Practicing Centering: God is the Pole; We are the Ball
At our CP prayer gathering this week, we will consider the "basics" of Centering Prayer practice. It's always helpful -- from time to time -- to remember the "essentials" when it comes to praying in this contemplative way. We periodically need a moment to remember the CP "non-negotiables" because our own contemplative process may assume a form that becomes in some ways unique to us and our relationship with God.
There's nothing wrong with that unique relational experience -- your friendship with God may look different in some ways than my friendship with God. You and I are different, and God relates uniquely to us. We certainly have common needs, but we have to admit that our needs are also diverse. We both need God in similar and different ways. There are no formulas, but there is a constant. The constant is God Himself -- the One who is responsive and yet unchanging. Yes, the One who invites us to know Him is constant, though our experiences may vary. Have you ever played Tether Ball (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5tLrVT3sxg). He is pole!
Let's take a look at the "basics" of our CP practice, based on who God is. The first 3 are the constant conditions -- God statements. The last 5 are our responses.
1. God is always present in each moment. He never leaves or forsakes us. No matter the circumstances, the Father is present through the Holy Spirit by the work of the Son. He is always moving in response to our lives and working to be intimately known as our constant.
2. God is constantly inviting us to know Him as the "centerpiece" of every experience. This is Reality, whether we pay attention or not. To live without this awareness means that we live to some degree in unreality. We can live delusionally from moment-to-moment if we are not mindful that He is present and inviting us to know Him -- now.
3. God is simply asking in each moment that we say "yes" to his invitation. We can "consent" to His offer to be together or not. We are free to choose whether we live in Reality or not. When we choose to consent and accept his invitation, we are praying.
4. We acknowledge that we are not good at remembering God from moment to moment. We are distracted by so many thoughts, feelings, sensations, and experiences. We seem to be compelled to try vigilantly to manage all of these things. We get caught up trying to control our life -- to survive. We forget God's "present tense" presence and His constant invitation. We forget that we are never alone.
5. We acknowledge that we are not good at accepting God's invitation. It requires practice to say "yes." So, we use a "sacred word or image" as a place-holder to help our attentional deficits. The word or the image is simply a meaningful reminder and has no power in and of itself. It is not a mantra; it basically is an RSVP. When we say our sacred word or remember our sacred image, it's a conscious signal that we are intending to return to the One who is central in each and every moment. When we are with Him, we stop the word or image and give Him our full attention.
6. We acknowledge that we are not good at staying centered on Him. When we find ourselves distracted again, we don't waste time trying harder or promising Him we will do better. We give up the idea that we can perform well enough to master this method of praying. We realize that being centered is a gift to be received by grace. Our part of this relationship is making space to receive his graceful presence. As they say at Contemplative Outreach, we don't expend precious time Resisting, Retaining, or even Reacting to other things -- internal or external.
7. We simply Return to Him when we realize that we are distracted or captivated by anything. We turn our attention toward our true Home. Like a prodigal child, we use our sacred word or image to declare that we are turning our face toward our Father. We return to making space in each moment for the One who wants to be known for who He is in that moment.
8. We silently rest in the quiet security of this loving encounter with God. We are praying contemplatively. It's a gift to be received.
