I have to be reminded occasionally that I need to pray-or better said, I need to NEED to pray. I began 'Centering Prayer' as a Lenten thing and to further the discipline of reading an old book for every new one. I actually put it on my "to read" list after hearing it outlined during a seminar several years ago. I found this paperback copy for 50 cents at a used book sale last month. It has been a move of God's Grace.
Fr. Pennington, a Cistercian, wrote this book in the late 1970's after a series of popular retreats and lectures. It was well received and sold just as well. This was and is a sign of the spiritual hunger that we all have built into us. Real people want to know how to pray. He offers a method that gives us both permission and a starting place to learn prayer. "Centering Prayer" is Roman Catholic in its scholarship and viewpoint but is much broader that one might think. A non-Christian will find resonance here as much as I did.
Pennington's writing style is efficient and clear though he gives numerous lengthy quotations from many of the church fathers. You will have to wade through a lot of history, some Latin terms and other jargon. Prepare yourself for the first 60 pages. They are confusing unless you have read some Merton, Desert Fathers and other Christian Mystics. HOWEVER, it it worth the effort and prepares the reader for the method. The writer offers a practical way to answer the question:
Is Meditation Un-Christian? The short answer is no-we just call it contemplative prayer. The most word-centered evangelical cannot deny that our delight in God is to "meditate day and night" on scripture. Sometimes we forget about the oriental influence on Christianity and Judiasm. Why should the eastern religions have a lock on this anyway. It is scriptural and grows the Disciple.
Pennington defines "Centering Prayer" as, "any method by which the pray-er seeks to bring his or her scattered thoughts and feelings together for a certain deepening." (61) It is neither new nor unique to this book but an application of ancient Christian praxis. The 3-rule "formula", 1-take a minute to quiet down;2- Rest in the Center by the use of a "prayer word" that can be repeated until we achieve that meditative rest; and 3- to use our prayer word when we become aware of anything that disturbs our prayer filled center to return to prayer. End with or "come out" of prayer time with an "Our Father" or other formula prayer (65) The successful end to the method is that it is no longer needed.
The method's essence is in the prayer word. Eastern meditation would call this a mantra, though the author hesitates to use that word. Deriving your prayer word is the crucial first step in prayerful "rootedness or centeredness." To find God we need quiet. To find quiet in such a noisy world we need a starting place. That start comes with " a quieting word, a gentle word, a soft word that quiets the mind and allows the heart space." (71) The chapter on "New Packaging" is basically a commentary on the book, "The Cloud of Unknowing" and gives wise counsel on choosing your unique prayer word.
The author is clear that prayer method is only to assist and the purity of prayer can only be achieved when kept very simple. The key is to be in touch with Christ and to "Know Thyself" before plumbing deeper spiritual depths. The book also provides written prayers, daily schedules, retreat outlines, relaxation exercises and other helps. His method is useful for all of us "Martha/Active's" who secretly want that "Mary/Contemplative" prayer experience. The Bibliography is rich with resources too. Many of them are public domain and on Google Library.
The book begs to be used. Here is how I applied it to my day-to-day. Each year I study the Psalm of my age. A United Methodist Bishop started me on this discipline several years ago. My "prayer word" comes from Psalm 52-"I trust in the steadfast Love of God". When my day gets distracted I say this until I actually hear it. At the top of the hour I take a full moment of quiet meditation, centering on this psalm and afterward write a short prayer in my journal. I seek the quiet daily for the suggested 20 minutes at a time too. I am blessed to have an office and a prayer garden at work and am building on at home too. However, even in my busiest times I can find that 2-3 minutes to center up the next hour. The very busiest among us can will a precious centering moment without regard to the noise, haste or place. The fruit of this practice is rich and healthy everyday living. Christian prayer/meditation is practical.
This is the beginnings of my prayer garden at home. Watch for more progress as God allows.
I am building benches and adding other faith expressions to give me a sacred space to pray and study. This is also a bird and butterfly friendly garden. Not my usual style but it is pretty cool to watch the wildlife.
I read a lot of this type of material and maybe you do too. Sometimes the essence of prayer gets lost in the words. I needed to be reminded to prayer today. How about you? Christ comes alive when we meditate on His word and not merely read it. "Centering Prayer" gives us a new starting point and goes on my essentials shelf.
Fr. Pennington, a Cistercian, wrote this book in the late 1970's after a series of popular retreats and lectures. It was well received and sold just as well. This was and is a sign of the spiritual hunger that we all have built into us. Real people want to know how to pray. He offers a method that gives us both permission and a starting place to learn prayer. "Centering Prayer" is Roman Catholic in its scholarship and viewpoint but is much broader that one might think. A non-Christian will find resonance here as much as I did.
Pennington's writing style is efficient and clear though he gives numerous lengthy quotations from many of the church fathers. You will have to wade through a lot of history, some Latin terms and other jargon. Prepare yourself for the first 60 pages. They are confusing unless you have read some Merton, Desert Fathers and other Christian Mystics. HOWEVER, it it worth the effort and prepares the reader for the method. The writer offers a practical way to answer the question:
Is Meditation Un-Christian? The short answer is no-we just call it contemplative prayer. The most word-centered evangelical cannot deny that our delight in God is to "meditate day and night" on scripture. Sometimes we forget about the oriental influence on Christianity and Judiasm. Why should the eastern religions have a lock on this anyway. It is scriptural and grows the Disciple.
Pennington defines "Centering Prayer" as, "any method by which the pray-er seeks to bring his or her scattered thoughts and feelings together for a certain deepening." (61) It is neither new nor unique to this book but an application of ancient Christian praxis. The 3-rule "formula", 1-take a minute to quiet down;2- Rest in the Center by the use of a "prayer word" that can be repeated until we achieve that meditative rest; and 3- to use our prayer word when we become aware of anything that disturbs our prayer filled center to return to prayer. End with or "come out" of prayer time with an "Our Father" or other formula prayer (65) The successful end to the method is that it is no longer needed.
The method's essence is in the prayer word. Eastern meditation would call this a mantra, though the author hesitates to use that word. Deriving your prayer word is the crucial first step in prayerful "rootedness or centeredness." To find God we need quiet. To find quiet in such a noisy world we need a starting place. That start comes with " a quieting word, a gentle word, a soft word that quiets the mind and allows the heart space." (71) The chapter on "New Packaging" is basically a commentary on the book, "The Cloud of Unknowing" and gives wise counsel on choosing your unique prayer word.
The author is clear that prayer method is only to assist and the purity of prayer can only be achieved when kept very simple. The key is to be in touch with Christ and to "Know Thyself" before plumbing deeper spiritual depths. The book also provides written prayers, daily schedules, retreat outlines, relaxation exercises and other helps. His method is useful for all of us "Martha/Active's" who secretly want that "Mary/Contemplative" prayer experience. The Bibliography is rich with resources too. Many of them are public domain and on Google Library.
The book begs to be used. Here is how I applied it to my day-to-day. Each year I study the Psalm of my age. A United Methodist Bishop started me on this discipline several years ago. My "prayer word" comes from Psalm 52-"I trust in the steadfast Love of God". When my day gets distracted I say this until I actually hear it. At the top of the hour I take a full moment of quiet meditation, centering on this psalm and afterward write a short prayer in my journal. I seek the quiet daily for the suggested 20 minutes at a time too. I am blessed to have an office and a prayer garden at work and am building on at home too. However, even in my busiest times I can find that 2-3 minutes to center up the next hour. The very busiest among us can will a precious centering moment without regard to the noise, haste or place. The fruit of this practice is rich and healthy everyday living. Christian prayer/meditation is practical.
This is the beginnings of my prayer garden at home. Watch for more progress as God allows.
I read a lot of this type of material and maybe you do too. Sometimes the essence of prayer gets lost in the words. I needed to be reminded to prayer today. How about you? Christ comes alive when we meditate on His word and not merely read it. "Centering Prayer" gives us a new starting point and goes on my essentials shelf.
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