About Centering Prayer
What Is Centering Prayer?
"Centering Prayer is not so much an exercise of attention as intention. It may take a while to grasp this distinction. You do not attend to any particular thought or content. Rather, you intend to go to your inmost being, where you believe God dwells. You are opening to Him by pure faith, not by means of concepts or feelings.”
What is Centering Prayer
Centering Prayer is a method of entering interior silence so that we might consent to God’s presence and action within us. It is based on the format for the profound form of prayer that Jesus suggests in Matthew 6:6.
If you want to pray, enter your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
What Centering Prayer Is Not
- It is not a technique but a way of cultivating a deeper relationship with God.
- It is not a relaxation exercise, but it may be quite refreshing.
- It is not a form of self-hypnosis but a way to quiet the mind while maintaining its alertness.
- It is not a charismatic gift but a path of transformation.
- It is not a para-psychological experience but an exercise of faith, hope and selfless love.
- It is not limited to the “felt” presence of God but is rather a deepening of faith in God’s abiding presence.
- It is not reflective or spontaneous prayer, but simply resting in God beyond thoughts, words, and emotions.
What is the Purpose of Centering Prayer?
The purpose of Centering Prayer is to contribute to bringing the knowledge and experience of God’s love into the general consciousness of the human family.