connecting with your spirit 143
prayer fell out of favor, but it experienced a resurrection in the
1970s and 1980s, inspired by Pope Paul VI ’ s encouragement
for its renewal and wonderful writings by Thomas Keating and
Morton Kelsey, among others. In Thomas Keating ’ s book Open
Mind Open Heart: The Contemplative Dimension of the Gospel ,
he describes how spiritual disciplines, both East and West, are
based on the hypothesis that there is something that we can do
to enter this journey to Divine union once we have realized that
such a possibility exists. He explains that centering prayer is a
discipline designed to make the ancient Christian tradition of
contemplative prayer more user - friendly to today ’ s average seeker.
He describes how centering prayer helps us withdraw our atten-
tion from the daily chaos of thoughts, which we tend to identify
ourselves with, to focus on a deeper part of ourselves, opening our-
selves to the spiritual level of our being. Beneath the incessant
fl ow of debris on the surface of our thoughts is an inner stream
of consciousness, which he calls “ our participation in God ’ s
being. ”
In a very reader - friendly way, he invites us to take the time to
develop our awareness of this level, the level of our being that
makes us most human and who we are intended to be. So, in addi-
tion to revitalizing ourselves with healthy food, daily exercise, and
mental and emotional journalizing and processing techniques, we
are also strengthened and healed by these moments of holy silence
that can bring us into a deeper renewal.
Visualizing a busy, trash - strewn stream with debris swirling
on top, versus the more valuable stillness in the stream ’ s depths,
reminded me of other similar parallels. Fast food, convenient junk
food, and conventionally farmed food in general are chaotically
clustered, unnaturally accessible, and seemingly quickly and readily
available, but in actuality, the healthiest sustenance is that which is
carefully farmed and patiently cultivated. It is all the same whether
we are healing the various aspects of our being or of our world. In
both farming our food and cultivating our empowering thoughts,
feelings, and faith, we must heal deeply to attain the signifi cant
changes and sustainable results we desire.