As we (I) lean in to releasing control, it feels right to bring back this practice from the archives. It was actually the very first practice I shared here on spacemaking, and now feels like the perfect time to revisit it.
Centering prayer, also called wordless prayer, is simply being with God. It’s sitting in His presence, resting in His love, without needing to say anything or do anything.
When you engage in centering prayer, you are achieving nothing, controlling nothing. You’re allowing yourself to be loved and to love. You pause from productivity (even using prayer as intercession) to sit still, in God’s presence. You rest. You grow comfortable with silence. You soften, release your grip, allow yourself to be held by God. You lay down your racing thoughts, your worries, your fears. You let God hold them for you. You rest in love. You rest with love. Let’s try it.
Try these steps:
Get alone and in a quiet space. Get comfortable.
Close your eyes, take a few big deep breaths and bring to mind a word, image or breath prayer as your “sacred symbol” to help you come into God’s presence.
Tip: ask God for this symbol before you begin. This is a word or image to help you connect with Him. My symbol has changed through time. I started simply with the image of a basic red heart to represent His love. As I practice, He’s given me phrases (“Your presence, my light”), words (“Remain”) and images (His smiling face) and sometimes it’s a word with an image. Ask Him and He’ll give you your own symbol. And you can keep this symbol each time you practice centering prayer, until He gives you a new one. If you don’t feel like He gives you a symbol initially, just choose one. Maybe a simple heart or a name of God.
Silently, with your eyes closed bring that symbol to mind. As you notice your thoughts wandering, return to the symbol.
And this is basically it. You just sit in God’s presence. No words. Keep breathing deeply, keeping returning your wandering thoughts to God.
When your prayer period is over, transition slowly back to your active life. You may way to use the time following centering prayer to listen to God or intercede for others. This can be a great practice to begin any time you spend with God.
A few more tips & ideas:
You can decide the timeframe of your centering prayer. Start small and build up. A lot of experts recommend two 20-30 minute prayer periods a day. Start with 5 minutes and work your way up. And really, one minute is better than no minutes.
If it helps, set a timer (I like to do this so I’m not constantly checking the time).
If it helps, keep a notepad nearby to write down the inevitable “to dos” or thoughts that come to mind so you can release them and come back to them later.
If you’d like a little more guidance, you can check out this app. It takes you through the process and keeps the time for you.
And remember, if it feels hard or uncomfortable or weird at first, keep trying. It’s a practice. Practice makes progress, not perfection.
So. When will you make space in your schedule for centering prayer? What is God inviting you to regarding this practice? Ask Him. Then think about giving it a try 😊
Some quick links:
If you are interested in spiritual direction you can check out some FAQ here.
If you’re ready to schedule a meeting, you can do so here. (Remember, first sessions are free for subscribers of spacemaking!)
If you’re interested in retreats, you can get more info here.
And may you encounter the God who loves you as you make space in your schedule and your soul!