I asked a group of people what they observed about individuals who have a silent prayer practice such as Centering Prayer.
Here are the answers I heard:
They feel loved by God.
They are healed by the quietness of God.
God is not above but is within them.
It is nice to just be sometimes. (And stop checking our electronic gadgets.)
Silence nurtures transformation.
Silence can be difficult but is often necessary for our healing.
Silence shows us what is going on at the core of us.
Silence helps us self love.
We need a balance of prayer and action.
Silence helps us hear the one voice. We are loved by God.
Silent prayer fills you with God’s love and you naturally want to share this love by serving others.
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.
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
Flee, Be Silent, Pray: Ancient Prayers for Anxious Christians by Ed Cyzewski
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.
Silence and the Spiritual Journey by Contemplative Outreach: The purpose of our historical lifetime is to provide us with space for the upward journey of evolution into vertical time and our assimilation of the eternal values that Christ brought into the world. This journey consists of everything from great touches of God (consolations) to the Dark Nights.
Lectio Divina Heart to Heart – Listening and Living with God by Contemplative Outreach: The ancient practice of praying the Scriptures is being rediscovered and renewed in our time. Known as Lectio Divina (Divine Reading), it is one of the great treasures of the Christian tradition of prayer.
The Gift of Life by Thomas Keating, Mary Anne Best, Susan Rush: This course will explore the gift of life in all its phases, even those of diminishment and death, as phrases of evolution and transformation in and through Christ. It is based on the recent DVD series with Fr. Thomas Keating, The Gift of Life: Death & Dying, Life & Living.
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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