What are the basics of Centering Prayer?
• Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God’s presence and action within. First think of a sacred word, we call it sacred only because it is your word and symbolizes your intention to consent to God’s presence and action within. It should be one or two syllables such as Peace, Father, Mother, Abba, Silence, Love, Calm, Yes, etc. Having chosen the sacred word we do not change it during the prayer period because that would be to start thinking again. • Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, silently introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God’s presence and action within. Whatever sitting position we choose, we keep the back straight. We close our eyes as a symbol of letting go of what is going on around and within us. We gently introduce the sacred word. If we fall asleep, upon awakening we continue the prayer. • When engaged with your thoughts return ever so gently to the sacred word. “Thoughts” is an umbrella term for every perception
