Practicing Discipleship

This coming month, as we journey through Advent in preparation for Jesus’ birth, let us prepare our hearts for Jesus’ birth as well.  Our Discipleship practice in December is daily prayer. 

Your heart is a manger.  Come open and empty so God may fill you. 

This week, I invite you into one traditional way to prayer called “centering” or “contemplative.”  Thomas Keating is one of its practitioners and he explains it this way. This type of prayer (only one of many) is a way to practice “opening our minds and hearts to God as Ultimate Mystery, beyond thoughts, words and emotions. … It is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer; rather it casts a new light and depth of meaning on them.”  It is to be practiced by individuals in private (or at least somewhere with few distractions).   

Sit comfortably and breathe deeply for a while.  Ask God to come and sit with you, to wrap you ‘round like a blanket.  Once settled exhale focusing on the word “God” (or Mother, Father, Creator) and inhale focusing on the words “love me.” If your mind wanders off…no worries…just start again at the next exhale. 

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