“Being is counter to my personality of doing.”
I hear people say this is why they cannot sustain or even start a silent prayer or meditation practice.
Let’s stop and think about this for a minute.
Do you like to just sit with your child, a friend, a significant other or your spouse?
Do you like to listen to music?
Do you like to take a walk?
Do you like to watch a sunset or the waves go in and out at the beach?
These activities all involve just being.
Being gives you a chance to slow down.
When you slow down you get to reset, recharge and refresh.
Being gives you a chance to take a break from doing.
In fact, you probably will be better at your doing because of your being.
I like to start my day with a Centering Prayer sit.
My actions seem to spring from my being.
I have also found when I am stuck, even a short silent sit in the middle of the day seems to spring future actions and solutions.
(I have also discovered that sometimes no action and silence is the best action.)
Have you ever regretted when you say something and later wish you could take it back?
I have found that my life works better with a balance of both being and doing.
Take baby steps if you need to.
I think you will discover that even a few minutes of silence each day will prove beneficial.
Let me know how it goes or if you need help.
Go Further:
Be Still and Listen: Experience the Presence of God in Your Life by Amos Smith
An Ocean of Light: Contemplation, Transformation, and Liberation by Martin Laird
The Heart of Centering Prayer: Nondual Christianity in Theory and Practice by Cynthia Bourgeault
Christian Meditation: Experiencing the Presence of God by James Finley
Open Mind, Open Heart 20th Anniversary Edition by Thomas Keating
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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.
The Wisdom Jesus by Cynthia Bourgeault: Jesus first and foremost is a Wisdom teacher, grounded in the universal traditions of spiritual transformation, and the first teacher of non-dual consciousness the West had ever seen. Almost two thousand years ahead of his time, he stands in the lineage of the great Jewish prophets, the master “cardiologist” entrusted with implementing the promise made to the prophet Ezekiel: “I will take away your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.”
Centering Prayer by Cynthia Bourgeault: Centering Prayer is a simple, no-frills form of meditation in the Christian tradition. Since it was first developed by Christian contemplative monks in the 1970s, it has allowed tens of thousands of practitioners worldwide to “return home,” developing an authentically Christian meditation practice which not only delivers the healing and quieting of the mind typical of all meditation paths, but also reconnects directly to Christianity’s hidden treasury of mystical and transformational wisdom.
The Gospel of Thomas by Cynthia Bourgeault: This e-course, “The Gospel of Thomas with Cynthia Bourgeault,” is a complete “Thomas starter kit”: everything you need to know to get you up and running with this remarkable text, plus a generous sampling of its most important sayings, arranged thematically so that they speak to issues that contemporary spiritual seekers are actually dealing with.
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.
Thank you for teaching centering prayer. I so love being still and silent.
You are welcome. It has been so life giving for me that I simply want to share it with others.