When I was a younger woman, I was involved in a troubling relationship. I did not handle it well. I also happened to be in a centering prayer group at my parish. I was astonished in the midst of that prayer to experience the gentle presence of God nudging me to extricate myself from the relationship. It was so gentle, so loving - no condemnation, no judgment. Just truth.
I can't say that I immediately ended the relationship and lived happily ever after - although I did eventually live happily ever after! What the experience did do though was give me a deep realization of the depth of God's love and the helpfulness of centering prayer to bring me into the presence of that love.
God's love changes us - almost imperceptibly. First it heals us; then it tempers our spirit to love others. All of this sounds very linear; in fact, healing and tempering take place within us continually.
I was first attracted to contemplative prayer for the peace and healing. I stayed with it because I found I was a better person because of it.
There are those who are sure that the peace of contemplative prayer sinks the pray-er into passivity and quietism. Nothing could be further from the truth. Contemplative prayer is not passive, self-indulgent navel-gazing. Yes, it is pleasurable and comforting. And what is wrong with a little comfort? We need comfort, healing, and peace to be able to act for ourselves, for others, and for God. The healing is necessary if we are to be strengthened for action. Centering/contemplative prayer (I'll use these interchangeably) equip one to act from the center of one's being and in true freedom - because rather than being driven by the pathetic will to power of the ego we are moved by love for and willingness to surrender to God's will.
In the next blog I'll share my experience of how centering prayer tempers the spirit.
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