I sit on my porch,glimpse through the open doora painting, ‚ÄúMorning for Writing Letters‚Äù,a flask of coffee, the back of a chair,a blue and rust-colored afghanon the back of the […]
Multimedia in My Head
Q: When I tried to be open to God during Centering Prayer, I usually had a concordance of biblical accounts in multimedia or silent video format in my head, or […]
Contemplative Collaboration
At the initiative of Thomas Keating, the founder of Contemplative Outreach, the founders of three other major Christian contemplative organizations were invited to meet with him in early October at […]
The Power of Silent Prayer
“I became aware of how powerful Centering Prayer was because it was a container for my consenting to not only God’s presence in my life, but also God’s action in […]
Shutters
Through the shutters of my soulsunlight rarely shines.Her voice demanded obedience,blocked out the light of childhood.As I grew older I replaced it with worries. On this rainy dayin a retreat […]
Monkey Mind on Extended Retreat
Q: I have been on many extended 8 – 10 retreats. On them I always have trouble going to sleep. The monkey mind is relentless! On my recent 10 day […]
Dogs and Self-Reflective Consciousness
Q: In Gail Fitzpatrick-Hoper’s delightful essay “Contemplative Lessons from My Dog” (Contemplative Outreach News, Dec. 2015), she describes how her dog exemplifies the surrendered life. As a life-long pet-owner, I […]
Discerning Decisions in Retirement
Q: I am 79 years old widow and am still working part time ‚Ķ I enjoy my work. However, I know that sometime soon (?) I need to plan my […]
An Inward Gesture Instead of Sacred Word
Q: In Centering Prayer, when you have noticed that you are engaged in a thought, rather than return gently to a sacred word, is it okay to instead, just simply […]
The Format of a Centering Prayer Support Group
Q: I attended a Centering Prayer group at my parish for about a month. I stopped going because, after the final oral prayer and reading, the leader’s wife asked for […]
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Hokey Pokey Spirituality
‚ÄúYou put your right hand in, you put your right hand out. You put your right hand in and you shake it all about.You do the hokey pokey and you […]
Discerning the Journey
Q: I have practiced Centering Prayer for about three years. Because of some mental difficulties this is always a struggle for me, in some periods it‚Äôs almost impossible. Living in […]
Discerning the Dark Nights
Q: I have been a meditator and spiritual practitioner for 10 years. As of last year around February I went from having many ecstatic blissful experiences of God into a […]
Agnostic Adventures with Centering Prayer
“Who put the bop in the bopshubopshubop, who put the ram in the ramalamadingdong … ” Those were the typical contents of my brain during my sporadic attempts at meditation […]
Praying for those in Purgatory
Q: Given Fr. Keating‚Äôs views on Purgatory, that one continues to grow and become enlightened, how does a person with a Centering Prayer practice pray for her loved ones in […]
Centering Prayer, Boredom and Nothingness
Q: I attended a one-day Centering Prayer event for people who were experienced in Centering Prayer. We had three periods of prayer, with some teaching. At the end of the […]
Centering Prayer and Salivating
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 […]
Centering Prayer and Mindfulness
Q: I practice Centering Prayer and recently a friend asked me to explain the difference between it and mindfulness meditation. I replied that the difference was in intent – Centering […]
Centering Prayer and Mental Illness
Q: I am hoping to get some direction for myself and a community I work with. I have schizo-affective mental illness, diagnosed when I was 28. I have had regular […]
The Blessed Sacrament as a Vestibule
Q: When I’m sitting in a small chapel doing my Centering and the Blessed Sacrament is exposed directly in front of me, must I close my eyes? Behind the Monstrance […]
Practicing Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina
Q: I have just started practicing Centering Prayer. I‚Äôm Portuguese, live in Lisbon, and I‚Äôm almost 70! It looks like Centering Prayer came to me (I didn‚Äôt look for it) […]
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Let Your True Self Shine
Jesus took Peter, James, and his brother John and led them up on a high mountain by themselves. He was transfigured before their eyes. His face became as dazzling as […]
Having a Vital Relationship with Christ
Q: I have been practicing Centering Prayer for ten years. The grace of really knowing that I am loved by God has been given to me. I am certain that […]
The Crooked Keel
I loved to go lobster fishing with my uncle. I loved being out on the open water; the fresh sea air, the confident growl of the engine, the lobster boat […]
Including People of Different Faiths in Centering Prayer Groups
Q: What is your position on bringing in people of many different faiths to our Centering Prayer groups? When there is an interest in learning Centering Prayer, are we to […]
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