Centering Prayer invites us to meet with the Divine Presence in the depths of our being and to an interior awakening to the God of all things.

It is complementary to other forms of prayer and prepares us to receive the gift of God’s presence and to Rest in God. It is a discipline of intentional silence and a way of surrender aimed at overcoming our egoic thinking and healing our emotional wounds.

Developed in the mid 1970s by Fr. Thomas Keating OCSO and other Trappist monks of St Joseph’s Abbey, Spencer, Massachusetts, Centering Prayer is firmly rooted in ancient Christian tradition, inspired by the 14th Century anonymous spiritual classic, The Cloud of Unknowing.

This workshop is both for those who may already practice Centering Prayer and also for those who are drawn to silent prayer and would like to explore. Participants will be provided with the tools and conceptual background of Centering Prayer and will have opportunities to practise and to share the experience of exploration.

The workshop will be led by Rev. Mel King and Rev. Mark Waters. Each has a daily practice of Centering Prayer and belongs to a local prayer group. There is the option of joining a weekly follow-up group to provide support and encouragement to those who wish to establish a daily prayer practice (dates and times to be determined by participants).

A donation of £20 will cover the day and include drinks. Please bring a packed lunch or you can order sandwiches on arrival, or visit the Bar Convent Cafe.

Contemplative Outreach Event: Centering Prayer Workshop