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21 Questions about the future of Centering Prayer

11/9/2014

From "A Conversation On the Future of Christian Contemplative Practice"
Session sponsored by the Trust for the Meditation Process
Annual Conference, September 26, 2014

Part One: Audience
Who, in your experience, gets drawn to Centering Prayer?
    • Does anything distinguish them from folks interested in mindfulness?

What are they looking for? What do they find that they most value?
    • What are the key messages of contemplative Christianity?
    • What defines its "brand"?

Where else do they look for that?
    • Church? Spiritual Direction? Retreat Centers?
    • Where do they "hang out"? What do they read?
    • Who are the public figures and topics that interest them?

What sustains their practice? What keeps them interested?

Part Two: Future
Where do you think growth lies?
    • In churches? In religious schools? In professional groups?
    • Who might be interested, but wouldn't find us?

What are the obstacles to growth?

Mindfulness is getting a lot of attention, now. What do you think would most raise the profile of Christian contemplative traditions?

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Reflections on the 2013 Annual Conference

12/10/2013

By Bob Delastrada

The 2013 Contemplative Outreach annual conference was held October 24th through the 27th in Snowmass, Colorado. It was intentionally designed as a retreat rather than business meeting. The speakers were incredible, including Abbot Joseph Boyle from St. Benedict's monastery, Sister Meg Funk, Father Keating and Father William Menninger. Any of these people could have been a retreat in themselves, such was the richness of this event. Each spoke on a different topic, but their thinking converged on our dependence on God and the divine desire to participate in daily life. We were urged to persevere in the centering prayer practice despite seeming obstacles. Father William concluded the talks with the words of Mother Julian, "That all manner of things shall be well."

On Saturday we were invited to tour the monastic enclosure and have Eucharist with the monks. They were exceptional in their hospitality as is their custom. We were made to feel genuinely welcome in their home. That evening a banquet was held at the hotel. It was a touching moment when Father Thomas said that the Holy Spirit was the driving force behind centering prayer whether he (Father Thomas) was there or not. We were also blessed with the showing of a DVD about Father Thomas's spiritual journey called the "Rising Tide of Silence." It was produced by his nephew and will be available at a later date (Editor's note: you can see it here in the Twin Cities on Sunday, January 26th.). It will be of interest to anyone who practices centering prayer.

In Snowmass we stayed at the Viceroy Hotel. We had a two bedroom suite with master bedroom and bath, a terrace overlooking the ski slopes, full kitchen, living room, another bedroom and bath and a very sophisticated espresso maker that challenged our mechanical skills. All this by virtue of off-season rates. It was wonderful. Next year’s conference will be in Miami during late September. We switch from the mountains to the ocean. Attending the conference provides a broader vision of centering payer, as it is truly an international network!

Bob Delastrada is a longtime practitioner of Centering Prayer, and acts as librarian/archivist on the board of Minnesota Contemplative Outreach.

The Gift of Communal Centering Prayer

11/1/2012

By Carol Quest

In my life, centering prayer is a gift that is supported and strengthened by practicing centering prayer in a group. For the past 20 years I have participated in the St. Olaf Saturday morning centering prayer group. This October, I have been blessed by centering at the Minnesota Contemplative Outreach Heartfulness Retreat and at the Contemplative Outreach Annual Conference in Snowmass, Colorado. As I look back on both the Heartfulness retreat and the conference, I savor experience of communal centering prayer.

The weekend of October 7 to 9, 40 people gathered at Dunrovin Retreat Center for a “silent” retreat which included six sessions of centering prayer. For each session, we gathered in a circle in a room with a beautiful view of the St. Croix and settled into 30 minutes of silence, then a meditative walk, then another 30 minutes of silence. I am always grateful for Father Keating’s advice not to judge the success of a session of prayer. If I were to judge, I could find plenty to worry about. Instead, as I look back on that early October weekend, I have the sense of deep relaxation, peace and contentment.

Retreats end and life returns to normal which means practicing centering prayer on my own twice a day. This personal practice, however, is supported by attending centering prayer on Saturday mornings at St. Olaf Catholic Church in downtown Minneapolis. Even after 20 years it surprises me that I don’t have to make myself get up on Saturdays and drive to centering prayer. I simply want to be there. Gathering for centering prayer on Saturday morning seems as natural and important as breathing.

At the end of October, I flew to Colorado to attend the Contemplative Outreach Annual Conference. The prayer room at the conference looked out onto snow-covered mountains. We were asked to keep the prayer room sacred by not talking as we came in or went out. Thus, 150 of us would gather silently to pray. Many people would pause as they entered to bow gently to the center of the circle, adding to the sense of sacredness. The bell would ring three times and we would sit in silence for thirty minutes. Then the bell would ring again. I am not saying that centering prayer is ever easy or that I hardly had to use my sacred word. What I did experience was the palpable, supporting presence of others silently giving themselves to the prayer. When I think back on the experience, I remember it as being embraced by the silence of everyone present; as if our circle was being wrapped in a heart-warming mystery.

Now I am home again and my practice is continually strengthened by the memory of the group experience and by the commitment to prayer of all the members of Contemplative Outreach--at St. Olaf, at Dunrovin, and at Snowmass.

Carol Quest is a Minnesota Contemplative Outreach Chapter Coordinator and a Centering Prayer Presenter.

Contemplative Outreach 2011 Annual Conference

10/15/2011

Re-Awakening to the Contemplative Dimension of Life
September 29 – October 2, 2011
San Francisco, California

By Diane Boruff

I awaken, reawaken, and reawaken to the contemplative dimensions of life. As Father Thomas Keating mentioned via video in the opening of the conference, we are all born into contemplation. We are called to and yearn for the presence of God in our lives. I am filled with gratitude for the presence of all at the conference. As we sat in silence, we joined in silent communion. With the work of the Holy Spirit, our silent community was reawakened, encouraged and strengthened in our practice of centering prayer. There are not adequate words to describe the magnitude, sacredness, and profundity of the conference. In the paragraph below I have tried to express some of the spirit.

After 4 days of prayer and learning, I was and continue to be overwhelmed with awe and gratitude for the presenters who have followed their passion and gifts so that we may also learn and grow. Saturday focused on recent brain research on the effects of contemplation. Sitting in silent prayer changes our brains and with centering prayer the brain activity is connected to the relational part of our brain. Yes, this is a prayer to deepen our relationship with God.

In the afternoon we heard from people who had implemented the research. One parish studied the health effects of a centering prayer practice and found that it led to positive coping with life stresses. A university religion professor spoke about introducing the next generation to centering prayer and contemplation. Perhaps because I am an educator this topic deeply resonated within me. With great enthusiasm and passion he explained the strategies that he implements to engage not only the mind but also the heart and body of his students. He likened the academic studying of the Bible to taking a compass apart. When it is working, the compass points to true north (Jesus). In order to understand how the compass works, we take it apart. When all the pieces are lying on the table, it no longer points north. He feels that often that is how we leave university students (and most of us). It is important to study the Bible; in order to reassemble it so that it works in our lives, however, we need to read it contemplatively with our hearts. He integrates centering prayer into his religion classes. He stressed that all of us are called to follow Christ – not to mimic Christ. He teaches that following Christ is using your gifts and passions fully just as Christ did. With centering prayer, he helps students unplug, connect to their passions, and serve the world. Renewed and re-energized, I question how do I follow Christ in me. The Holy Spirit awakens and reawakens my soul. And now I ponder, how am I called to serve? How do I reflect the message of God’s love to those I meet?

Diane Boruff, a co-coordinator of the Metro Minnesota Contemplative Outreach, is a practitioner of Centering Prayer and a commissioned presenter.

Impressions of the 2011 Annual Conference: ReAwakenings

10/14/2011

By Bob Delastrada

My impression of the 2011 Annual Conference Reawakenings, was one of Contemplative Outreach undergoing transition. Father Thomas has laid a firm foundation so that the teaching of Centering Prayer can be passed on in all it's simplicity and depth. Having communicated and renewed the ancient teaching, there is a gradual transfer of leadership to the next generation of teachers and leaders. David Frenette, Pat Johnson, Father Carl, and Gail Hopler, who most of us know, along with others, will fill the role previously occupied by Father Thomas.

The substance of the conference had to do with with scientific evidence substantiating the claims that mystics have made known down through the centuries. It was discovered that Centering Prayer stimulated those portions of the brain having to do with relatedness and empathy. Just as humankind initially became aware of God through creation, so also a contemporary study of the human mind lends support to the reality of God's presence. Father Thomas considers evolution to be the means by which Divine Union comes to completion for the human race. He spoke with compassion about how difficult it is to be human. Our capacity for transcendence and animal instincts are all mixed together, making it extremely difficult to evolve. And yet this is precisely the reason God takes on the totality of the human experience. The empty cross signifies the stark reality of conflicted humanity. The cross with Christ signifies God embracing humankind, gathering us together, bringing us to the One Jesus called Father. This is our salvation, the full reality of Christ living in us and through us. We are invited to participate in the transformative process through the vehicle of Centering Prayer. God is with us, God is for us. We all share in the same divine destiny. God simply asks for our consent to share in this journey--to put up with ourselves and our difficulties and allow God to work in our lives.

It was mentioned that next year's conference could possibly convene in Snowmass, Colorado. This could make for some interesting opportunities to visit the monastery or have some of the monks participate. Father Thomas has a new book coming out, Death, Dying and The Unknown God. David Frenette will also have a new book on deepening our prayer practice. It should be an exciting year of change and growth. If you can make next year's conference, I'm sure you won't be disappointed!

Bob Delastrada is a presenter of Centering Prayer and a member of the Minnesota Contemplative Outreach Leadership Team.

Consenting to Divine Love: 25 Years of Contemplative Outreach

10/15/2009

By Meridith Schifsky

This was the theme for the Contemplative Outreach annual conference this fall, which was held in Chicago from September 24-27. Consenting to Divine Love…who would have thought that a simple request by a handful of people 25 years ago would lead to a world wide movement that continues to touch and transform the lives of so many people! A small group of spiritually hungry people asked Father Thomas Keating to lead them in a retreat on contemplative prayer 25 years ago, and he said "yes". They were so touched by his presentation on the dynamics of contemplative prayer, and by the actual practice of centering prayer as he presented it, a prayer that opens us to the gift of contemplative prayer, that they asked for a second retreat. And the rest is history, a rich history of the Spirit’s work among countless people all over the world these past 25 years. At the very heart of this movement is the consent and surrender to Divine Love by people who are saying yes to the Spirit, yes to transformation in their daily, ordinary lives.

Although Father Thomas Keating was not able to be with us for this 25th anniversary conference, we felt his presence with us in a very real way. As we held him in prayer for a full recovery from his illness, Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler, president of Contemplative Outreach, shared with us her phone conversations with him each day of the conference. In addition to this, we were able to view selections from two new resources on centering prayer.

Contemplative Outreach partnered with “Sounds True” earlier this year in filming Father Thomas Keating, Father Carl Arico, and Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler as they presented an introduction to Centering Prayer. In these DVD’s, centering prayer is described as a silent prayer practice that can move us toward a profound relationship with the Spirit of God within, a way of praying that opens the door to the Divine Indwelling-the ground of our being. This is the first in-depth home study course of centering prayer, a method of prayer for deepening our intimacy with God, which leads us ultimately to consenting to the presence and action of the Divine in all aspects of our lives. These presentations are a beautiful, prayerful and inspiring presentation of centering prayer meant to be made accessible to all people who seek a deeper relationship with the Divine, with the God who has “first loved us.” (available from soundstrue.com or from Amazon books).

The second resource that was shared was a selection from "Heartfulness, Transformation in Christ". In this new series of DVD’s Father Thomas Keating is being interviewed by Dr. Betty Sue Flowers. In these interviews Father Thomas talks about the importance of silence and contemplative practices as a means of opening the mind and heart, one’s whole being to God, the Ultimate Reality. He guides the viewer toward an understanding of the contemplative dimension of the Gospel and its extraordinary implications and applications for personal freedom and global peace. He says that the inherent human quest for happiness is in itself the greatest proof of God’s existence. But because we feel we are separate from God, we often seek happiness in other ways: we seek to be more clever, to know more things, to influence others, to attain power and authority, to have more money, a famous name, an attractive appearance, all maybe good things, but ultimately unsatisfying in themselves. This series goes on to say that “Rather we are called by God to open to a new reality that is our True Self…the image and the likeness of God. The path to this True Self and all its fruits and gifts is the challenge of becoming fully human. And to become fully human is to become fully Divine. This is the fullness of life itself, a life abiding in the grace and truth of Christ.”

The conference ended with a moving film of the gift that St. Benedict’s Monastery in Snowmass, Colorado has given to Contemplative Outreach, a gift of all the "intellectual property" of Thomas Keating. Translated this means that the many gifts of wisdom and understanding that Father Thomas Keating has shared with us these past 25 years via his writings, books and filmed presentations will continue to be available through Contemplative Outreach to any seeker who is hungering for a deeper relationship with God.

("Heartfulness" DVD series available at the Contemplative Outreach online store.)

Report on the Nat'l Conference in Houston, September 2007

9/30/2007

Vision: Awakening to Beauty, Truth and Goodness
Thomas Keating OSCO and Richard Rohr OFM

By Jim Babin

The conference schedule was broken into two parts. The first 2 days were attended by over 200 leaders and was dedicated to the work and business of the Contemplative Outreach organization. Reports were given by the various officers and coordinators of the programs, ministries, and regions of the USA.

Voting members and observers participated in a review and refinement process to the "Vision Statement of Contemplative Outreach" and "Theological Principles of Contemplative Outreach" which has been developing for several years and has been opened to input from all of it’s members. A facilitation process was used as we "chewed" on this work. It was somewhat awesome to participate in the process with this many people involved. We worked at eight person tables and periodically half of our table would shift to another table to compare view points and to work at establishing a consensus of that particular work. This was not an easy feat for the facilitator but was handled skilfully. Our work will be sent back to a committee for final rewrite. Everything was done very peacefully and respectfully.

All in all, when all was said and done, as we adjourned I left feeling that the Contemplative Outreach is sound spiritually, financially and organizationally. I also felt that while it is experiencing expansive growth and depth of its members and an increasing demand for its services, it is rising to meet the challenges of the future.

As a leader new to this level of the Contemplative Outreach I was somewhat overwhelmed by all that is going on through out the country and beyond. I feel a need to examine my role and look towards the future of our Minnesota Chapters of Contemplative Outreach.

I was able to connect and meet with Contemplative Outreach staff and other Contemplative Outreach leaders including the "Prison Ministry" and "AA Eleventh Step Ministry" Coordinators. These contacts will be valuable for our future local activities.

Fathers Thomas Keating and Richard Rohr spoke through out the conference, individually and jointly. They were very enriching and inspiring.

I purchased books that had just been published and am showing them around. Of particular interest, is a book called "Journey to the Heart, Centering Prayer for Children." Another new book, which I just finished reading, is titled "Centering Prayer and the Healing of the Unconscious." authored by Murchadh O’Madagain. It is a good resource book. It covers the relationship of CP to other types and kinds of meditations and answers various criticisms of Centering Prayer. I also viewed a copy of a new book that is just being printed, titled "A Pathway to Freedom". It is a workbook introduction to Centering Prayer for prison inmates. I forwarded an information sheet to Sr. Mary White and she will order a copy for possible use in our prison ministries.

Short video clips of a new nine part video series is being produced. It is titled "Heartfulness, The Path of Transformation in Christ" featuring Father Thomas Keating and Doctor Betty Sue Flowers. They aren’t exactly sure how they are going to use it. One possibility is a TV series. We will be hearing more about this in the future.

I visited a number of information booths and picked up literature for future use.

While the business half of the conference was somewhat gruelling because of the amount of activity we covered in a short time, the second half was a joy to behold. Our ranks swelled to almost five hundred people and we filled the grand ballroom wall to wall.

After a joint meal, our evening session began with "Sacred Sounds" by musician Jodi Roberts who played a series of different sized Tibetan singing bowls. The melodic rhythms settled us in for the program presentations. Timothy Koock, local coordinator from Houston and Gail Fitzpatrick Hopler, President of Contemplative Outreach welcomed us to the conference. Thomas Keating OSCO and Richard Rohr OFM spoke to the group. We finished the evening with a Taiz’e Prayer service. It was indeed a sacred time.

Saturday was filled with, Centering Prayer sessions, presentations by the featured speakers. There were several 12 step meetings available. These meetings were well attended. Meal time was a great opportunity to mix it up with a variety of attendees. Meals were eaten at eight person tables and we were able to sit with a different group at each meal. We connected with folks from Canada, Australia, Mexico, South America, Hawaii, Africa and other areas of the world. The group was very diverse and represented many different cultures, work situations and backgrounds. I felt elated at being able to connect with all these different groups. A significant group of Hispanics were represented from several areas. It was wonderful to hear their language flow through out the group activities. The busy day finished with a banquet, served buffet style in the open areas of the main floor of the hotel. The highlight of the evening was a concert featuring local choral singers and musicians playing stringed instruments. This was hosted and sponsored by the family and friends of Timothy Koock.

The conference closed at noon on Sunday. The morning began with Centering Prayer/Meditation, an optional Roman Catholic liturgy and breakfast. Father Keating closed with final words and a blessing.

The scripture theme for the event was from Philippians 4:8-9
"Finally my friends, whatever is true and just, whatever is pleasing and pure, whatever is gracious and beautiful, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, dwell on the good in others, and what you have learned and received, and heard and seen in me, put into practice: and the God of peace will be with you."