Centering Prayer
Every Tuesday at 6pm, Bettina Schuller leads centering prayer at St. Thomas. This is a contemplative form of silent, spirit-filled prayer that brings our entire existence closer to God. Basil Pennington, a Trappist monk and priest and a proponent for centering prayer, outlined guidelines for the practice:
1. Sit comfortably with your eyes closed, relax, and quiet yourself. Be in love and faith to God.
2. Choose a sacred word that best supports your sincere intention to be in the Lord's presence and open to His divine action within you (e.g., "Jesus," "Lord," "God," "Savior," "Abba," "Divine," "Shalom," "Spirit," "Love," etc.).
3. Let that word be gently present as your symbol of your sincere intention to be in the Lord's presence and open to His divine action within you.
4. Whenever you become aware of anything (thoughts, feelings, perceptions, images, associations, etc.), simply return to your sacred word, your anchor.
Other centering prayer background/resources:
centeringprayer.com
wikipedia entry
contemplativeoutreach.com
kyrie.com
St. Thomas Episcopal Church, Saint Petersburg, FL
