I do not want my job to dictate who I need to be and how I need to act so I can achieve maximum success and yield my power.
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I do not want society to inform me what I must do and what I must like so I will conform to social norms.
I do not want to feel the need to act in a certain manner so I can be liked. If I am liked I will feel good about myself. My esteem will rise.
I do not want to feel the need to have lots of Twitter or Facebook followers. This must mean I am popular. I have a following. If I lose my followers I must have done something wrong.
None of these programs for success are me. Quite honestly the more I think about it, it is just too exhausting. I have better uses of my time.
There must be a better way!
How does one become the authentic man or woman that they truly are?
Who am I?
Who does God want me to be is an even more important question?
God loves me! God wants me to feel comfortable in my own skin. God wants me to be the person I want to be. Not the one others want me to be. This is true freedom!
I learn how to become the person God wants me to be via my Centering Prayer practice.
I sit quietly with God. I ever so gently let go of all my thoughts, emotions and physical sensations. I open to and yield to God.
I believe God will act in me. God loves me! God will plant my true self seeds: confidence, wisdom, inner peace for a mission that belongs to me.
This is a mission that the Divine wishes to partner with me.
I sit with Jesus so I can learn how to walk with Jesus.
Thomas Merton sums it up so nicely.
“Our vocation is not simply to be, but to work together with God in the creation of our own life, our own identity, our own destiny.”
This is what I want to be!
Go further:
Intimacy with God: An Introduction to Centering Prayer by Thomas Keating
Open Mind, Open Heart 20th Anniversary Edition by Thomas Keating
Mindful Silence: The Heart of Christian Contemplation by Phileena Heuertz
Healing the Divide: Recovering Christianity’s Mystic Roots by Amos Smith
Be Still and Listen: Experience the Presence of God in Your Life by Amos Smith
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Centering Prayer as a Way of Life by Contemplative Outreach, Pamela Begeman, Mary Anne Best, Julie Saad: In this, the third offering of this year’s trilogy on Centering Prayer, we will explore how the practice of Centering Prayer evolves into a surrendered life of inner peace and equanimity despite the busy and often tumultuous circumstances of daily life in the 21st century. As the inner room begins to expand its walls beyond the twice-daily practice of Centering Prayer, the Spirit takes over our life more and more, and we begin to accept ourselves just as we are, God as God is, and all reality as it is. From this disposition of true humility, enlarged under the influence of God’s grace, we live in the Kingdom of God here and now, which is a state of consciousness ever-attentive to the presence of God in the midst of ordinary life.
Centering Prayer as Practice and Process by Contemplative Outreach, Pamela Begeman, Mary Anne Best, Julie Saad: If you are new to Centering Prayer or wishing to renew your practice, this retreat will assist you with deepening your relationship with God. We will focus on teaching and practicing the method of Centering Prayer; review its place in the Christian tradition, its conceptual background, and psychological process; and share insights into establishing Centering Prayer as a way of life.
Lean In, Lighten Up and Let Go Practices for a Deeper Commitment to the Contemplative Life by Contemplative Outreach, Mary Dwyer: This retreat encourages a life of prayer and practice, both “on the chair” and in daily life. It will support you in making a deeper commitment to your relationship with God, and strengthen your ability to live the contemplative life through dedication to prayer and practice, all within the normal routines of everyday life.
Sounds True has titles by teachers and authors such as Thomas Keating, Cynthia Bourgeault, James Finley, Richard Rohr, David Frenette, Parker Palmer , Eckhart Tolle , Michael Singer , Jon Kabat-Zinn , Marianne Williamson to name a few.
Contemplative Light offers courses on contemplative practices (Christian Meditation, Centering Prayer, The Examen, Lectio Divina, The Jesus Prayer), the Christian mystics (ancient and current) and spiritual writing. Peruse their wonderful offerings.
Prayer-Bracelet: Authentic Orthodox prayer ropes and bracelets are handmade by monks in the Orthodox monastaries reciting a prayer for every knot they tie. Peruse their prayer ropes and bracelets that are all handmade, provided by several orthodox churches around the globe.
How might your life change if you were steeped more deeply in the wisdom of the Christian Mystics? Drawing on the best available writing on the topic of Christian Mysticism both ancient and modern, Contemplative Light is offering a special course on the Christian Mystics Sacred Lives: An Introduction To The Christian Mystics.
Contemplative Practices: 5 Ways of Consenting to the Divine – Learn methods practiced by Christian mystics for centuries to consent to the action and presence of God within, including Centering Prayer, The Examen, Lectio Divina, Christian Meditation, and the Jesus Prayer.
Writing as a Spiritual Practice: This course helps you to access the rich spiritual stories that lie deeply within you. Words are powerful. The words that you write can be used to:
- help you understand yourself better – and therefore divine God’s purpose in your life
- facilitate healing of spiritual wounds
- minister to others more effectively
- share your testimonies of how God has worked in your life
Drawing from the wisdom of monastic life, modern psychology and best practices in personal productivity, the Monk Manual provides a daily system that will help you find clarity, purpose, wisdom, and peace in the moments that make up your life.
