“I want to draw more on God, not on my skills.”
That is what makes Centering Prayer and other contemplative practices so wonderful.
When you sit in silence you bring all of You to your sit.
– Body
– Mind
– Heart
– Soul
You LET GO of
All your preconceived notions
All your emotions
All your thoughts
All your fears
All your worries
You sit with the GREAT CREATOR.
And open to the presence and actions of God within.
You are not alone!
You sit with a God who loves YOU.
That is it.
During this time God prays in you the actions you are to take.
Think of God as your life long partner.
I find this very comforting.
You arise from your sit ready to partner with God.
And you get to sit with God each day.
Twice if you can.
And continue to walk with God everyday.
Everyday your actions spawn from these silent sits with God.
They become a place you come from and live your life from.
Go Further:
Open Mind, Open Heart 20th Anniversary Edition by Thomas Keating and Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening were the first two books I read as I began my Centering Prayer practice.
An Ocean of Light: Contemplation, Transformation, and Liberation by Martin Laird
Into the Silent Land: A Guide to the Christian Practice of Contemplation by Martin Laird
Be Still and Listen: Experience the Presence of God in Your Life by Amos Smith
Mindful Silence: The Heart of Christian Contemplation by Phileena Heuertz
Try Audible and Get Two Free Audiobooks – This is a great way to listen to books with your cell phone while you drive, walk or relax at home. I frequently listen in my car during my commute to and from work. I’m a proud affiliate.
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.
Holy Silence: The Quaker Way by J. Brent Bill: Quaker silence is not about stillness, as such, but rather about encountering God in a living and vital holy hush. This e-course encourages women and men to undertake a journey of spiritual silence. The destination is a quiet inner place where God teaches us directly. Friends (as Quakers are formally known) have been honing their take on silence for more than 350 years. It’s a silence that invites us to an immediate and personal encounter with God. That’s because Quakers believe that when we are silent, then the Spirit of God grants us insights, guidance, and understanding of spiritual truth.
The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers by Christine Valters Paintner: The Wisdom of the Desert Fathers and Mothers with Christine Valters Paintner” is an Online Retreat that enables you to explore and engage with the insights of the desert mothers and fathers of fourth and fifth century Egypt. These men and women of God went to the desert to live out a simple but challenging spirituality that still resonates strongly for us today.
Ignatian Spirituality for Everyday Life by Margaret Silf: This e-course invites you into a journey of exploration into this practical, real-world approach to Christian spirituality. Discover something of the real Ignatius. Let him guide you into the creative power of your own desires and offer you tools for making wiser choices. Try out some of the methods of prayer and reflection that he suggests, and engage with the power of scriptural meditation. Learn to notice what is moving in your heart, and discern which movements are coming from the deepest core of your being, where God is indwelling.
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.
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