Centering Prayer: Resting in the Presence of God

Opening the Heart in Stillness

There are moments when words simply aren’t enough. When our hearts long not to talk to God but to rest in God. That’s where Centering Prayer comes in, which is a Christian form of silent meditation that opens us to the presence and action of the Divine within.

Unlike traditional prayer, which often involves speaking or petitioning, Centering Prayer invites us to simply be with God. It’s not about doing, achieving, or striving; it’s about surrender. As Father Thomas Keating once wrote in Open Mind, Open Heart that silence is God’s first language; everything else is a poor translation (2019).

What Is Centering Prayer?

“Centering Prayer” is a Christian form of Prayer, much like the silent meditation and prayer that Christ did in spending time with God. When our hearts long not to talk to God but to rest in God. Therefore, it opens us to the presence and action of the Divine within and throughout. Unlike traditional prayer, which often involves speaking or petitioning, Centering Prayer invites us to simply be with God. It’s not about doing, achieving, or striving; it’s about surrender.

Centering Prayer comes from the ancient Christian contemplative tradition, inspired by the unknown medievil author of The Cloud of Unknowing and revived by Trappist monks in the 20th century. It’s also addressed in Father Thomas Keating’s book Open Mind, Open Heart. Centering Prayer is a prayer of the heart rather than the head as a way to move beyond thoughts, images, and words into the quiet awareness of Divine love. It is nice to know the deep historical roots, and that we have such a powerful tool to deepen our experiential practices with God.

At its core, it’s an act of consent: “I consent to God’s presence and action within me.”

This consent isn’t passive; it’s profoundly intimate. Through regular practice, we begin to notice more peace, patience, and compassion flowing naturally into our daily lives. Not because we’re trying harder, but because we’re letting God transform us from within.

I’ve been practicing Centering Prayer for a couple of decades, without even realizing that it was a formal practice. I call it “contemplative listening”– which I mean to listen with the soul and not the mind/ears and allowing the soul to contemplate and guide without our cognitive thinking getting in the way–because sometimes there are moments when words simply aren’t enough.

How to Practice Centering Prayer

You don’t need any special training; only a willing heart and a few minutes of stillness each day.

Here’s a simple way to begin:

1. Find a quiet place where you can sit comfortably and won’t be disturbed. It doesn’t need to be fancy, just somewhere peaceful.
   Sit with your back straight but relaxed, and close your eyes if you like.

2. Choose a sacred word.

   

   Pick one simple word that symbolizes your intention to open yourself to God’s presence: Something like peace, love, or grace, hope.
   You’ll use this word only when you notice your attention has wandered. It’s a gentle reminder of your ‘yes’ to God

3. Set a timer for 10 to 20 minutes.
   You can start with 10 minutes and slowly work up to 20 as it feels natural. You can go longer than that if you want once your practice deepens. I’ve gone as long as 65 minutes before and not realized it, but 15-20 minutes is pretty average or standard for me. *If you don’t want to set a timer, that is okay too. If you don’t, let yourself go in and out of the meditation naturally. Once your practice deepens, you’ll know what I mean. 🙂

4. Begin your prayer. 
   Silently introduce your sacred word within.
   Then just rest.
   When you become aware of thoughts, feelings, or sensations, that’s totally normal, we all have them. Simply return to your sacred word, ever so gently, as a way of saying, “Here I am, Lord.”

5. End in silence.
   When the timer goes off, don’t rush to open your eyes or move.
   Sit quietly for another minute or two, allowing your awareness to return slowly.
   You might finish with the Lord’s Prayer, a moment of gratitude, or simply resting in stillness.

Some Reminders:

• You can practice once or twice a day. Morning and evening are lovely times.
• Try to release any expectations or judgments. Some days will feel peaceful; other days might feel restless or distracted. Both are perfectly okay.
• The goal isn’t to achieve a feeling or outcome. It’s to keep showing up and consenting to God’s presence. Over time, you’ll begin to notice a quiet steadiness that carries into the rest of your day.
• Think of it as a love relationship that deepens in silence; a sacred space where you and God simply are.

Closing Reflection

Centering Prayer reminds us that we don’t have to chase God. He’s already here. In the silence, we rediscover the truth that we are loved, held, and never alone. If you’d like to begin this practice, start small. Find five minutes of quiet today. Light a candle. Close your eyes. Breathe.
Whisper your sacred word and simply be still and know that [He is] God – Psalm 46:10.

What happens when you stop trying to reach God and simply allow God to reach you?

Sincerely,

Jami Streyle-Dean

RN, MS, HWNC-BC, HNB-BC, Nurse Coach

Jami@bodyofgraceliving.com

About the Author

Jami Streyle-Dean is a Spiritual and Wellness Nurse Coach, plant-based and eco-conscious lifestyle advocate, and founder of Body of Grace Living. She blends evidence-based Lifestyle Medicine with spiritual wisdom to help others live grounded, heart-centered, God-filled lives.