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Prayer and Spirituality:
Contemplative Prayer
I recently attended a nurse practitioner conference and met another nurse practitioner. I had a poster display about holistic nursing. We started talking about prayer and the role it has played in our lives. She introduced me to Contemplative Prayer. Being the over-achiever that I am, I looked it up later that very evening. I enjoyed what I learned enough to include it in this website.
Contemplative Prayer is the normal development of the grace of baptism and the regular practice of Lectio Divina. Lectio Divina is the most traditional way of cultivating friendship with Christ. It is as if we were in conversation with Christ, and he were suggesting the topics of conversation. He suggests-not us. The relationship between you and Christ is characterized by friendship, trust and love. It is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer. It puts other types of prayer into a more full persepctive. We consent to God's presence within us, and at other times we recognize God's presence everywhere.
Prayer and Spirituality: Click here to see where science and spirituality/religion collide.
Most of us think of prayer as thoughts or feelings expressed in words.
Contemplative prayer opens us up to more than this expression.
Contemplative Prayer requires opening our whole being -our mind, heart and spirit- to God. We become open to the awareness of God who we know in faith is within us.
Contemplative Prayer is a process of interior purification leading, if we consent, to divine union.
How do you Practice Centering Prayer?
The Guidelines from http://www.thecentering.org.
Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God's presence and action within. This expresses our intention to be in God's presence. Open your heart and open your mind.
Let this sacred word come to you during a brief period of prayer. Ask the Holy Spirit to inspire us with one that is suitable for us.
Examples: Lord, Jesus, Abba, Father, Mother
Other possibilities: Love, Peace, Shalom
You will keep your sacred word throughout your prayer time. A simple inward gaze upon God may be more suitable for some persons than the sacred word. In this case, one consents to God's presence and action by turning inwardly toward God as if gazing upon him.
Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly and silently introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God's presence and action within. Be sure you are comfortable, but not so comfortable that you fall asleep, and not uncomfortable that your thoughts go to your body's feelings.
Praying after a meal encourages drowsiness. It may be better to wait at least an hour after eating before Centering Prayer.
Closing your eyes will help you to let go of the drama around you.
When you become aware of thoughts, return ever-so-gently to the sacred word. Thoughts might be anything you perceive such as feelings, images, memories, reflections or conversations. It is normal to experience these intrusions, so just acknowledge them and return to your sacred word. No problem. The key is to avoid giving too much attention to the intrusions.
At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes. This will help you to readjust to 'real life' and hopefully bring this sense of peace along with us.
Some Practical Points
The minimum time for this prayer is 20 minutes. Two periods are recommended each day, one first thing in the morning, and one in the afternoon or early evening.
The end of the prayer period can be indicated by a timer, so long as it is a 'kind' noise.
The principal effects of Centering Prayer are experienced in daily life, not in the period of Centering Prayer itself.
Some of the physical symptoms you might experience (according to the Contemplative Outreach are:
Slight pains, itches, or twitches in various parts of the body or a generalized restlessness. We carry emotions in the tissues of our body. You might feel it as some of these release.
Heaviness or lightness in the extremities might be experienced as you enter into a deep level of spiritual attentiveness.
If you experience these sensations, acknowledge them and continue with your sacred word.
It is recommended to participate with a prayer and sharing group weekly to help maintain your committment to prayer.
One of the values of prayer is the way the effects continue on into Daily Life. Here are some guidelines from http://www.thecentering.org.
Extending the Effects of Centering Prayer into Daily Life
Practice 2 periods of Centering Prayer daily.
Read Scriptures regularly and study Open Mind, Open Heart.
Practice one or two of the specific methods for everyday, suggested in Open Mind Open Heart: The Contemplative Dimension of the Gospel.
Join a Centering Prayer Support Group or Follow-up Program (if available in your area.)
While practicing contempative prayer, avoid analyzing your experience or having expectations of your experience. Have faith that things are just as they should be and be open to the experience however it looks or feels.
What Centering Prayer is not:
It is not a technique or a relaxation exercise.
It is not a form of self-hypnosis.
It is not a charismatic gift. Sorry. That would be cool if it was.
It is not a para-psychological phenomenon. Once again, cool, but not true.
It is not limited to the "felt" presence of God.
It is not guided meditation or prayer purposely meant to provoke emotion.
Contemplative prayer has touched many people in big ways. Do you find this information intriguing? Take a look at Father Keating's book Open Mind Open Heart: The Contemplative Dimension of the Gospel.
Some of the information on this page is taken from http://www.thecentering.org and Centering Prayer.
Prayer is one aspect of spirituality. Want to learn more about Spirituality? Click here!
Prayer and Spirituality
Prayer is one aspect of spirituality. The topic of spirituality is fascinating because it is so unique to each of us, and yet there is so much published information out there, also. As we age, our spirituality evolves and we grow-but at different rates for each of us. That is where the real fascinating part begins!
What are the definitions of spirituality?
Have you ever REALLY thought about:
How is laughter healing?
Why are you here? What is the meaning and purpose?
How important is it to have your own sacred space?
What does Nature have to do with your Spirituality?
Love and Spirituality?
What about gratitude and forgiveness?
What is the relationship between spirituality and depression and happiness?
Prayer and Spirituality: Rosaries and Prayer Beads-You'll LOVE these!
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