By Steven Norris
How do you pray? Since each of us is unique, one could say that there are as many forms of prayer as there are people in the world, whether that entails bowing one’s head, closing the eyes, kneeling, talking to God about challenges, confession and repentance, or speaking words of gratitude for what one has received.
Last week, I wrote on the importance of silence. As I have been engaging in the practice of “centering prayer” over the past few months, I have found it beneficial to my own spiritual journey. Some folks have asked me about the method, so I thought I would share what I have been learning.
In her book on spiritual disciplines, Adele Calhoun suggests, “Centering prayer is not something new. Nor is it a New Age thing. It is an ancient form of prayer that joined meditation on a word of Scripture with prayer.” Centering prayer can be a challenge because it depends so little on words. When praying this way, one does not try to inform God of our needs, suggest what we would like God to do, or ask God for anything. Rather, one seeks to give his or her full and undivided attention to God.
The website, contemplativeoutreach.org, is dedicated to the ministry of Fr. Thomas Keating, a teacher and practitioner of centering prayer. There, you may find numerous free resources to begin engaging with this transformative practice. In short, it consists of four steps:
1. Choose a sacred word or phrase to symbolize your intention. Ideally, this comes from scripture. Examples include Abba, amen, love, listen, peace, mercy, trust, thank you, or “Lord, have mercy.”
2. Sitting comfortably with eyes closed, settle briefly and silently introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God’s presence and action within.
3. When you recognize that your mind has wandered off and engaged with other thoughts, feelings, emotions, images, memories, plans, perceptions, etc., simply return ever-so-gently to the sacred word. The focus here is on communing with the Divine, not gaining any particular insight or answer.
4. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes. You may choose to close out the prayer time with the Lord’s Prayer or some other familiar words.
Centering Prayer is not a technique, relaxation exercise, a form of self-hypnosis, or para-psychological experience. It is not about doing anything. It is about being in God’s presence and communing with God. It may last for ten minutes or two hours. The fruits of this kind of praying are not always immediately seen. They show up in daily life as one finds a greater sense of peace and less reactivity to the daily struggles of life.
In a world where everyone seems to feel the need to say something, I pray that people of faith will first be still and ensure that they have something substantial to say. Instead of words fueled by emotion, I pray that people of faith might be led by devotion to the one who revolutionized the world through sacrifice, service, and love.