Centering Prayer No Longer Banned?

[JimR-OCDS]

I notice that Centering Prayer is no longer a banned topic at CAF.

Is this correct ?

If so, great !

Perhaps we can talk about what Centering Prayer really is, rather than what it really isn’t.

Please be civil!

Jim

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I’d like to know myself more about it. I had heard of it, then I was out of active Catholic practice for some years and apparently while I was gone this became a controversial topic somehow, or so I read on Wikipedia.

I’m a bit baffled at this, because although I myself do not practice centering prayer or anything similar due to my own temperament and prayer preferences at this time, I can’t understand how any reasonable, sincere method of prayer or contemplation done with the intention of talking to God, focusing on God, or deepening one’s relationship with God could be bad. Happy to sit back and watch the discussion unfold.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I’d like to know myself more about it. I had heard of it, then I was out of active Catholic practice for some years and apparently while I was gone this became a controversial topic somehow, or so I read on Wikipedia.

I’m a bit baffled at this, because although I myself do not practice centering prayer or anything similar due to my own temperament and prayer preferences at this time, I can’t understand how any reasonable, sincere method of prayer or contemplation done with the intention of talking to God, focusing on God, or deepening one’s relationship with God could be bad. Happy to sit back and watch the discussion unfold.

You can learn here.

Just follow the link in the site to Centering Prayer. It’s an audio instruction

I’ve been doing Centering Prayer as taught by Fr Keating, for over 35 years now. It’s been a rich prayerful experience and has taught me the richness in Rosary and Chaplet of Divine Mercy as well. No longer do I mindlessly ramble off Hail Mary’s with a mental video of the mysteries playing, but I’m drawn into the actual meaning in the mysteries.

Centering Prayer, or Contemplative Prayer which is more often called these days, is a deeper experience of interior prayer. The fruits Christ gives, are beyond words.

Jim

 

[christofirst]

It will indeed be good if a discussion of Centering Prayer can remain positive and civil here. I would very much appreciate it if perhaps just this once, the nay-sayers would not try so hard to discourage the practice. I, for one, know that it is not necessarily a way of prayer for everyone, but I certainly believe it is a legitimate way of prayer, and beneficial for those who practice.

Myself, I have read many of the works of Fathers Thomas Keating, Basil Pennington and William Meninger, and watched some of their video presentations too. In the end, I found I connected more with Fr. John Main’s explanation of Christian Meditation, which is very similar to Centering Prayer. In practice, though, I’m still very much a beginner.

 

[po18guy]

I wonder at its timing in the grand scheme of things. As we see with Yoga, many Eastern practices have been assumed into Western culture, with little or no understanding of their ultimate meaning or religious roots. As well, the influence of the new age movement with very similarly named and themed practices is a caution - or should be. The concept of centering prayer is not, as it is practiced, in Christian tradition, as as we see remains controversial. Honestly, I wonder at its necessity, since its development seems to imply that Christianity was somehow lacking. Although it is intense, the mysticism of Saints Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross carries no associated doubt or question.

 

[Nelka]

What is it?

 

[Crusaderbear]

I always looked at the first part of the rosary as ‘centering prayer’…Apostles Creed, our Father, 3 Hail Mary’s…sets up the following 5 decades…unless of course I have no true clue as to what a centering prayer is…

 

[christofirst]

I wonder at its timing in the grand scheme of things. As we see with Yoga, many Eastern practices have been assumed into Western culture, with little or no understanding of their ultimate meaning or religious roots. As well, the influence of the new age movement with very similarly named and themed practices is a caution - or should be. The concept of centering prayer is not, as it is practiced, in Christian tradition, as as we see remains controversial. Honestly, I wonder at its necessity, since its development seems to imply that Christianity was somehow lacking. Although it is intense, the mysticism of Saints Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross carries no associated doubt or question.

You make a good point, and those great Carmelite teachers of prayer are certainly to be commended. We cannot deny, however, that for a variety of reasons some Catholics were and are drawn to Eastern non-Christian ways of prayer. My understanding is that this is exactly the reason why Father Keating and his confreres first formulated Centering Prayer, to show that it is and has long been part of the Catholic tradition. They took an ancient way of silent prayer which was long a part of the Church, and gave it an explanation understandable to Catholics who were seeking ways of prayer outside the Church.

In Fr. Main’s case, he actually learned meditation from a Hindu sage in Malaya. When he later became a Benedictine monk he learned and set about showing how this way of praying in stillness while silently repeating a prayer word or phrase goes all the way back to St. John Cassian in the 4th century. It is the apophatic way, the way of the Cloud of Unknowing. I know that there are those in the Church who disagree.

 

[MaryT777]

Also interested in this discussion to learn more…

 

[Tis_Bearself]

I did some quick research over lunch and read the 1989 Vatican letter on “Centering Prayer” as well as some carping article in the NCRegister (which I know is not a popular publication around here).

Vatican letter from 1989 here

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19891015_meditazione-cristiana_en.html

It seemed like a reasonable letter especially in its cautions that people shouldn’t be making perfecting the physical method of praying, like breathing or getting into some physical position, into a substitute for the communication with God, nor should they be thinking of God as some “abyss”, nor should they be mistaking pleasurable physical sensations or a blissful feeling for the presence of God. I can’t imagine why someone would think in any of those ways, but I’m a bear of little brain and not terribly new-agey, plus I am reminded daily on the Internet that people come up with all sorts of strange ideas that I never would have considered in a million years.

It would be nice to learn to just empty my mind and let Jesus come in though I doubt I could manage it for more than 10 minutes at a time tops and that’s with a lot of practice.

 

[Deus_tecum]

Centering prayer is good for all.

 

[on_the_hill]

In looking up info about Centering Prayer, I found the Jesus Prayer, which I’d never heard of before. I guess I learned something new today.

 

[DBT]

St. Teresa describes a “method” of prayer in chapters 28-30 of Way of Perfection that those who practice CP might easily recognize. She calls it the Prayer of Recollection. In it, she encourages readers to close their eyes and draw within themselves to speak to God who lives in the center of our soul. We’re to slow down the wandering of our mind … but not “stop” it. We’re to allow our prayer to simplify … until it becomes no more than a single word.

This method is not to be confused with her teaching on infused contemplation which so many on these forums who are opposed to CP tend to fixate on. However, she says this method of prayer is the best preparation one can make to dispose oneself for the gift of infused contemplation should the Lord wish to grant it. She stresses time and time again in these chapters that this Prayer of Recollection should be practiced as often as we possibly can.

Interior prayer is not something to be feared as we so often see in these forums … it’s to be encouraged as St. Teresa herself does.

Dave

 

[Tis_Bearself]

After reading several more articles (some of them, IMHO, verging on hysteria) and threads on centering prayer or contemplative prayer or what you call it, in an effort to get a handle on what the fuss was about, I’ve concluded that the answer is argue less, pray more.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I wonder at its timing in the grand scheme of things. As we see with Yoga, many Eastern practices have been assumed into Western culture, with little or no understanding of their ultimate meaning or religious roots. As well, the influence of the new age movement with very similarly named and themed practices is a caution - or should be. The concept of centering prayer is not, as it is practiced, in Christian tradition, as as we see remains controversial. Honestly, I wonder at its necessity, since its development seems to imply that Christianity was somehow lacking. Although it is intense, the mysticism of Saints Teresa of Avila and John of the Cross carries no associated doubt or question.

Centering Prayer has nothing to do with Eastern Religion but is a strong Christian tradition going back to the 4th Century Mystics of the Desert, like Abba Isaac.

The link you provided has been blown away as being border line fraudulent.

Everything the author says is false on what took place at St Josephs Abbey when Fr Keating was Abbot, and what Centering Prayer is about.

I have been to St Joseph’s Abbey for retreats and for Sunday Vespers and Benediction.

The monks know the article and can’t understand how he came to the conclusions he made in the article, being he never went to St Joseph’s Abbey to speak with the monks, despite that he’s only an hour away.

Again, please don’t post fraudulent misleading articles.

Centering Prayer is not the same as New Age Centering.

They’re entirely different.

Centering Prayer is Christ centered. New Age Centering is something else.

Jim

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I did some quick research over lunch and read the 1989 Vatican letter on “Centering Prayer” as well as some carping article in the NCRegister (which I know is not a popular publication around here).

Vatican letter from 1989 here

vatican.va/roman_curia/congregations/cfaith/documents/rc_con_cfaith_doc_19891015_meditazione-cristiana_en.html

It seemed like a reasonable letter especially in its cautions that people shouldn’t be making perfecting the physical method of praying, like breathing or getting into some physical position, into a substitute for the communication with God, nor should they be thinking of God as some “abyss”, nor should they be mistaking pleasurable physical sensations or a blissful feeling for the presence of God. I can’t imagine why someone would think in any of those ways, but I’m a bear of little brain and not terribly new-agey, plus I am reminded daily on the Internet that people come up with all sorts of strange ideas that I never would have considered in a million years.

It would be nice to learn to just empty my mind and let Jesus come in though I doubt I could manage it for more than 10 minutes at a time tops and that’s with a lot of practice.

The Letter to the Bishops was nothing about Centering Prayer. This claim has been made by those who oppose Centering Prayer as they have misread the letter.

Finally, Fr Keating addresses the letter here.

God Bless
Jim

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Keep in mind that Centering Prayer is a method of prayer which opens the soul to Contemplation, whether infused or acquirred.

It itself is not contemplation which is a gift from God alone.

Neither is praying the Rosary contemplation, but rather, a method of prayer where the soul is open to Contemplation.

However, most Catholics praying the Rosary and doing other forms of devotion, have no experience with contemplation. Instead, they are limited to praying the prayers memorized by rote and the one big complaint I see often, is their inability to remain focused and not be distracted.

Centering Prayer helps with this, because it is Christ Centered interior prayer. The practice helps the person to reflect on the presence of Jesus dwelling within, and this experience transcends to daily living. It’s the way to experience "praying without ceasing.

It’s not for everyone and other forms of prayer should never be abandoned, even by those who do Centering Prayer.

Myself, Centering Prayer follows praying the Divine Office, which as a Discalced Carmelite, OCDS, is required daily.

Jim

 

[mathematoons]

I don’t really get centering prayer. As far as I can tell, it’s a meditative practice common to Eastern religions, but in a Catholic package. Personally, I would rather stick to what is tried and true; why do we need to bring in stuff from outside the Church?

 

[JimR-OCDS]

I don’t really get centering prayer. As far as I can tell, it’s a meditative practice common to Eastern religions, but in a Catholic package. Personally, I would rather stick to what is tried and true; why do we need to bring in stuff from outside the Church?

Centering Prayer aka Contemplative Prayer, is tried and true and has been part of the Catholic Tradition for centuries.

It’s apparently you don’t have the correct information about it.

Try the link I provided earlier in this thread.

Jim

 

[JimR-OCDS]

For those who feel called to Centering Prayer, follow the link here.

Centered In Christ
Jim