WELCOMING PRAYER
Welcoming Prayer is a spiritual practice that facilitates carrying forward the benefits of the act of Centering Prayer into ones daily life. It is a way of “letting go” into the present moment in the ordinary routines of daily life.
The Practice of Open Mind, Open Heart
"Welcoming Prayer"
The Welcoming Prayer consists of three movements:
-
Focus on your current state and what you're feeling emotionally and physically. Do not resist it, simply experience the sensation.
-
Welcome the emotion, sensation, or situation with openness and acceptance. Seeing this as an opportunity to consent and to surrender to the Holy Spirit.
-
Let go of any desire to change the emotion, sensation, or situation, sayingas you open to the healing action of the grace within:
-
I let go of my desire for CONTROL”
-
“I let go of my desire for ESTEEM/AFFECTION”
-
I let go of my desire for SECURITY”
-
I let go of my desire to CHANGE the situation (i.e., to Change the feeling, thought, emotion, body sensation, commentary or event)”
-
Suggested Reading:
Learn More...
Additional resources for the Welcoming Prayer are available on the Contemplative Outreach national site. You may also consult the book Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening, by Cynthia Bourgeault – Chapter 13. It can be purchased from the Contemplative Outreach bookstore or from Amazon. A spiritual director at the Emmaus Spirituality Center is also available to teach the Welcoming Prayer to individuals. For more information, please contact Carole Pentony at carolpen@wt.net or 713-729-6019.