Centering prayer is a meditative practice which originated within the 4th Century monastic tradition of the Dessert Fathers. This prayer form has become widespread recently within the Christian community due to the efforts of the Cistercian monks, Fathers Thomas Keating and Basil Pennington. They have published several books, established practice communities and have conducted workshops all over the world to re-establish this tradition within the ecumenical Christian community.

What differentiates this meditative prayer from active forms of prayer is that it is a silent, receptive prayer of resting in God which emphasizes developing a personal relationship beyond conversation that develops into communion. Instead of replacing mental and affective prayer forms, practice of this discipline can supplement these forms by adding depth of meaning and it can help in self-development and building of faith. The practice is somewhat similar to the mindfulness meditation approach used by Buddhists. However, instead of the goal of attaining emptiness, centering prayer is a development of a relationship to God through the grace of contemplation.

This guide for how to do centering prayer outlines in a few steps the simple, but very effective, prayer method. Besides the steps, helpful tips are given that will make learning and experiencing this method easier and some helpful books by Fathers Keating and Pennington are listed below on the right side of this web page. "Open Mind, Open Heart" by Keating is especially recommended. http://www.amazon.com/Open-Mind-Heart-Contemplative-Dimension/dp/0826406963 It is also helpful to have a quiet location for practice where you will not be interrupted. Doing the practice early in the morning before the family gets up can sometimes be the best time to practice. If the family is awake during your practice time, ask them to join you or you can politely request a reflective period for yourself. Find a comfortable chair, as well.

The initial step of centering prayer is to choose a word of one to two syllables that supports your desire to be in the Lord's presence and open to divine action within. Suitable words include, but are not limited to: Jesus, Lord, God, Savior, Abba, Divine, Peace, Spirit, and Love. It is best not to choose a word that triggers thoughts. Alternatively, you can follow your breath (which is a divine gift) as is done in mindfulness meditation. Once you have chosen this sacred word, it is important to stick with it during your practice.

1. Set your timer for 20 minutes.
2. Sit comfortably, not rigidly, with your eyes closed.
3. Relax and allow your mind and body to become at ease.
4. As distracting thoughts, feelings or bodily sensations enter your awareness, allow your sacred word to be gently present as a reminder of your sincere intention to be open to divine action within.
5. After the 20 minutes have passed, quietly and slowly, recite the Lord's Prayer

1. Prayer sessions may last from 20-30 minutes.
2. Do centering prayer twice daily in order to see progress in your spiritual journey. However, if you only practice once a day, it can help with your mental health maintenance.
3. The best times for practice are in the early morning and before you go to bed.
4. With practice, you will notice that the thoughts and feeling will become less distracting. This leads one to feel an interior sense of spaciousness awareness as gaps appear in your thoughts. You can become aware of a Presence that transcends thought.

1. A method or technique for relaxation- reducing this practice to this level undermines the central intention of resting in God's presence and the desire to develop a personal relationship. Regular practice will result in a more relaxed presence of being however.
2. Limited only to sensations or feelings of being in the presence of God.
3. A method for experiencing paranormal phenomena.
4. A charism, or a gift, from God.
5. An affective prayer or a discursive meditation.
6. Self-hypnosis.

1. "Open Mind, Open Heart," by Thomas Keating http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0826418899/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_sr_1?pf_rd_p=486539851&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-1&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=0824515889&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=08WHM9AFTXW94G7SJ31V
2. "Centering Prayer. Renewing An Ancient Christian Tradition," by M. Basil Pennington
3. "The Cloud of Unknowing. A New Translation," Translated by Carmen Acevedo Butcher. http://www.amazon.com/Cloud-Unknowing-New-Translation/dp/1590306228/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263430418&sr=1-3
4. "Intimacy with God. An Introduction to Centering Prayer," by Thomas Keating http://www.amazon.com/Intimacy-God-Introduction-Centering-Prayer/dp/0824515889
5. "Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening," by Cynthia Bourgeualt http://www.amazon.com/Centering-Prayer-Awakening-Cynthia-Bourgeault/dp/1561012629/ref=pd_sim_b_5
6. "The Inner Journey. Views from the Christian Tradition," by Thomas Merton http://www.amazon.com/Inner-Journey-Christian-Tradition-Anthology/dp/B001QCX9IQ/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1263430969&sr=1-6