Q: I heard you share this quote: “The greatest experience of God is no experience of God” (Thomas Keating). This saying has me very confused. My life has been filled […]
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Contemplative Group Spiritual Direction via Zoom
by Carol Fryer Editor’s note: Many Centering Prayer group participants experience the organic nature of ongoing soul-friending, a deep witnessing of each other’s journeys during a time of sacred sharing and […]
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Contemplative Tattooing
Many years of meditation have given me the time to develop a relationship with the Divine in silence and solitude. This ever-deepening relationship has conditioned me to bring contemplative […]
Prayer of Diminishment
Each day, Oh Lord,May I offerless to You;Each day to be diminished,Until I am so decreasedby Your Hand and your loveso grown in meThat I become totalemptinessfor You to fillor […]
A Poem
The reptile’s top priorities are few Full tummy, sunny rock, and babies new Its consciousness is narrow as its tail Survival pure and simple will prevail Our human brain includes […]
My Journey with Centering Prayer
“Slow down, you move too fast.” These are lyrics that I grew up on. I really did not fully understand what they meant until about five years ago when I […]
The Cross of Uncle Raymond
by Tom Agness Rochester, New York, USA I have never liked crucifixes. For years, the emphasis on the bloody death of Jesus Christ, his anguished face, without the corresponding […]
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Using the Sacred Glance in Centering Prayer
Q: Can someone explain using the sacred glance in Centering Prayer, instead of the sacred word? A: The sacred glance in Centering Prayer is a beautiful symbol of our consent […]
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Tears During Centering Prayer II
Q: I have been practicing Centering Prayer off and on for several years, last year almost everyday. I have recently been experiencing tears/crying for no apparent reason. Please advise. […]
Body Sensations and Unloading
Q: I haven’t been a practitioner of Centering Prayer very long; or rather, I haven’t been as disciplined as I sometimes desire. However, I want to ask about my body’s […]
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Transitioning from Mindfulness to Centering Prayer
Q: I’ve been practicing mindfulness for many years. A carryover from this practice is the tendency for a beautiful pulsating image to manifest in the area between my eyebrows a […]
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Lectio Divina and Imposed Sabbath Rest
When I was first asked to write about Lectio Divina in this time of crisis, many thoughts came to mind. Firstly, we are in the liturgical season of Easter […]
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A Movement of Grace: Contemplative Spiritual Companionship Program
“Welcome to this sacred circle, where each of us is invited to access the silent place within us where the Divine Presence awaits us.”[1] With these words, Fr. Thomas […]
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Tears During Centering Prayer
Q: Sometimes during Centering Prayer, an emotional pain comes up that causes me to cry from a deep level. Is this Divine Therapy or is it the “emotionality” teachers […]
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Centering Prayer and Mindfulness Meditation
Q: I’m at times confusing Centering Prayer with mindfulness meditation. At times when I’m doing Centering Prayer, I find that I’m focusing on my breath and I know I’m […]
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How Centering Prayer is Changing the World: A Love Letter from the Dominican Republic
We embrace the process of transformation in Christ, both in ourselves and in others, through the practice of Centering Prayer – Contemplative Outreach vision A brief history of […]
Digging A Well of Presence in the Parish
by Amber Sturgess Recent years have brought about major paradigm shifts in our institutions, including our churches. During the pandemic many of our parishes had to close to the public, […]
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Why Attend Multi-Day Retreats?
Q: Throughout the year we have opportunities to attend days of prayer. What do extended retreats add to the spiritual journey that reading books, attending Centering Prayer groups and workshops don’t? […]
Blending Prayer Practices
Q: I’ve practiced Centering Prayer on and off for years. Same with Lectio Divina and the Liturgy of the Hours. Now I’m trying to blend them into an integrate […]
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The Sacred Word in Centering Prayer
Q: I have found it difficult to use just one word as I meditate. A simple 3-word phrase – that resonates strongly with me – is most comfortable for me. […]
Centering Prayer and Disabled Adults
Q: I have a 50 year old sister with Williams’ Syndrome (similar to Downs Syndrome – different chromosome). My mother and father cared for her, until my mother recently died. […]
Regarding Prayers of Petition
Q: If I pray to remove sickness or pain, am I refusing God? If I am to offer up my pain, how can I pray that it go away? Or […]
Celebrating 25 Years of Contemplative Practices
“Celebrating 25 Years of Silence, Solitude, Solidarity and Service” — this was the theme of Contemplative Outreach Philippine’s anniversary event from Nov. 4 to Nov. 10, 2015 at the […]
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Abiding with Unloading
Q: From a prisoner in minimum isolation: “I have been working on Centering Prayer. It started off easy. For about three months it was happening with no mental or physical […]
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Guiding a Centering Prayer Group in Jail
by Tom Cook I have been guiding a Centering Prayer (CP) class for the last year at DuPage County Correctional Facility in Wheaton, Illinois (USA). I have been amazed and […]
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