Centering prayer strikes some people as the oddest method of prayer because you don’t say any thing. The whole point of this method is to be in the presence of God and to let go of the multitude of thought that interfere with out contemplation of God. There are four steps to centering prayer. First is to select a “sacred word” which expresses our consent to God’s presence. The word might be love or peace or almost anything you choose. Second, sit comfortably with eyes closed and silently speak the sacred word. Third, any time a thought arises, gently, with as little effort as possible silently speak the sacred word again. Finally, at the end of the prayer period sit quietly for a few minutes before open the eyes. It’s recommend to do this for twenty minutes twice a day.

Almost anyone who has tried any form of prayer has run into the “chattering monkeys,” the inner voices that seem to invade our minds during prayer. You’re thanking God after communion and the next thing you know you’re wondering if you have enough onions for the pot roast. The one thing it took me some years to learn is that centering prayer is not about making your mind a blank. You can’t do that. It’s about letting go of thoughts so that they just pass by without engaging our consciousness. That becomes a way of letting go of a whole bunch of things we keep inside of ourselves.

The organization Contemplative Outreach Ltd. http://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/ conducts workshops to introduce centering prayer and organizes centering prayer groups.

Read Psalm 46, and remember: God loves YOU unconditionally.

Wayne

Today’s Reading: https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Psalm+46&version=NRSV