Centering Prayer Meditation
Methods and Group
Centring Prayer (or Centering Prayer in the American spelling) is a Christian, prayerful, content-less meditation practice. It is not meditation with words or images (in Latin, meditatio) but rather a meditation without words or images, a way of making yourself silent and serene, ready for content-less resting in the holy Presence- in Latin contemplatio).
A group meets weekly at the St Jeanne Antide Foundation in Tarxien for serious Centering Prayer practice and for a contemplative dialogue on the contemplative path towards closer union with the divine in our life and work, and on the subterfuges employed by the ordinary self or ego to desperately meet its own needs and keep itself the imagined centre of the universe. A similar group for English speakers meets at Balzan. Send SMS or talk to Tony on 79326725. Is your parish or agency contemplative-friendly? We'll help you set up a practice group. Regular practice is crucial.
This contemplative practice will open you to a more contemplative lifestyle, marked by side-effects of inner peace, emotional stability, freedom, and deep inner joy. Here is instruction from the master, in the form of two 7-minute video clips. Fr Thomas Keating O.C.S.O. View them several times. Fr Thomas and his Trappist colleagues and lay persons founded the world network called Contemplative Outreach (www.contemplativeoutreach.org) which is our inspiration.
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In the above two video clips, about 8 minutes each, the Trappist monk Fr Thomas Keating presents the simple guidelines for practising Centering Prayer, and some of the profound consequences for the seeker of God. An illustrated document has been produced with the transcript of the above video-clips. It includes the diagram he uses in the second clip. You will find it useful for following the video clips, or as a stand-alone document. Download the 1MB PDF document here: Transcript.
Centering Prayer groups in Malta
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DOWNLOAD LEAFLETS
Download an illustrated inspirational leaflet (see above) with quotations from spiritual teachers on Centring Prayer. English. Malti
Download a leaflet from Contemplative Outreach describing the method of Centring Prayer Meditation. English -- Malti -- Italiano
Each of these leaflets is a 2-page PDF file - a truly valuable resource for you to keep. If you use it, it will enhance your life in many ways.
Here is a somewhat similar one-page explanation in English by Fr Thomas Keating: download.
Download an illustrated inspirational leaflet (see above) with quotations from spiritual teachers on Centring Prayer. English. Malti
Download a leaflet from Contemplative Outreach describing the method of Centring Prayer Meditation. English -- Malti -- Italiano
Each of these leaflets is a 2-page PDF file - a truly valuable resource for you to keep. If you use it, it will enhance your life in many ways.
Here is a somewhat similar one-page explanation in English by Fr Thomas Keating: download.