Chapter 5: The Fruit of Centering Prayer
- An increase in our commitment toward God
- An increase in our unconditional love for others
- An increase in the virtue of Godly detachment
- An increase in the doing of God’s actual will
- An increase in our trust of God
- A decrease in our need to perform for God
- A decrease in our self-focus
I love this quote from St. John of the cross: "It matters little whether a bird is tied down by a stout cord or a slender thread. It cannot fly in either case." The beauty of centering prayer is that as we submit to the action of God in our lives, and release all control for a period of time, he begins to release us from the things that are holding us back and then begins to conform us to his specific action in our lives. We let go of our narrow vision of God, his will, and our lives, and begin the path of true conformity to the life of God.
For me, centering prayer is all about aiming my heart toward God.
2 Comments:
That sounds pretty appealing, Dad. I think I will have to try it. It'll be an act of His will whether or not I can stay focused, of course.
Cool! Don't beat yourself up if you can't. Part of the whole deal is simply not to focus. When thoughts come, just let them come. And then let them go. I have this inner visual of the flecks that are "floaties" in your field of real vision. You've seen them, right? You know how if you follow them you can't they just keep drifting away. Then just as slowly, my letter "B" comes floating back to the center of my inner vision as the symbol of my intention to concent to God's presence and action, and lands like a feather on a pile of cotton balls.
I am finding that I repeat that kind of inner visual 20-30 times while I'm centering.
Post a Comment
<< Home