New to Contemplative Prayer
Below are two popular methods for cultivating stillness, trust, receptivity, and a quiet intimacy with God.
Centering Prayer
This helpful brochure from Contemplative Outreach describes the spiritual practice called Centering Prayer.
These guidelines are used during our Contemplative Chapel sessions.
Guidelines for Centering Prayer
Choose a prayer word (or short phrase) as a symbol of your intention to surrender yourself to the presence and activity of God.
Sit comfortably, with your back straight, eyes closed, and feet flat on the floor. Take a few slow, deep breaths from your belly, allowing the exhale to be slower and longer than the inhale.
Settle into a natural rhythm of breathing from your abdomen.
Gently introduce your prayer word in sync with your breathing. If it is one or two syllables, join the word with either the inhale or the exhale. If it is a phrase or sentence, unite it to the inhale and the exhale. Let go. Release or surrender yourself to God within.
Your prayer word, the symbol of your intention to surrender yourself to the presence and activity of God, will naturally fall away. Thoughts, images and feelings may come and go; the idea is to neither cling to these nor reject them – simply let them go.
Whenever your attention is stolen by thoughts, images, or feelings, as you perhaps begin to chase a thought or find yourself trying to reject it (this is completely natural), simply return ever-so-gently to the repetition of your prayer word.
At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence for a moment with eyes closed. Then, gently return to your usual way of being in the world, bringing some of the stillness and peace of your contemplative practice with you.
Lectio Divina
Download a brochure from Contemplative Outreach describing Lectio Divina (Holy Reading). Readings used during the Lectio Divina portion of the online sessions are provided here.
Here are the guidelines used during Contemplative Chapel.
Lectio Divina is an ancient way of cultivating intimacy, trust, and friendship with Christ. It is a way of listening to the texts of scripture, as if we are in conversation with Christ, and Christ is suggesting the topic of conversation. We are not analyzing the scripture; rather, we are “listening with the ear of our heart.” This way of prayer can lead beyond acquaintance with Christ to deeper love and the ability to rest more completely and trustingly in God.
Guidelines for Practicing Lectio Divina
Read: Adopt a posture of openness and receiving. Anticipate that God wishes to speak with you through this passage of Scripture. Read the passage for the first time, listening “with the ear of your heart.” What word, phrase, or sentence “lights up” for you or attracts your attention? Begin to repeat that word, phrase, or sentence gently and silently, allowing it to settle deeply in your heart.
Reflect: After reading the passage a second and final time, continue to savor the word, phrase, or sentence, and be attentive to any thought or reflection that might now begin to emerge. Allow yourself to go with your reflection, perhaps pondering why Christ has led you here.
Respond: After a minute or two of quiet reflection on the Spirit’s promptings, allow yourself to respond spontaneously: a prayer or thanksgiving, praise, petition, or wonder may arise. Respond silently to the One who initiated this conversation.
Rest: Now, simply rest with God. In a posture of quiet receptiveness, savor the healing that comes from simply being with this One who loves you deeply and unconditionally. Perhaps this time of rest was God’s hope for you all along.