Have you ever experienced a time in your life when you felt emotional darkness, unsure if you would ever see light again? A single phone call from my distraught […]
Autism and the Practice of Centering Prayer
Q: I have autism but I’m highly functional. It seems like during Centering Prayer my mind/brain goes almost always to memories of my past. Are there any special recommendations for […]
What If I only have 15 minutes to practice?
Q: If I only have about 15 minutes a day to practice Centering Prayer, is this still beneficial? A: It is wonderful to dedicate some time to resting in God […]
Centering Prayer, Welcoming Prayer and Anger
Q: Centering Prayer has changed my life. At times it’s hard, though it does not get old. So thank you for this method of prayer. It helps me to […]
The Facilitator, the Judge and the Three-Year Old
by Cissy Eyre Milford, Ohio “I said, and said, and said those words. I said them but I lied them.” ~Dr. Seuss I’m sitting snug on the couch early […]
Judging our Practice
Q: I’ve been doing Centering Prayer for eight years now. I do two sessions of 20 minutes nearly every day. Sometimes I miss the 2nd sit, but that is […]
The Experience of Apathy
Q: I have been spending time with the Spiritual Journey program, and I just watched the video ‘Frustrations Caused by the Emotional Programs’ (from Part 2 of the ‘Human […]
Centering Prayer, Jesus Prayer, Welcoming Prayer
Q: Can I practice Centering Prayer as my main prayer (morning and afternoon) and during the day practice the Jesus prayer? Am I using two practices with different meanings and […]
Centering Prayer and Yoga Nidra
Q: I would like to ask about the connection between Centering Prayer and Yoga Nidra. I once went on a three-day silent retreat where we did Centering Prayer three times a […]
Is Centering Prayer for the Non-Religious?
Q: I’m a practitioner of “A Course in Miracles” and other non-religious pathways. Can I or anyone that is not a traditional Christian practice Centering Prayer? Is Centering Prayer for […]
The Agnesian Creed
by Tom Agness New York, USA My thanks to Richard Rohr, one of my hero theologians, who has suggested we all develop our own personal creed. This is mine. […]
Centering Prayer, Distractions and Discouragement
Q: I’ve been practising Centering Prayer for many years now and I still get very distracted and my mind is very busy and I rarely feel rested at the […]
Centering Prayer and Mental Health Challenges
Q: A very seminal moment/question for me. I have been in contemplative prayer practice daily for almost 10 years. I understand the “falling away” of the false self with devotion […]
Centering Prayer and Mental Health
Q: What articles and resources are available about Centering Prayer and mental health? A: We have a number of published Q&A’s that relate to this topic: https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/2022/03/15/spiritual-depression-or-clinical-depression/ https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/2021/12/20/welcoming-prayer-and-onset-of-mania-or-depression/ https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/2020/08/16/dark-night-of-the-soul-and-clinical-depression/ https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/2023/01/16/dealing-with-the-unloading-of-trauma-and-grief/ […]
Cultivating a ‘Contemplative Life’
by Sue Fox McGovern The members of a Centering Prayer group in Park Ridge, Illinois, USA say they have never felt closer to one another. Perhaps it’s because some […]
Can I Practice More Than One Form of Meditative Prayer?
Q: I’ve been meditating for about 10 years every day three or four times for about 30 minutes each. I’ve practiced mantra and just sitting or Shikantaza, Later on I’ve […]
Why is 20 Minutes Recommended for Centering Prayer?
Q: Why is 20 minutes the suggested time for contemplation? Historically has that always been the length? Any particular reason for 20 minutes? Can it be shorter? A: I answer […]
1968: St. Joseph’s Abbey, Conversations with Fr. Thomas and My Near Death Experience
by Richard M. Dell’Orfano, California, USA Excerpt from Book 1, Chapter 27: Regarding my arrival in 1968 at St Joseph’s Abbey, meeting Fr Thomas, and my near-death experience. Route 9 […]
Each Hour a Miracle
a reflection on the 2023 United in Prayer Day event by Sue Kenney, California, USA Each hour a miracle. A miracle of technology and of silent prayer. Together they create […]
Struggling to Practice Centering Prayer
Q: I am 83. At the age of about 70 I began practicing Centering Prayer. To my great surprise, I found it easy. I say this because previous attempts […]
Falling Asleep during Centering Prayer
Q: I am having a problem falling asleep during Centering Prayer. It may be attributable to age, but I am almost always dozing off, even in the mornings after […]
How Zen Contemplation Relates to Centering Prayer
Q: I’ve been practicing Zen meditation with a Christian group for 18 years. What is your view with respect to how Zen contemplation relates to Centering Prayer? The principles […]
Our God Within
Toward Perfection
OUR GOD WITHIN TOWARD PERFECTION January, 2023 Message Ruby M. Shelton 01/27/23 In the book, “The Power of Now,” p. 01, Eckhart Tolle quotes Russell E. Dicarlo, […]
Centering Prayer Mentoring in a Monastery
By Benedicte Vibe Christensen In June 2018 Pat Johnston, the interim administrator of Contemplative Outreach, asked me to mentor Brother Columba, a young monk (then 26) in a monastery in […]
