The following quotes are from Thomas Keating's book, Open Mind, Open Heart, and were used in the Introduction to Centering Prayer class held on November 20, 2020
Contemplative prayer is the world in which God can do anything. Our private, self-made worlds come
to an end; a new world appears within and around us.
The more one lets go, the stronger the presence of the Spirit becomes. The Ultimate Mystery becomes the Ultimate Presence.
The purpose of centering prayer is not to experience peace, but to clear the unconscious obstacles to
the permanent abiding state of union with God.
Centering prayer is not so much an exercise of attention as intention. Our intention is to be present to God’s presence and actions in our lives.
Centering prayer is not a way of turning on the presence of God.
Rather, it is a way of saying “Here I am.”
Contemplative prayer is not so much the absence of thoughts as detachment from them.
It is the opening of mind, body and emotions – our whole being –
to God, the Ultimate Mystery, beyond words, thoughts and emotions.
The chief thing that separates us from God is the thought that we are separated from God.
If we get rid of that thought, our troubles will be greatly reduced.
Prayer is not designed to change God but to change us.
The faster we let that happen, the better our prayer is going to be.
But once we have gotten interested in God and have begun to seek Him,
the best thing to do is to be silent in prayer and to let Him complete the process.
Isn’t that the great significance of Mary? She could not possibly forget God.
She was in prayer in her very being and in every one of her actions.
She brought the Word of God into the world,
or rather let Him come into the world through her.
It is not so much what we do but what we are that allows Christ to live in the world.
It may be hard to convince yourself of the value of interior silence.
But if you are going to practice centering prayer,
the only way to do it is to ignore every thought.
Let it be a time of interior silence and nothing else.
If God wants to speak to you in successive words,
let God do so during the other twenty-three hours of the day.
God will be more pleased that you preferred to listen to His silence.
Contemplative prayer is the world in which God can do anything. Our private, self-made worlds come
to an end; a new world appears within and around us.
The more one lets go, the stronger the presence of the Spirit becomes. The Ultimate Mystery becomes the Ultimate Presence.
The purpose of centering prayer is not to experience peace, but to clear the unconscious obstacles to
the permanent abiding state of union with God.
Centering prayer is not so much an exercise of attention as intention. Our intention is to be present to God’s presence and actions in our lives.
Centering prayer is not a way of turning on the presence of God.
Rather, it is a way of saying “Here I am.”
Contemplative prayer is not so much the absence of thoughts as detachment from them.
It is the opening of mind, body and emotions – our whole being –
to God, the Ultimate Mystery, beyond words, thoughts and emotions.
The chief thing that separates us from God is the thought that we are separated from God.
If we get rid of that thought, our troubles will be greatly reduced.
Prayer is not designed to change God but to change us.
The faster we let that happen, the better our prayer is going to be.
But once we have gotten interested in God and have begun to seek Him,
the best thing to do is to be silent in prayer and to let Him complete the process.
Isn’t that the great significance of Mary? She could not possibly forget God.
She was in prayer in her very being and in every one of her actions.
She brought the Word of God into the world,
or rather let Him come into the world through her.
It is not so much what we do but what we are that allows Christ to live in the world.
It may be hard to convince yourself of the value of interior silence.
But if you are going to practice centering prayer,
the only way to do it is to ignore every thought.
Let it be a time of interior silence and nothing else.
If God wants to speak to you in successive words,
let God do so during the other twenty-three hours of the day.
God will be more pleased that you preferred to listen to His silence.
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