Centering Prayer
Mike Ervin

Below is a clear, comprehensive overview of Centering Prayer—what it is, where it came from, how it’s practiced today, and how it fits into the wider Christian contemplative tradition.

What is Centering Prayer?

Centering Prayer is a contemporary method of silent, receptive prayer aimed at consenting to God’s presence and action within. It’s not discursive meditation or petition; it’s a simple, regular practice of resting in God beyond words, thoughts, and images. Practitioners usually sit in silence twice a day for about 20 minutes, using a brief “sacred word” (or breath/symbol) as a gentle cue to return to interior consent when they notice themselves engaging thoughts.

Roots and History (Short Timeline)

  • Early Christian sources (3rd–6th c.): The Desert Fathers and Mothers (e.g., Evagrius Ponticus, John Cassian) taught interior prayer of the heart - letting go of thoughts to attend to God.
  • Medieval stream (14th c.): The Cloud of Unknowing distilled a way of loving attention to God “in a cloud of forgetting” toward all else.
  • Modern recovery (1970s–1980s): Trappist monks Fr. Thomas Keating, Fr. William Meninger, and Fr. Basil Pennington systematized a simple, teachable method inspired by The Cloud for laypeople and monastics.
  • Diffusion (1980s–present): Workshops, parish groups, and retreats spread through Contemplative Outreach (founded by Keating and others). The method became widely practiced across Catholic, Orthodox, and many Protestant settings, often alongside Lectio Divina and other forms of contemplative prayer.

The Method in Four Points

1.    Choose a sacred word (or breath/symbol) that expresses your intention to consent to God’s presence and action within (e.g., “Abba,” “Jesus,” “Peace”).

2.    Sit comfortably, eyes closed, and gently introduce the sacred word as a sign of your consent.

3.    When you notice thoughts (any perception - deas, images, feelings, impulses), return ever so gently to the sacred word.

4.    At the end of ~20 minutes, remain in silence for a minute or two before transitioning.

Typical rhythm: Two 20-minute periods daily. Many begin with one period and grow to two.

What Centering Prayer Is (and Isn’t)

  • Is: A consent-based, apophatic (beyond concepts) practice of resting in God; a way of cultivating interior silence and availability to grace; a complement to sacraments, Scripture, and active discipleship.
  • Is not: A mantra for altered states, a technique to achieve experiences, self-hypnosis, or a replacement for other forms of prayer or Christian community.

Theological Grounding (in brief)

  • Biblical resonances: “Be still and know that I am God” (Ps 46:10); “When you pray, go into your room and shut the door…” (Mt 6:6).
  • Patristic/monastic lineage: Evagrius’s “pure prayer,” Cassian’s Prayer of Fire; the apophatic tradition (Dionysius, The Cloud).
  • Key idea: The practice is an act of consent - a way to cooperate with sanctifying grace, allowing God to pray in us (cf. Rom 8:26).

Psychological Dynamics (high-level)

  • Gentle non-engagement with thoughts allows habitual patterns to surface and release (“divine therapy,” in Keating’s phrase).
  • Over time, many report greater interior freedom, patience, and compassion. (Centering Prayer isn’t a mental-health treatment; if trauma or intense anxiety arises, wise spiritual direction—and, when appropriate, professional care - are important.)

Relationship to Other Practices

  • Lectio Divina: Lectio is a Scripture-centered movement through reading, meditation, prayer, and contemplation; Centering Prayer often follows Lectio as a resting in God beyond words.
  • Jesus Prayer: A more kataphatic repetition (“Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me”), traditionally synchronized with breath; Centering Prayer uses a word only as a cue, not for continual repetition.
  • Mindfulness: Both value non-reactive attention, but Centering Prayer is explicitly theistic and relational - an act of loving consent to God.

Contemporary Practice & Community

  • Where it’s found: Parish/small groups, retreat centers, monasteries, campus ministries, spiritual direction contexts, and ecumenical settings (including many Protestant churches).
  • Formats: Introductory workshops, weekly sit-and-share groups, silent retreats, online gatherings, daily timers/apps aligned with the method.
  • Rule of thumb: Start with one daily 20-minute sit, build to two; connect with a group or a spiritual director for support.

Common Fruits Reported by Practitioners

  • Deeper interior silence; greater capacity for listening and compassion
  • Reduced compulsive reactivity; more patience and humility
  • A strengthened desire for Scripture, sacrament, and service
    (Fruits unfold gradually; dry periods are normal. The goal isn’t “experiences” but increased love of God and neighbor.)

Frequent Challenges & Tips

  • Restlessness/sleepiness: Sit upright; practice at consistent times; a brief walk beforehand can help.
  • Thought-chasing: Return gently—no force; light touch is key.
  • Scruples (“Am I doing it right?”): The only “measure” is your intention to consent and the gentle return when you notice engagement with thoughts.
  • Dryness: Not a problem to fix - stay faithful; dryness often accompanies deepening trust.

Critiques & Responses (brief)

  • “Too technique-y?” The method is a means of intention, not a goal; the sacred word isn’t magic but a sign of consent.
  • “Too close to non-Christian meditation?” Its sources are Christian, its aim is communion with the Triune God, and it’s practiced within a life of faith and charity.
  • Pastoral caution: For those with significant unresolved trauma or acute distress, pair the practice with pastoral/clinical support and proceed gently.

A Simple Getting-Started Plan (30 Days)

1.    Week 1: Once daily, 10–15 minutes. Choose a sacred word; same time/place each day.

2.    Week 2: Increase to 20 minutes once daily; add 3–5 minutes of Scripture reading before you sit.

3.    Week 3: Add a second 20-minute sit (morning/evening). Keep a brief note of faithfulness (not “how it felt”).

4.    Week 4: Join a local/online group or schedule a check-in with a spiritual director; consider a half-day of silence.

How Groups Often Meet

  • Opening: Brief reading (Scripture or a contemplative text)
  • Practice: 20 minutes silent prayer
  • Sharing: Optional, brief reflections (no cross-talk, advice, or analysis)
  • Closing: Short prayer or psalm

Key Teachers & Resources

  • Thomas Keating: Open Mind, Open Heart; Invitation to Love; conferences and retreats that shaped the modern movement.
  • Basil Pennington: Centering Prayer (classic early introduction).
  • William Meninger: The Loving Search for God (on The Cloud of Unknowing).
  • Historical sources: The Cloud of Unknowing; John Cassian’s Conferences (esp. 9–10); selections from the Philokalia (for comparative context).

Centering Prayer

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