Centering Prayer: Quiet

Take just 15 minutes to sit in the quiet of Centering Prayer. The quietude we encounter together is not an escape but a wellspring of God's strength, love, and peace that we bring back into our daily lives. 

Take a deep breath and practice letting go as you calm your body, heart, and mind and find strength in your Creator.  May you make space to meet God in the quiet as you explore the discipline of Centering Prayer. 

Transcript

Speaker 1: 0:02

Hi, this is Whitney and you're listening to Exploring Peace Meditations. I'm really glad you're here today to practice a purposeful time of silence in God's presence. Centering prayer is a contemplative practice rooted in our Christian mystical tradition that fosters a deep relationship with God. It was developed by Trappist monks in the 1970s and as we sit with the practice today, the quiet welcomes us, just as it did then. I'd like to begin by setting an intention. So, as you settle into your space, take a few deep breaths, listen to Isaiah 30, 15. In returning and rest, you shall be saved. In quietness and in trust shall be your strength.

Speaker 1: 1:21

What's your intention today? In the quiet, as you prepare your heart and mind, also prepare your body. Allow your spine to be long, your posture relaxed and comfortable. Allow your eyes to softly close if that feels safe, or gazed on the tip of your nose. Choose a sacred or centering word today for when not if your mind wanders. It might be something like light, love, strength, presence, rest, trust. When your mind wanders during our time of quiet, offer your centering word silently. If that doesn't feel right, bring your awareness to your breath. The point and the purpose is to be in the present with God. Our minds will wander and the practice of centering prayer allows us to return to God again and again and again. We let go of our thoughts freely and without attachment. Creator God, we enter into this space to be present, to be open, to rest and find strength in you. Let us now move into this time of quiet, savoring your presence now.

Speaker 2: 3:56

Let us now move into this space to be present, to be open to rest and find strength in you.

Speaker 2: 4:37

Let us now move into this space to be present, to be open to rest and find strength in you.

Speaker 2: 5:03

Let us now move into this space to be present, to be open to rest and find strength in you.

Speaker 2: 5:19

Let us now move into this space to be present, to be open to rest and find strength in you. Let us now move into this space to be present, to be open to rest and find strength in you. Let us now move into this space to be present, to be open to rest and find strength in you. Let us now move into this space to be present, to be open to rest and find strength in you. Let us now move into this space to be present, to be open to rest and find strength in you. Let us now move into this space to be present, to be open to rest and find strength in you. Let us now move into this space to be present, to be open to rest and find strength in you. Let us now move into this space to be present, to be open to rest and find strength in you. Let us now move into this space to be present, to be open, to rest and find strength in you. Thank you for watching you.

Speaker 1: 18:20

Love in God. As we emerge from the silence, we carry with us the echoes of your presence. Thank you for meeting us in the depths of our being. May the peace we've explored infuse our actions, our lives, our relationships. May the rest and strength we found in you guide us on the path of love and compassion. We offer gratitude for this moment of centering prayer, for the quiet and the stillness that draws us back to you. In your most holy name, we pray Amen. Thank you for exploring the gift of God's peace here. I'd love to connect with you beyond the podcast. You can find our community at exploringpeacecom slash community. Later this month we'll be preparing our hearts and minds for the season of Lent with a yoga and prayer practice. You can find out more at exploringpeacecom slash community. You can find me and my books at whitneyrsimpsoncom. Until next time, may God's peace be with you.