My mind wanders a lot.
And that’s normal.
Our minds are always working.
So what happens during centering prayer?
Sometimes it looks like this:
I don’t want to sit right now.
I have too much going on.
There are so many things that need my attention.
Gently, with your sacred word,
you let go of these thoughts
and return to God
who patiently waits for you in the present moment.
Then more thoughts come:
I enjoyed the family gathering yesterday.
I wish my son would listen to me.
My boss asked me to do something I don’t want to do.
Again, you notice…
you let go…
you return.
And then:
I have errands to run.
What will I have for dinner?
Maybe I’ll go see a movie tonight.
Once more, you gently release them
and return to God.
This is the practice.
And sometimes…
something shifts.
The thoughts begin to slow.
There is a quiet space…
almost like you’ve stepped just beyond them.
You’re no longer caught in them.
They pass by more easily.
There’s a sense of resting,
not in your thoughts,
but beneath them.
A deeper stillness.
A quiet awareness.
You don’t need to do anything.
You simply are.
Resting in God.
Then the time ends.
You may not be able to explain what happened…
but you know you weren’t asleep.
You were present.
You were there.
Wandering thoughts are part of centering prayer.
Some days your mind will race.
Other days it may feel quieter.
Either way…
if you show up, you are doing it right.
Your only role is to show up
and open yourself
to the presence and action of God within.
That’s it.
And when you do that…
you are sitting with God.
If you’d like a simple way to begin or return to this practice
you can start here.