Best practice? Richard Eddleston makes a case for ‘Centering Prayer’

‘Real change requires a slow, lifetime process.’

There appears to be a growing interest in spirituality. This is not just among religious groups, but also among secular people, too. The rise of interest in practices like mindfulness is just one example. The 2021 census suggested that, for the first time, fewer Britons identified as religious than non-religious, but further investigation from the Christian think-tank Theos discovered that only about half of those who identify as non-religious (or ‘nones’) say they do not believe in God; a fifth say they definitely or probably believe in life after death; almost one in six (of the ‘nones’!) believe in the power of prayer.

There seems to be a wide acceptance that life works best when our actions and our spirituality are in harmony with each other. Actions that do not have a spiritual base are part of what has led us to where we are now, in terms of the climate crisis, the overwhelming power of the capitalist system, the growing conflict in the world, the levels of inequality, and so on. A contemplative approach without action is a retreat from life. In reality, they are like the ‘in’ and ‘out’ breaths, both are essential to life.

That Quakerism needs a strong spiritual base, too, seems pretty non-controversial. We would mostly agree that we need to listen to the Light, or the Spirit, or God, better. Spirituality gives us a greater perspective on life, a deeper consciousness and awareness. The problem though, which I have found everywhere, is that, while we agree with that need, there are few effective ways of achieving this transformation. There are few ways of developing that relationship with the Light – because that is what it is: a relationship.

As Quakers, what are we expected to do to develop this relationship? To read our Bible more thoroughly? To read Quaker faith & practice better? To read self-help books? To pray harder? To have better intentions to change? To be inspired by early Quakers more? To go on more courses? To study other religions? All of these approaches are good, but are they effective in bringing about the deep transformation that we seek?

For me, it has been a revelation becoming involved with Christian meditation, and something called Centering Prayer, over the last fifteen years. These practices provide a clear and comprehensive understanding, and method, to bring about the transformation that I and many others are seeking in the twenty-first century. 

Centering Prayer is a method designed to facilitate the development of contemplative prayer by preparing our faculties to receive this gift. It offers a rationale for why I end up doing what I do not want to do, and not doing what I do want to do. The problems arise in the first five years of life, and these issues affect every person on the planet. Hence we refer to it as ‘the human condition’. The problems arise when our basic instinctual needs are thwarted, as inevitably they will be, at times. These issues are deepened by our cultural surroundings, which leave us with all kinds of blind prejudices. 

All these things are deeply buried within us, and therefore are very difficult to change. Real change requires a slow, lifetime process. The remedy offered by Centering Prayer is twice-daily meditation to develop our relationship with the Light, as well as taking that relationship out into the world, to bring about change by using a welcoming prayer.

‘Centering Prayer is about surrender of the will, about non-attachment, about compassion and about wisdom.’

So why do Quakers need Centering Prayer? Does it provide something extra that Meeting for Worship, or contemporary Quakerism, does not? Clearly what it does provide is a daily contemplative practice, with a rationale about why practitioners are doing it, and what the likely outcomes are. Quakerism these days tends not to provide this in such a clear way. Quakers do provide spiritual development, but, for me, not in such a focused way. 

The receptive way of meditation is also different. There are no expectations placed on the practice. When we do have expectations, there is the danger that we are trying to control God. Centering Prayer, on the other hand, is about surrender of the will, about non-attachment, about compassion and about wisdom. There is much wisdom in Quakerism, but with less emphasis on compassion and moving into the heart centre. There is also not the same emphasis on the body and its healing, which is central in the welcoming prayer.

Thus, Centering Prayer and its welcoming prayer provide a way of healing the body and promoting a way of non-attachment in the body. Life is to be enjoyed to the full, but not when we become attached to any particular means, in the hope that it will lead to our happiness. 

These approaches also provide a way of developing compassion in the heart-centre. This is the promotion of peace, forgiveness, kindliness, forbearance and so on. Only when we get it right in our body and heart can we move on to getting it right in our head, and the development of right thinking, or wisdom, there.

For me, the future of Quaker spirituality lies in adopting practices such as Centering Prayer and the welcoming practice. And unlike Experiment with Light, it is more universal and not Quaker based. This means that it is more accessible to everyone, of every denomination, any religion, and anyone coming at it from a secular base – those seeking ‘nones’. It makes sense and works for all sorts of people.

Quakers could take a lead in their communities in forming groups of meditators intent on these practices. In my experience, having participants from a range of backgrounds deeply enriches the life of any group of contemplatives.

Thus, Centering Prayer helps bring out the essence of what it is to be a Quaker – that which early Quakers clearly had. This is the fusion of contemplation and action; the fusion of being fully human and Divine. There is renewed openness to the Light that is in everyone and everything, the ground in which we live and move and have our being. 

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Comments

A good and useful article, but how does one ‘do’ Centering Prayer?
Where can one find this resource?

By rosete on 2nd January 2025 - 11:51

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