“Silent Night” and Sacred Stillness: The Practice of Centering Prayer

“Lo! In the silent night a child to God is born,
And all is brought again that ere was lost or lorn.”
Could but thy soul, O Man, become a silent night
God would be born in thee, and set all things aright.”

The sentiments above, from a longer poem by Johannes Scheffer (d. 1677 in Breslau) encapsulate both the beginnings, and the essence, of meditation and contemplation, both East and West. This week I'd like to introduce a simple form of meditation, or silent, inward prayerfulness—which can be practiced by anyone, of any faith, theology, or world-view, at any time of the day or night. While the practice is surprisingly simple (it doesn't require any academic or religious training or sophistication), it has also been subjected to medical and psychological research. The findings, published in several medical journals and books, show consistently positive results in reducing overall blood pressure, anxiety and stress hormones, and increasing levels of reported peacefulness and life satisfaction by those engaging in this practice.
These practices of prayer, meditation, and contemplation may be seen as universal and common to almost any and every faith. The first I would like to commend to all of us at Eskaton is called “Centering Prayer”, a form of traditional Christian meditation gaining broad ecumenical support through the efforts of Fr. Thomas Keating (Hindus may recognize this as “mantrum” meditation, and Buddhists as “shamata” practice). It may be done by anyone at any time of day or night in virtually any bodily position, although sitting with a straight spine helps to stay awake! All it takes is 20 minutes of your time (or more, if you like), once, or preferably twice a day. Following are the essential steps.
I. Choose a sacred word (or symbol) as the symbol of your intention to consent to God’s presence and action within. Your sacred word is your connecting point to the Divine presence. Therefore let your own word or symbol (eg. a candle, flame, or sacred image) be meaningful for you as a place of connection to the sacred ground of all being which is, indeed, within each and among all of us, beyond all words, yet “is closer than the vein in your neck”. (Qu'ran ). Whatever word you choose, make sure to hold it as your sacred word throughout the meditation period. The sacred word may be chosen during a brief period of prayer to the Holy Spirit. Use a word of one or two syllables, such as: God, Allah, Adonai, HaShem, Jesus, Abba, Father, Mother, Mary, Amen. Other possibilities include: Love, Listen, Peace, Mercy, Let Go, Silence, Stillness, Faith, Trust.
II. Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly and silently introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God’s presence and action within. We close our eyes as a symbol of letting go of what is going on around and within us. We introduce the sacred word inwardly as gently as laying a feather on a piece of absorbent cotton. Should we fall asleep upon awakening we continue the prayer.
III. When engaged with your thoughts, return ever-so-gently to the sacred word. “Thoughts” is an umbrella term for every perception, including body senstations, sense perceptions, feelings, images, memories, plans, reflections, concepts, commentaries, and spiritual experiences. Thoughts are an inevitable, integral and normal part of Centering Prayer.
IV. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes. The additional 2 minutes enables us to bring the atmosphere of silence into everyday life. If this prayer is done in a group, the leader may slowly recite a prayer such as the Lord’s Prayer, while the others listen. Instead of a sacred word, a simple inward glance toward the Divine Presence, or noticing one’s breath may be more suitable for some persons. The same guidelines apply to these as to the sacred word.
For further information on Centering Prayer, please see the accompanying link on the right margin of this blog entry.
Salaam-Shalom-Shanti-Om-Peace+ Chaplaingrant@gmail.com