brother tadhg

Centering Prayer: An Outline

Centering prayer is a method of prayer that leads a person into deep contemplation, and can be practiced once or twice a day, for maybe 15-20 minutes. It is a useful spiritual tool, to be used along with all the other spiritual disciplines.

Anyone interested in centering prayer would find a place where there is little or no distraction, and would sit quietly, eyes closed, as they approach the Divine in prayer, in meditation. Having chosen a 'sacred word' they would use this when any distracting thoughts arose. Is the idea to let your mind go blank? Some will have so many fleeting thoughts they may think this an impossibility, but gently saying, when needed, that sacred word will take our attention off that thought. And that's part of the essence of centering prayer - to pay no attention to those thoughts.  The 'sacred word' is our consent to the Divine that we're serious about our approach and can be used when a thought materialises..

As time goes by, you will be ushered into that 'gap' where God is. That 'gap' is a liminal place - a threshold and there's a 'door' there, the portal between here and there. Interestingly, our role is to come to that 'gap' and surrender all thought. It is the Divine's work to open the door, as it opens from the other side.

Ofcourse, afterwards you will realise that God is everywhere and not just in that prayerful 'gap', and so centering prayer should have a positive effect on your daily life.

One of the challenges of this type of prayer is that when one thinks in that gap, 'Am I in that 'gap' with God?' or 'Oh, was that God?' or even 'I am so enjoying this', or when mundane thoughts like, 'Did I leave the iron on?, these are thoughts and such thoughts propel us instantly out of that 'gap', like a 'kick' that 'wakes us up', and so we, our true self, are then not in that gap. Saying the 'sacred word' once or twice, may bring us back to that place of quiet, of solitude. Any questions or reflections are best left until after the prayer session, and even then are best minimised.

The abovementioned is very simplified, and you may have noticed it is apophatic prayer, akin to St John of the Cross' 'cloud of unknowing'. It's a beneficial, little used form of prayer, practiced for over 1500 years before the 'enlightenment', and those who use it find it a profound encounter with the Divine.

  

Tadhg Jonathan organises events on this theme. For more information see: http://www.caolait.org/cloudofunknowing

The Missing Link Of Prayer

It could be said that there are three types of stages of prayer, and they should flow into the other (or should)- so that each time a person prays they would use all three stages or levels at different times - moving freely between them. The three types or stages are:

Discursive prayer:this is prayer that uses thoughts and the mind, and in its most basic form it can lead to a 'shopping list' of 'wants' from the Divine. In its richest form its about using the mind to interact with the Divine using images, words, thoughts.  This should lead onto...

Affective prayer:  this is prayer that uses the emotions, feelings and the imagination to come closer to the Divine. Ignatius' way of considering sacred text using the imagination would be called affective prayer. This should lead onto...

Contemplative prayer:prayer here brings us into that 'gap' where we experience the Divine in an even closer way, and can be a kataphatic experience (thoughts, images, words etc) or apophatic experience (without thought, in silence).

However, from the twelfth to sixteenth centuries changes took place in society and church practices in the west which broke the link between the three levels or stages, and left us, essentially  and in the main with discursive prayer only. What was the 'staple diet' of spiritual people for over a millenia, in a short time, was 'dislocated'. Some would say that this 'cerebral' type of praying only has impoverished western understanding of theology, and has had the effect of 'distancing' people from experiencing the Divine in prayer.

Maybe, this loss of two stages or levels of meaningful prayer is  the reason that many find discursive prayer frustrating and awkward - it was originally a 'passing through' phase - and yet, for many, it is now the only type of stage of prayer they know. Maybe, that's why some  find church services not really meeting their needs? Until now! Now, you know!

Discursive prayer is a great place to start, but it's moving in and out stage that should lead us into deeper spirituality at different levels as described above. What type of prayer are you using? Could you benefit from a Caol Áit spiritual program or session on this theme? Prayer is a powerhouse, an interaction with the Divine! Would you like to enhance your prayer life, encounter the Divine (more) and (re-)discover ancient prayer practices which is your (forgotten) spiritual heritage? Would you like to grow (more) spiritually?  Here's your opportunity.

Tadhg Jonathan organises events on this theme. For more information see: http://www.caolait.org/meditation101 or http://www.caolait.org/cloudofunknowing or http://www.caolait.org/innercastle

Llan Gwynt Prayer

 

When the bitter winds blow,
And the rain pours onto the soul of your life.
When you stumble and fall,
And when tears well up inside, but find no release.

When friends and family are afar,
And those night-hours of abject loneliness seem altogether too close.
When bones ache,
And the future uncertain seems.

Then, may His pure radiance pierce your darkest times,
And a spectrum of light fill your heart of hearts.
And show you, as a beacon, the narrow, sure way.

When thoughts race, and won't be still,
And lightning rages in your mind, disturbing you.
When things seem to go awry, or indeed, when things seem to go right
But there's an air of disquiet in your inner being.

Then, may He come to you. (He comes in the storm.)
May the Father bless you with His Divine quietness and solitude. Total stillness.
May the Son shine into the totality of your unique self. Perfect brilliance.
May the Spirit, the Divine breath, whisper into your ear that you are a much loved child of God, the apple of His eye.
And may you, wherever you find yourself, experience the 'thin place' of God's inestimable presence.

Amen.

 

 
 

 

 

Written in the summer of 2007 when at Llan Gwynant, Wales (ie The Lake of Gwynant) , when the wind was, as is usual in that spot, blowing a gale. I often think that the lake should be called Llan Gwynt (which means the Lake of wind, or windy lake) as both Gwynant and Gwynt sound similar, though the latter is more descriptive.

Last line: 'thin place' is a reference to the ancient celtic belief that there were places or times when the veil/connection between heaven and earth was unusually close and 'one could touch heaven' (almost!)

 

Llan Gwynt Prayer

Written by Brother Jonathan when at Llan Gwynant/The Lake of Gwynant, when the wind was, as is usual in that spot, blowing a gale. I often think that the lake should be called Llan Gwynt (which means the Lake of wind, or windy lake) as both Gwynant and Gwynt sound similar, though the latter is more descriptive. But, it's an awesome place.

 

 

 

When the bitter winds blow,

And the rain pours onto the soul of your life.

When you stumble and fall,

And when tears well up inside, but find no release.

 

When friends and family are afar,

And those night-hours of abject loneliness seem altogether too close.

When bones ache,

And the future uncertain seems.

 

Then, may His pure radiance pierce your darkest times,

And a spectrum of light fill your heart of hearts.

And show you, as a beacon, the narrow, sure way.

 

 When thoughts race, and won't be still,

And lightning rages in your mind, disturbing you.

When things seem to go awry, or indeed, when things seem to go right

But there's an air of disquiet in your inner being. 

 

Then, may He come to you. (He comes in the storm.)

May the Father bless you with His Divine quietness and solitude. Total stillness.

May the Son shine into the totality of your unique self. Perfect brilliance.

May the Spirit, the Divine breath, whisper into your ear that you are a much loved child of God, the apple of His eye.

And may you, wherever you find yourself, experience the 'thin place' of God's inestimable presence.

Amen.