We sit when life goes well.
We sit when life is tough.
Things aren’t going so well.
We sit because we love God.
We sit because we trust God.
We sit even when we are not so sure anymore.
We let go and open to the presence and actions of God within.
That is what Centering Prayer is.
Nothing more.
Nothing less.
It sometimes feels like a walk in the dark.
That is okay.
This Centering Prayer seems to teach us who we are.
It teaches us how to live.
It shows us the way forward.
And so we return to our sits each day.
They make us whole.
They nourish our souls.
P.S. Need help with your centering prayer practice. Contact me about my coaching. I might be able to help
Go Further:
Invitation to Love 20th Anniversary Edition: The Way of Christian Contemplation by Thomas Keating
Be Still and Listen: Experience the Presence of God in Your Life by Amos Smith
Living In God: Contemplative Prayer and Contemplative Action by Nicholas Amato
Moving from Stress to Joy by Nicholas Amato
this post may contain affiliate links
Enjoy my newest short Centering Prayer video: Do not over-complicate it!
Are you new to Centering Prayer or a seasoned practitioner? Check out my Start Here page for some next steps.
Did you know I have a Facebook page where I post content everyday and go live multiple times each week. Feel free to check it out and friend me. I look forward to seeing you there.
Check out some of my favorite online courses.
Do you have a particular struggle with Centering Prayer? Contact me. I will write about it in a future post or go live on Facebook and address it.
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.
Thomas Merton’s Abiding Legacy by Kathleen Deignan: In this exclusive e-course developed for Spirituality & Practice, Kathleen draws from the rich diversity of Merton’s legacy. The course covers such themes as: Awakening to Living Presence: Fostering the Contemplative Mind, Learning to Live in The Presence: Cultivating the Contemplative Heart, A Vow of Conversation: Engaging Contemplative Practice, Being a Gardener of Paradise: The Flowering of Contemplative Vocation.
Celtic Spirituality At the Edge of Mystery by Carl McColman: Consider it a pilgrimage into one of the best examples of everyday spirituality. Celtic wisdom and poetry encourages us to recognize the holy all around us, honors and protects the sacred earth, gives inspiration to free our creative voice, and presents a holistic path that links the quest for holiness with an embodied sense of Divine love.
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
How to Write a Devotional: Plus How to Get Them Published – If you read devotionals, you already know how they can be a true blessing. A devotional can uplift you when you’re feeling discouraged, sad or lonely. It can allow you to feel a keen sense of fellowship with another Christian, even if the two of you never actually meet. And, if you are feeling called to write devotionals, know that you have a unique opportunity to bless others and make a genuine difference in their lives. This course takes you step by step through the process, and then guides you towards publishing, if that is your goal.
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.
