeridge (New York NY: HarperOne, 1989)
Obbard, Elizabeth, Life in God’s Now: The Sacrament of the Present Moment: Jean-Pierre de Caussade’s Self-Abandonment to Divine Providence for Everyone (London UK: New City, 2012)