The Heart of Prayer
In the quiet embrace of stillness, we embark on a journey of sacred communion, where the roots of centering prayer intertwine with the essence of divine love. This prayer, a modernized rendition drawing from ancient wellsprings of intuitive wisdom found in lectio divina and The Cloud of Unknowing, becomes our vessel for encountering the ineffable presence within.
With eyes gently closed, we sit, our posture an embodiment of reverence, our hands resting in our laps like vessels awaiting the influx of grace. In this posture of attentive receptivity, we beckon the sacred symbol, a whispered invocation that opens the door to the divine's tender embrace. Whether a word, an image, or the rhythm of breath, it becomes our anchor, grounding us in the sanctuary of the present moment.
As we surrender to the ebb and flow of thoughts, sensations, and emotions, we return, again and again, to the sacred symbol, a gentle guide leading us back to the heart of prayer. With each return, we deepen our intimacy with the living Christ, our souls entwined in a dance of divine communion.
In the silence that enfolds us, we discover the true essence of prayer—not as mere conversation, but as communion, a sacred dialogue between the soul and its Source. Here, in the hallowed sanctuary of the present moment, we find solace, renewal, and the quiet assurance of divine presence.
And as we emerge from this sacred space, we carry with us the echoes of divine love, woven into the fabric of our being. For in the practice of centering prayer, we discover not only a path to personal transformation but also a bridge that unites us with our fellow travelers on the journey of faith.
In the gentle cadence of our breath, in the whispered invocation of our sacred symbol, we find ourselves anchored in the depths of divine love, rooted in the soil of sacred tradition, and nourished by the ever-flowing stream of grace.
(adopted from: Phileena Heurtz, Mindful Silence)