Centering Prayer Introductory Workshops
We recommend you begin Centering Prayer by attending an Introduction to Centering Prayer workshop (see below) and by reading Father Keating’s book, Open Mind, Open Heart: The Contemplative Dimension of the Gospel.
The format for each workshop is a Saturday session and then Six Continuing Sessions offered during the week. All workshops are led by presenters trained by Contemplative Outreach, Ltd.
During the Continuing Sessions, you will see a 30 minute DVD of Father Keating which will deepen your understanding of the Christian contemplative heritage, have a period of Centering Prayer and have an opportunity for Questions and Discussion. These 90-minute sessions are offered both morning and afternoon during the week.
These workshops offer a contemporary presentation of the discipline of Centering Prayer as silent communion with God beyond concepts, words and images. Centering Prayer is a method of prayer, which prepares us to receive the gift of God’s presence, traditionally called contemplative prayer. It consists of responding to the Spirit of Christ by consenting to God’s presence and action within. It furthers the development of contemplative prayer by quieting our faculties to cooperate with the gift of God’s presence. Centering Prayer facilitates the movement from more active modes of prayer—verbal, mental or affective prayer – into a receptive prayer of resting in God. It emphasizes prayer as a personal relationship with God. At the same time it is a discipline to foster and serve this relationship by a regular, daily practice of prayer. It is Trinitarian in its source, Christ-centered in its focus and ecclesial in its effects that is, it builds communities of faith.
The format for each workshop is a Saturday session and then Six Continuing Sessions offered during the week. All workshops are led by presenters trained by Contemplative Outreach, Ltd.
During the Continuing Sessions, you will see a 30 minute DVD of Father Keating which will deepen your understanding of the Christian contemplative heritage, have a period of Centering Prayer and have an opportunity for Questions and Discussion. These 90-minute sessions are offered both morning and afternoon during the week.
These workshops offer a contemporary presentation of the discipline of Centering Prayer as silent communion with God beyond concepts, words and images. Centering Prayer is a method of prayer, which prepares us to receive the gift of God’s presence, traditionally called contemplative prayer. It consists of responding to the Spirit of Christ by consenting to God’s presence and action within. It furthers the development of contemplative prayer by quieting our faculties to cooperate with the gift of God’s presence. Centering Prayer facilitates the movement from more active modes of prayer—verbal, mental or affective prayer – into a receptive prayer of resting in God. It emphasizes prayer as a personal relationship with God. At the same time it is a discipline to foster and serve this relationship by a regular, daily practice of prayer. It is Trinitarian in its source, Christ-centered in its focus and ecclesial in its effects that is, it builds communities of faith.