Our Eastern brothers and sisters are probably more familiar with the use of breathing in prayer. It is an ancient Christian technique. Here is an article on The Jesus Prayer by an Orthodox. Perhaps this is what the OP would be comfortable with.
svots.edu/content/rossi-jesus-prayer
The Eastern Orthodox kept Christian Mediation part of their tradition with the laity where the Roman Catholic Church, the laity were kept ignorant of it until the recent century. Those laity who were part of the contemplative religious order were exposed to it, but here it varied. Many thought contemplation was for the few religious or those who had mystic experiences like the Saints.
Not until the early 70’s when young Catholics started leaving the Church for spirituality of the East, did the Church wake up. Pope Paul VI asked the contemplative leaders of religious orders like the Benedictines and Trappists, to begin dialogue with the religions of the East, in order to understand why Catholic were being drawn there.
As a result, Fr Keating, who was abbot of St Joseph’s Abbey in Spencer Mass, hosted a week-end with masters of Eastern Religions. When they were shown the meditation techniques of Eastern masters, Fr Keating and other monks immediately knew that the Catholic Church already had a rich tradition of meditation and contemplation, going back to the 4th Century mystics of the Desert, Abba Isaac and St John Cassian. The Church also had the doctors of spirituality, St Teresa of Avila and St John of the Cross. So, they sought to teach the method which they were well familiar with to those outside the monastic traditions in the Catholic Church. They began teaching what the has Church always called, “Quiet Prayer.” or “Prayer of Quiet.” It was from this that the name evolved into Centering Prayer, as the writings of those like St John of the Cross, and Thomas Merton, talked about going to the “Center,” of our being, to be in the presence of God. God is the center of the soul, St John of the Cross says.
In the past 10 years or so, this all got distorted as people in the New Age Movement adopted the method of meditation and Catholics new to the idea, thought it was totally from the New Age movement.
They were wrong and still are in their teaching such misinformation.
I’ve been doing Centering Prayer or “Quiet Prayer,” as many are calling it now, for over 30 years. I have talked with monks and friars of the Discalced Carmelites about it. They approve it totally, providing it’s understood correctly.
My relationship with Jesus Christ has become stronger and the experience of His love has transformed how I view the world and other people. It’s a method of prayer I higly recommend, for those who are called to it. Not everyone is called to quiet prayer, others are called to devotions like praying the Rosary. We must follow the promptings of the Holy Spirit, not our own agenda’s, so be open to where God is taking you.
In all, this is Catholic Contemplative Prayer, make no mistake about it. Those who teach otherwise, only serve to work against the Holy Spirit, who is calling people to a deeper level of prayer.
Centered In Christ Jesus
Jim
