Here I Am: How to Be with God

Prayer styles and practices that lead to contemplation help us get out of the way of ourselves. They help silence our minds, so that we can rest in God. And the first step is just to say, “Here I am.”

Sister Jackie Walsh says that’s the most important step in Centering Prayer, a practice dating back to the 4th century.

“When you think of prayer, most people think of attention – the method, the words, the place,” Sister Jackie Walsh says. “But Centering Prayer is about intention. It leads you into the deep waters of your heart where you meet God.” 

Sister Marianne Burkhard says Centering Prayer is integral to her daily life as well.

“Centering Prayer leads to a contemplative stance,” she says. “I go for a walk or look out the window and it’s contemplative. I’m seeing what I’m seeing, but I’m very aware of what’s behind it. It all speaks of the depth of life and God and creation.”

How to Pray Centering Prayer

To experience Centering Prayer, choose a quiet place and time of day. Sit comfortably, back straight.

Begin by saying a short prayer first, to prepare yourself for this sacred time.

Close your eyes and take up a sacred word – a simple word like Peace, or God – to signal your intention to withdraw from the everyday world and go into the deepest part of yourself.

Thoughts will surface, but when they do, gently take up your word again and return to interior silence. Begin with 20 minutes at a time.

“In Centering Prayer, you consent to the presence of God and the action of God within you,” Benedictine Sister Catherine Cleary says.

“You don’t say any words. You let go of thoughts, emotions, feelings, day dreams. This prayer is an act of will; it is not effort but consent. The will consents to God's presence, to grace. It consents to let God do the work.”

What contemplative practices might you use to increase your awareness of God? How might you ready yourself to respond to the “wonderful contemplative experiences” all around?

We will continue to share more contemplative practices from the Benedictine Sisters in posts to come.