Articles

Q:  I have just started practicing Centering Prayer. I’m Portuguese, live in Lisbon,  and I’m almost 70!  It looks like Centering Prayer came to me (I didn’t look for it) as an invitation/response of Jesus to become closer to Him, as I so much desire... My question of method is this: When does Lectio Divina comes in? Is it at the same time as Centering Prayer? You do both in the same day?

Q:  What is being welcomed?  What if I don't feel "welcoming" … it seems like I can't even "feel and sink into" the sensation if I'm not able to welcome? 

Q:  Extreme injustices and inflicted cruelty are buried in people's lives.  When these experiences arise (often unexpectedly) as a response to the asking participation in one's own spiritual journey, it is advised to slow down the evacuation process.  How does this affect a daily Centering Prayer practice?  We cannot take away another's hurt or suffering.  When one can't even quiet to sit for Centering Prayer during these times of unrest, from the contemplative point of view, what can we suggest? 

Fr. Thomas has asked the Centering Prayer community to take the next year and return to his basic teaching on the Christian spiritual journey. Here are three ways your Centering Prayer group may want to take-in these teachings together.

The following texts from the Gospel of John are a New Testament scriptural and theological inspiration for the practice of Centering Prayer and Contemplative Outreach.

At last it’s here!  A book on centering prayer for prisoners and jail inmates that is theologically sound, spiritually grounded, scripturally based, and personally healing!

Sign up to receive our free monthly e-bulletin. Filled with teachings, resources, useful links, and retreat notices, the bulletin is one of the ways you can support an intention to live the contemplative life.

“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.  From a small group of parishioners in the late 1980’s who were introduced to Centering Prayer and the Spiritual Journey program of Fr. Thomas Keating, the group led by Lita Salinas and Grace Padilla has grown to an organization that is now made up of 23 weekly Centering Prayer/Lectio Divina groups all over Metro Manila and beyond.

Chapter 2:  Renewing Your Practice of Centering Prayer,  Part I

Let's look in this chapter at how valuable the Centering Prayer basic guidelines are, even for longtime practitioners.  Many of the difficulties encountered by longtime practitioners are helped by returning to the simple wealth of meaning that is contained in the four introductory guidelines.

Q:  Forgiveness is one of the highest expressions of love and love without forgiveness is no love at all. Jesus' emphasis on the absolute necessity to forgive repeatedly and from the heart is so very clear. But what is not clear is this: whether forgiveness comes unilaterally from the injured party or not. Jesus on the cross asked the Father to forgive those who were killing him and yet the perpetrators certainly did not ask for forgiveness. Were they forgiven?