Centering Prayer
Welcome to Centering Prayer
Centering Prayer, a form of meditative prayer called the “prayer of the heart”, is rooted in the teachings of Jesus and of the Desert Fathers and Mothers of the early church. Through the practice of Centering Prayer we learn how to surrender to love, to abide in divine love, and to enjoy the numerous fruits of the practice: appreciation of silence and solitude, less susceptibility to stress, deeper reverence for the divine in and through nature, willingness and commitment to a life of reconciliation and peace, and longing for and realization of our full union with God, with humanity, and with all life forms on our planet. The practice of Centering Prayer encourages us to cultivate an open mind, heart, and will as we seek spiritual transformation in Christ.
What's Happening Now?
We are currently reading and practicing the book ‘Attention/Intention’ part of a series in the Contemplative Life Program. In this daily practice, we put our attention on the presence of God in and around us at all times and our intention on doing everything each day, from the smallest of tasks, for the love of God. This practice helps us to stay in God’s presence and separates us from the constant flow of thoughts that can distract us from God’s presence.
Each week at our Centering Prayer meeting, we discuss the readings from the week and share our experiences. You can click on the link HERE to order the book (this will take you to the Contemplative Outreach website). Please join us with or without the book as an introduction to Centering Prayer and to meet our members. We welcome everyone.
Join Us
When: Thursdays at 5:30 pm
Where: Currently meeting on in-person and on Zoom
What: Meditation, contemplative reading, and discussion facilitated by Rev. Amber.
For more information or to request the Zoom link for our meeting, please email centeringprayer@allsaintscarmel.org.
We appreciate your support for our Contemplative Ministry.
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Retreats & Workshops
Retreats
The Friends of St. Benedict (FOSB) is the local chapter of the national organization of the same name. Our group is led by William Reed, a former religious and monk. Every month, on the third Wednesday at 3:30pm in the chapel, we begin with Evening Prayer and Lectio Divina. We continue with study of the Rule of St. Benedict, as a paradigm of Christian living, and we also study both a selected traditional and a contemporary author from the longstanding Christian spiritual tradition. The purpose of the FOSB is to integrate monastic and spiritual wisdom into the practice of our Christian life.
Workshops
Every year during Lent the congregation gathers on Wednesday evenings for a soup supper and seminar with Rev. Amber. We come together to share a delicious meal and compelling conversation, where we give and receive hospitality and listen deeply for the Spirit’s movement in our community.
What is Centering Prayer?
Centering Prayer is a form of meditation which when practiced daily can lead us on a transformative path to realizing full union with the divine. Over time, this meditation practice opens our minds and hearts to non-dual awareness, that is to perceive reality as it truly is, not as we have been conditioned to see it nor as we wish it to be. In seeing reality, we begin to see ourselves more clearly — the parts we like and the parts we don’t like. Eventually, we learn how to embrace all the parts of ourselves with love, compassion, and acceptance which leads us to unity within ourselves. When we learn how to love and accept ourselves we find that it is easier to love and accept others just as they are.
The daily practice and experience of Centering Prayer also transforms our inner operating system to be in the moment, to live in the moment–understanding that the journey is the path. We are not trying to get some place else nor are we striving to make a better version of ourselves. We are simply learning to be with what is, knowing that opening to the Spirit of God in each moment connects us to our higher self, to others and opens us to inner transformation by the spirit.
What is the method of Centering Prayer?
The method of Centering Prayer meditation is quite simple. After setting an intention to be present to God we sit in silence for twenty minutes. During the meditation period if we find ourselves engaged with a thought we let the thought go; we simply let go and return to our intention to be with God in the present moment via a Sacred Word which is a symbol of our intention. Unlike discursive prayer where we pray aloud or are speaking to God in our mind, Centering Prayer lets go of thinking and rests in the silence and stillness allowing the spirit to pray within us.
In our group we open with a spoken prayer and reading and then sit for twenty minutes. Afterwards we read a spiritual writing or watch a video and discuss and process together.
Group support for Centering Prayer Meditation
When starting a meditation practice it helps to have spiritual companions with whom we can discuss our experience. Our Centering Prayer group meets weekly to sit together in meditation, to learn about the contemplative practice and mystical path, and to have meaningful discussion. Although we are grounded in the contemplative Christian tradition, the members of our group come from various religious backgrounds and spiritual bents and enjoy discovering the universal principles that flow through all religions from Eastern spirituality to Christian mysticism.
I have been practicing Centering Prayer for over 30 years and believe in it strongly as a spiritual discipline. Under the direction of Reverend Amber Sturgess I have been enriched by the many lectures, books, readings, voluntary group sharing and spiritual courses of study which she has presented to us including the Enneagram, Lectio Divina , Gratefulness.org, and silent retreats.
I am grateful for the regular practice of Centering Prayer because I feel it has greatly enhanced my disposition towards Grace throughout my spiritual journey.
Without the structure of a group that meets weekly I might still have the discipline to practice Centering Prayer each day but I would not benefit, learn or grow spiritually as I have through the meaningful insights and knowledge shared by members at our meetings. The practice itself, contributions by members and the books, lectures and video’s we study have aided me greatly in my desire to live in reality and be present to God.
I like doing Centering Prayer with others because we become a community on a spiritual journey. Being together transcends our denominational differences, as we center ourselves in silence, aware of God’s presence. For me, this is part of a healing process. God’s presence. For me, this is part of a healing process.
I am grateful for the opportunity to meet and sit in presence locally with spiritual friends. This has been a weekly nourishment. Rev. Amber's curation of topics and lessons from Christian as well other faiths point to the same deep current of contemplative practice; members of the same seeking family.
Deepening Our Practice
Bibliography of Resources to Support Your Practice: includes books on Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina, Enneagram, Spiritual Literature, and Spiritual Biographies.