Centering prayer
Centering prayer is a form of Christian contemplative prayer, to center awareness on the presence of God.
Name
The name was taken from
Origins
The 20th-century Trappist monk and writer Thomas Merton renewed Christian interest in contemplative practices. In addition to traditional Trappist practices, late in his life he was influenced by
Seeds of what would become known as contemplation, for which the
Practice
This section possibly contains original research. (June 2023) |
In centering prayer, the participant seeks the presence of God directly (aided by the Jesus Prayer, perhaps) and explicitly rejects discursive thoughts and imagined scenes. The participant's aim is to be present to the Lord, to "consent to God's presence and action during the time of prayer."[3] Fr. M. Basil Pennington describes four steps for practicing Centering Prayer:[4]
- Sit comfortably with your eyes closed, relax, and quiet yourself. Be in love and faith to God.
- Choose a sacred word that best supports your sincere intention to be in the Lord's presence and open to His divine action within you.
- Let that word be gently present as your symbol of your sincere intention to be in the Lord's presence and open to His divine action within you.
- Whenever you become aware of anything (thoughts, feelings, perceptions, images, associations, etc.), simply return to your sacred word, your anchor.
In addition, Keating writes, "The method consists in letting go of every kind of thought during prayer, even the most devout thoughts".[5] The "sacred word" can integrate with breathing in and out. Rather than being a tool to quiet the mind, it is a consent to the presence and action of God within and "just be" with God, helping people to be more present and open to God.[6] Advocates of Centering Prayer also say it does not replace other prayer but encourages silence and deeper connection to God.[7]
Centering prayer advocates link the practice to traditional forms of Christian meditation, such as on the Rosary, or Lectio Divina, and Keating has promoted both Lectio Divina and centering prayer.[8]
Reception
Pope Francis has not commented on centering prayer directly, but has spoken very highly of Thomas Merton, who described contemplative prayer as prayer "centered entirely on the presence of God."[web 2] Pope Francis listed Thomas Merton as one of four great Americans in a speech before the U.S. Congress in September 2015 and encouraged sowing dialogue and peace in "the contemplative style of Thomas Merton."[web 6]
Criticism
In 1989, the
In 2003, the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue and the Pontifical Council for Culture published Jesus Christ, the Bearer of the Water of Life: a Christian Reflection on the "New Age".[web 11] Susan Brinkmann writes that her concerns were addressed in this document.[web 12] Centering prayer practitioners respond that Bearer of the Water of Life does not have doctrinal authority, and neither Vatican document mentions centering prayer, contemplative outreach, or Keating by name.
According to Connie Rossini, centering prayer is contradicted by the teachings of St. Theresa.[web 13] She further states that centering prayer is in contradiction to Lectio Divina,[web 14] arguing that traditional prayers such as the Holy Rosary and Lectio Divina engage the heart and mind with Sacred Scripture, while Centering Prayer is "devoid of content".[web 15]
Rev. John D. Dreher argues that centering prayer is a distortion of the teachings of the Desert Fathers and The Cloud of Unknowing.[web 16]
Research
Research has been conducted on the centering prayer program, indicating that it may be helpful for women receiving chemotherapy,[10] and that it may help congregants experience a more collaborative relationship with God, as well as reduced stress.[11]
Andrew B. Newberg explained one study that examined the brains of nuns who engaged in centering prayer, which is meant to create a feeling of oneness with God. The nuns' brain scans showed similarities to people who use drugs like psilocybin mushrooms, Newberg said, and both experiences "tend to result in very permanent changes in the way in which the brain works."[web 17][unreliable medical source?]
See also
References
- ^ Merton (2009), p. 5–6.
- ^ Johnston (2004), p. 24.
- ^ Keating (2009), p. 23.
- ^ Pennington1986.
- ^ Keating (2006), p. 21.
- ^ "Godtalk: Centering Prayer". www.jesuit.org.uk. Jesuits in Britain. Retrieved 2016-12-13.
- ^ "Centering Prayer: Contemplative practice for the 21st century". America Magazine. 2014-12-03. Retrieved 2016-12-13.
- ^ "Lectio Divina". Contemplative Outreach Ltd. Retrieved 2016-12-13.
- ^ Rossini (2015c), p. 120.
- S2CID 19561259.
- S2CID 143866042.
Sources
- Printed sources
- Johnston, William (2004). The Inner Eye of Love: Mysticism and Religion. Harper Collins. p. 24. ISBN 978-0-8232-1777-9.
- Keating, Fr. Thomas (2006). Open Mind, Open Heart, 20th Anniversary Edition. London: Bloomsbury. p. 21.
- Keating, Thomas (2009). Intimacy with God: an Introduction to Centering Prayer.
- Merton, Thomas (2009). Contemplative Prayer (First paperback ed.). New York: Crown Publishing Group. pp. 5–6. ISBN 978-0-307-58953-8.
- Pennington, Fr. M. Basil (1986). "Centering prayer: Refining the Rules". Review for Religious. 45 (3): 386–393.
- Rossini, Connie (2015c). Is Centering Prayer Catholic? Fr. Thomas Keating Meets Teresa of Avil and the CDF. New Ulm, Minnesota: Four Waters Press. ISBN 978-0692518489.
- Web-sources
- ^ a b The Center for Christian Spirituality, Thomas Merton & Centering Prayer
- ^ a b "History of Centering Prayer". Contemplative Outreach Ltd. Retrieved 2016-12-13.
- ^ "Centering Prayer Overview". Contemplative Outreach Ltd. Archived from the original on 2006-11-04. Retrieved 16 November 2006.
- ^ "Christian Existentialism". Archived from the original on 2014-04-11. Retrieved 2009-09-19.
- ^ Rose, Phil Fox. "Meditation for Christians". Patheos. Retrieved 23 February 2013.
- ^ "Visit to the Congress of the United States of America". Washington, D.C. 24 September 2015. Retrieved 2018-12-27.
- ^ "Letter to the Bishops of the Catholic Church on Some Aspects of Christian Meditation".
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions". Contemplative Outreach Ltd. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
- ^ "What does the Vatican say about Centering Prayer". SpiritualDirection.com / Catholic Spiritual Direction. 2010-10-18. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
- ^ "Centering Prayer Meets the Vatican". www.catholicculture.org. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
- ^ "Jesus Christ, The Bearer of the Water of Life: A Christian Reflection on the "New Age"".
- ^ "Priest and Former New Age Enthusiast Warns Catholics Away from Eastern Meditation". Women of Grace. 18 January 2011. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
- ^ Rossini, Connie (17 October 2015a). "Why Centering Prayer Falls Short of True Intimacy With Christ". National Catholic Register. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
- ^ "Quick Questions". 2016-05-26. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
- ^ Rossini, Connie (17 November 2015b). "Why Centering Prayer Is Not Christian Prayer". National Catholic Register. Retrieved 2016-07-27.
- ^ "The Danger of Centering Prayer". www.catholicculture.org. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
- ^ Buxton, Ryan (2015-05-28). "Neuroscientist Explains the Similarities Between the Brains of Praying Nuns and Psychedelic Drug Users". Huffington Post.
Further reading
- Sadhana: A Way to God. by ISBN 0-385-19614-8.
- "A Closer Look at Centering Prayer". www.catholicculture.org. Retrieved 2016-07-26.
- Contemplative Prayer. by ISBN 0-385-09219-9.
- Active Meditations for Contemplative Prayer, by ISBN 0-8264-1061-8.
- Foundations for centering prayer and the Christian contemplative life, by Thomas Keating. Continuum International Publishing Group, 2002. ISBN 0-8264-1397-8.
- Open mind, open heart: the contemplative dimension of the Gospel, by Thomas Keating. Continuum International Publishing Group, 2002. ISBN 0-8264-1420-6.
- ISBN 978-1-60206-433-1.
- Philippe, Fr. Jacques (2008). Time for God. Scepter Publishers. ISBN 978-1594170669.
- Chicoine, Glenn (2019), "A Defense of Centering Prayer," Cistercian Studies, 54(3), 319 - 340.
External links
- Contemplative Outreach, network of people practicing Centering Prayer
- Is Centering Prayer Catholic? Finding intimacy with God through authentic contemplation.
- Centering prayer sites at Curlie
- Interview with Thomas Keating on Centering Prayer by ReadTheSpirit.com
- Catholic Spiritual Direction.
- The Contemplative Society
- Contemplative Prayer and The Cloud of Unknowing
- The Cloud of Unknowing
- Kyrie Centering Prayer Index[dead link]
- A Gift From the Desert[dead link]
- Jesus Prayer
- About Centering Prayer
- Online Meditation Class