Saint John of the Cross wrote, "the Father spoke one word from all eternity and he spoke it in silence, and it is in silence that we hear it." Centering Prayer is part of a long tradition of Christian contemplation, but Christians have rediscovered it in our time primarily in the works of Fr. Thomas Keating and Contemplative Outreach.
In Centering Prayer, we enter into a conversation with God. Probably most people are familiar with the understanding of prayer as talking to God; however, talking to God without listening to God is only part of the conversation. "But how does one listen to someone who doesn't appear to be speaking?"
The practice of Centering Prayer is one method of listening to God; it is the practice of surrender, of silence, of letting go, of opening up to the presence of God in ways that bring healing, peace, and inner awakening.
For people who have experienced frustration with meditation, centering prayer offers a relatively easy prayer method. You merely sit or kneel in silence, with the intention to be open to God. As thoughts come you gently allow them to pass, not being concerned with either their presence or holding on to them. After 20 minutes, you go about your daily work. Twice a day, sit in quiet with no other agenda other than to be in God's presence, to be still and know that God is there.
Centering Prayer is best as an addition to the other prayer practices; it does not replace intercessory prayer for instance, but enhances it. There is a hunger for deeper spiritual growth, for deeper communion with God. As long as we are content to pray only with words, leaving no time for God to speak in the silence of our hearts, the communication of prayer cannot become very deep. To practice a method of silence is to allow God to enter into ourselves in ways that bring healing, and wholeness, and growth toward God.
Resources
There are many resources to help people on their spiritual journey using Centering Prayer. The books of Fr. Thomas Keating are probably the first place to start. For an outstanding introduction to the practice and benefits of Centering Prayer, the book Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening by Cynthia Bourgeault cannot be beat.
A Centering Prayer retreat is a very good way to learn or refresh one's practice.
Some suggestions of who to contact regarding a retreat are:
· In the South, contact the Rev. Tom Ward, Chaplain at the University of the South, in Sewanee Tennessee.
· In the East, contact Canon Eugene Sutton, Canon Pastor and Director of the Center for Prayer and Pilgrimage at the Cathedral of St. Peter and St. Paul, in Washington D.C.
· In the West, contact the Rev. Sandra Casey, Vicar of St. Francis of the Tetons and director of the Alta Retreat Center. The Alta Retreat Center is an Episcopal retreat center, and is an outstanding resource for the Church.
· In addition, Contemplative Outreach has many offerings of Centering Prayer introductory lessons and retreats.
Gretchen Rehberg is Assistant to the Rector at Church of St. John the Baptist in York, Pennsylvania.
