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“St Paul gives three stages to self-knowledge: letting go, allowing our minds to be remade, and becoming a new creation – a child of God. [1] ‘Adapt yourselves no longer to the pattern of this present world, but let your minds be remade and your whole nature thus transformed’ (Phil 2:5–6)”
This is what happens during my centering prayer practice. Each time I sit with God I progress through all three stages.
Let Go
I let go of my thoughts, emotions and even physical sensations when I re-center with the use of my interior sacred Jesus icon. I then let go of my sacred icon too. (You might also use an interior word, your breath or even a glance.) This is not time to plan, worry, or even daydream. This is my time to sit with God. I need to give my attention to God. This moves me to the second stage: be remade.
Be Remade
The only way I will be remade is if I let go of all thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. They are not who I am. I can observe them. I can see what they teach me. However, ultimately they are not who I am.
This moves me into the third stage: become a new creation.
Become A New Creation
Each moment I let go, I give God an opportunity to act in me. As the Quakers say, I expect Jesus to show up. Jesus will replace my fears, anxieties, pride, anger or physical ailments with an inner peace, an inner love, an inner wisdom, an inner knowledge that I will take with me as I arise from my silent sit.
I arise from my sit a new creation. I am like a new child of God who is sent forth into the world.
This is not a once and done effort. This is a daily process. I love this time with God. I need this time with God. It excites me to know I can be remade into a new creation.
I encourage you to try a silent prayer practice such as centering prayer. Jesus will show up. Jesus will act in you. You will arise a new creation!
Go Further
Stefan Gillow Reynolds, Living in the Mind of Christ: Mindfulness in Christian Spirituality
Stefan Gillow Reynolds, The Wisdom of Love in the Song of Songs
Laurence Freeman, Jesus the Teacher Within
Laurence Freeman, First Sight: The Experience of Faith
If you enjoyed reading this post, please recommend and share it to help others find it.
[1] Stefan Gillow Reynolds, Living in the Mind of Christ: Mindfulness in Christian Spirituality, (Darton, Longman and Todd Ltd): 2016
One on One Coaching with Rich
Does this sound like you?
“I am bored with my life?”
“I am not doing the things that I want to do in all areas of my life:”
-career, personal, family, community.
I feel unfulfilled, like I am just going through the motions everyday.
I have dreams and goals, but I am afraid to show up and take action on them.
I don’t want years to pass and be disappointed when I look back on my life.
Integrating Centering Prayer practice with your everyday life addresses all of these thoughts.
Do you want to obtain the freedom to become your true self, the person I’m created to be?
How do I create a long lasting and sustainable centering prayer practice?
I am currently taking on clients for Centering Prayer One on One Coaching sessions.
I will work with you to setup a program designed to meet your specific needs.
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David Frenette’s book The Path of Centering Prayer re-energized the Centering Prayer tradition with its fresh insights and teachings. This companion audio program—created to be equally rewarding as a stand-alone guide—gives listeners an immersive resource to learn contemplative prayer, step by step and in the moment. With clarity and compassionate presence, Frenette explains the essential principles of this contemplative practice for both new and seasoned practitioners, and then guides us experientially through core prayers and meditations.
Themes in the Gospel of John by N. T. Wright: The course approaches the Gospel of John in a way that looks at seven key themes. These themes bind the Fourth Gospel together in a manner that allows us to see this ‘new way of living’ as possible for followers of King Jesus. In so doing, we then apply these themes to the current era in order to ask ourselves questions about how we are putting them into practice. In a way, this is the story of how to live out being the presence of God on earth through the indwelling of God’s spirit.
Prepare to be immersed in the 1st Century A.D. context of the life, work, teachings, and actions of Jesus. Check out Simply Jesus by N. T. Wright. It is based on his book Simply Jesus. Enjoy an article I wrote about one of the lectures on the Beatitudes.
This course is a short course based on Prof. N.T. Wright’s latest book, Simply Good News. Tom Wright will guide you through the chapters of his book through videos that suggest what some of the main points are. You will instantly get into the heart of the idea of ‘good news’ as it was understood by the 1st Century writers of the New Testament. You will be brought into their world in order to make more sense of what ‘good news’ means in our world.
Christian Prayer Methods: Prayer is a core Christian practice, but for many, this means “saying prayers” or asking God for various favors. In this course, we will review a variety of methods of prayer that have been used for centuries in Christianity. Whether you’re a beginner who is just learning how to pray, or a more mature Christian who has been at it awhile, this course will offer specific guidance, encouragement and support for practicing several time-tested methods of prayer.
The Way of the Wisdom Jesus: Going Beyond the Mind to the Heart of His Teaching – If you put aside what you think you know about Jesus and approach the Gospels as though for the first time, something remarkable happens: Jesus emerges as a teacher of the transformation of consciousness. In this online course, Episcopal priest, teacher, and retreat and conference leader Cynthia Bourgeault serves as a masterful guide to Jesus’s vision and to the traditional contemplative practices you can use to experience the heart of his teaching for yourself. It is based upon her book, The Wisdom Jesus: Transforming Heart and Mind – a New Perspective on Christ and His Message .
This new course by Contemplative Light is currently 1/3 off!
Living Sacraments: The Christian Mystics & The Inner Journey to God – How might your life change if you were steeped more deeply in the wisdom of the Christian Mystics? This course helps contemplatives, healers, clergy, and spiritual directors get a handle on the daunting subject of Christian Mysticism to draw on this timeless wisdom for their own spiritual journey AND to provide care to those they serve.
After taking this powerful course, you will know:
- The path of mystical transformation
- The four main mystical types
- The three eras of mystical flowering in the Christian West
- The lives, key teachings, challenges, and major works of TWENTY of the Christian mystics
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