Q: A very annoying thing happens to me during many (about 75%) of my Centering Prayer times. I salivate excessively which is distracting to me. I cannot find a commonality that would point to a cause for this. Is this something you have heard of before and/or do you have a suggestion for dealing with this?
A: As you said, you cannot find a commonality that would point to a cause for this. I know this has been a concern for you. Let us see if we can approach it from another angle. Let me suggest that you treat the experience as a gift of tears — a letting go. As the Centering Prayer brochure reminds us about the practice, there may be “physical symptoms during the prayer … usually due to the untying of emotional knots in the body.” In my experience, this is true most of the time. Just keep a handkerchief in your hand and gently wipe it away as you gently pray your sacred word. Do not make a big deal about it — it is your special way of praying. God loves us the way we are. Celebrate the uniqueness of your situation. No one should be looking anyway!
Celebrate!
– Fr. Carl.
