Welcoming Prayer

The Welcoming Prayer is a method of consenting to God’s presence and action in our physical and emotional reactions to events and situations in daily life. The purpose of the Welcoming Prayer is to deepen our relationship with God through consenting in the ordinary activities of our day — “consent-on-the-go.”

The Method

1

Feel and sink into what you are experiencing this moment in your body.

2

“Welcome” what you are experiencing this moment in your body as an opportunity to consent to the Divine Indwelling.

3

Let go by saying “I let go of my desire for security, affection, control and embrace this moment as it is.”

Learn More About

The History

Welcoming Prayer

Start practicing the Welcoming Prayer with the little things in life — small, everyday frustrations like sitting in traffic or waiting in line at the grocery store. Practicing with the small things prepares us for the bigger upsets.

Oh God,
grant me the grace
to live in the space
between impulse and action.
Amen.

Getting Started

If you would like to move your relationship with God “off the cushion” and deeper into everyday life, here are some suggestions on how to begin a Welcoming Prayer practice:

The Practice of the Welcoming Prayer

A look at surrender and intention, and the need for a tool to navigate our reactions to daily life.

Read the

ARTICLE

The Welcoming Prayer

Provides a brief description of the Welcoming Prayer practice and its background.

Download the

BROCHURE

Teleconference on Welcoming Prayer

Thomas Keating and Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler talk on the background and application of the Welcoming Prayer, followed by 20 minutes of responding to questions.

Download the

AUDIO

3 Ways to Learn the Practice