Centering Prayer and Mission

Paul writes – a little quote on Centering Prayer that I want to keep. I’m struck again by the hidden and quiet way that God is active in prayer, forming, shaping, freeing, deepening and enlivening…I’m struck again by there being so much more to prayer than we are ever taught within typical church contexts.

For more on Centering Prayer I highly recommend an interview that I’ve previously highlighted – an interview with Cynthia Bourgeault, here. But now for the quote, incidentally, by Cynthia Bourgeault from her excellent book (again, highly recommended by me) – Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening:

“…Thomas Keating [OCSO] advises people over and over again not to look for the fruits of this prayer [Centering Prayer] in their subjective experience of it. Centering Prayer is not about accessing sublime states of consciousness or having mystical experiences [or emptying ourselves SO we can get a message from God]. The fruits of this prayer are first seen in daily life. They express themselves in your ability to be more present in your life, more flexible and forgiving with those you live and work with, more honest and comfortable in your own being. These are real signs that the inner depths [of your life] have been touched and have begun to set in motion their transformative work…” (Italics, mine. Quote from p. 30)

Notice the link between “inner” and “outer”… the outer work of our lives being nourished and transformed through the inner work. Mission and living missionally (participating in the mission of God), importantly for me, works for me from the inside out. Stillness (e.g. Centering Prayer (as distinct from intercessory prayer or praying the daily office), lectio Divina, discernment. i.e. inner practices) flows into activity (outward practices) and activity flows back into stillness. Too often, I would observe (in my own life as much as anywhere else) an absence of inwardness in favour of the easier and more natural tendency toward activism.

Again (as I often am), I’m aware of, and grateful for, the richness and depth of our Christian tradition.