Amanda – Opening New Doors of God and Self Awareness: A Young Person’s Experience

Voices of Grace & Gratitude are joyful expressions of grace and gratitude from the worldwide community of Contemplative Outreach for the gift of Centering Prayer in their lives and its meaning for all creation. A new video will be presented every Monday. May they serve to lift your hearts.

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I think that the practice of Centering Prayer has opened up so many new possibilities for me. It has allowed me to look at people with more compassion, allowed me to look at myself with more compassion, allowed me to be free. That’s the one word that comes to mind the most – just free in being. I don’t have to do this exactly right. I don’t have to be this exact way – I can be myself and God is who ‘he’ is, or ‘she’ is – and I am who I am, and that’s it!  And it’s not so much about my performance and growing up it was always about my performance. So, Centering Prayer has allowed me to see it’s not really about that. I used to hate the bells of churches because I would just feel this anxiety because I would have to do this or I’m not good enough and now, to me, it’s comforting.  And I think Centering Prayer has opened up the door for me in that way.
 

Abriendo nuevas puertas a Dios y a la conciencia de nosotros mismos: la experiencia de una joven

Creo que la práctica de la Oración Centrante me ha abierto tantas nuevas posibilidades. Me ha permitido mirar a los demás con más compasión, me a permitido mirarme a mi misma con mayor compasión, me ha permitido ser libre. Esa es la palabra que me viene a la mente más que nada – simplemente el ser libre. No necesito hacer esto o aquello perfectamente, no necesito ser exactamente de esta forma – puedo ser yo mismo y Dios – él o ella - ser quien es – y yo soy la que soy, ¡y eso es todo! Y no se trata tanto de lo bien que me desempeñe. Antes en mi vida todo dependía de cómo me comportaba. La oración Centrante me ha permitido ver que realmente no se trata de eso. Odiaba las campanas de la iglesia porque me hacían sentir ansiedad porque tenía que hacer determinada cosa, o porque no era lo suficientemente buena, y ahora me reconfortan. Y creo que en ese sentido la Oración Centrante me ha abierto una puerta.