Centering sleep :)

Dawn asks: "Got any suggestions for people like me, who tend to get really drowsy or fall asleep?"

The book says that one needs to sit comfortably while praying, but "not so comfortable that we encourage sleep but comfortable enough to avoid thinking about the discomfort of our bodies during the time of prayer." It goes on to say:

It is usually found to be most comfortable to sit with the back straight and well supported by the chair. The head should be free and both feet placed firmly on the floor. The hands can be left free or perhaps placed in one’s lap. There is nothing esoteric or mysterious about this position. It is simply what has been found by experience as most conducive to prayer for the majority of people.

I find that if I center at night or right away after getting up, I usually drift off to sleep. The best time for me to pray is in the mornings after a light breakfast and a 30-minute walk outside. I then get in the bathtub (hey, don’t knock ‘til you’ve tried it!), get comfy and begin my time of centering prayer.

A friend of mine keeps his eyes very slightly open, just enough to let some unfocused light come in. He finds that helpful both as a way to keep intrusive images out and to stay awake.

Phyllis says that if you fall asleep, don’t worry about it. Do what you can to pick a time and position conducive to staying awake, and then if you fall asleep it doesn’t mean that you’ve failed at centering. It simply means you got really relaxed, and that’s good.