09th Feb 2006
Center yourself with prayer
Centering Prayer is a type of meditation. But whereas Buddhist meditation focuses on breath, centering prayer (particularly in the Christian or Jewish traditions) focuses on opening yourself to the presence of God.
It probably goes without saying that there are tons of health benefits to centering prayer and meditation in general. Your blood pressure decreases, your pulse decreases, your mind can remain focused. In the long run, you will get sick less often and recover quickly when you do. Rates of depression and suicide are lower in those who pray regularly.
Find a time and a space to do centering prayer during the workday. You might close the door, if you have an office, and post a sign saying what time you’ll be available (in five minutes, say), you might sit in a nearby park, you might lock yourself in your car in the parking lot, you might lock yourself in the bathroom stall. Do whatever you need to in order to find a safe space to give yourself five minutes. Do you see what I’m saying? Take desperate measures to secure five minutes alone to center yourself, even if it means locking yourself in the bathroom (aka meditation stall).
1. Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God’s presence and action within you. Examples of possible sacred words are Abba, Jesu, Mary, Love, Yes, Shalom, etc.
2. Sit comfortably with your eyes closed. Settle briefly and silently, to yourself, introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God’s presence and action within.
3. When you become aware of thoughts, sensations, feelings–any perception whatsoever–return ever-so-gently to the sacred word.
4. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes.
Excerpted from Guidelines for Centering Prayer
To listen to a guided centering prayer, click here
An interview with Thomas Keating, the “Johnny Appleseed” of Centering Prayer
