Centering Prayer

Centering prayer is a method designed to deepen the relationship with Christ and to facilitate the development of contemplative prayer by preparing our facilities to cooperate with this gift. It is an attempt to present the teaching of earlier times (e.g., The Cloud of Unknowing) in an updated form and put a certain order and regularity into it. It is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer; it simply puts other kinds of prayer into a new and fuller perspective. During the time of prayer, we consent to God’s presence and action within. At other times our attention moves outward to discover God’s presence everywhere else. Unlike New Age or Buddhism meditation, Centring prayer is not emptying our minds but stilling or quietening our minds so that we can listen to Christ. It is Christ centered.