Centering Prayer

So many things we encounter each day pull us away from our center; we gradually dis-integrate as we attempt to respond to the magnetic pull of work, other people, entertainment, etc.  Soon, it is hard to know "where we are" any more; we seem to be in so many pieces, so fragmented.

Finding a way to pray is a process of re-connecting with our true center.  Prayer re-integrates and pulls together all in us that is scattered and pulling apart from our center.  We can emerge from our times of prayer with a response to the world that comes from a place of peace, joy, energy, goodness, wholeness, and truth---in short, from God.

In the Bible, Satan is called "The Accuser," and that is what he is indeed.  If we do pray, we feel we have not prayed long enough, or well enough, or consistently enough.  In short, we feel that we have "failed" at prayer.  But the person who momentarily looks up at the sky and marvels does not feel that he/she has failed to marvel well enough, or long enough, or consistently enough.  That one moment has refreshed his mind, body, and spirit, and he goes on his way rejoicing that he was graced in that moment with a new sense of peace, joy, energy, goodness, wholeness, and truth.

Prayer is defined as "lifting the mind and heart to God."  How long does it take to do that?  And how "ready" do we have to be to do that?  If we but glance at the sky one time during the day, we have our immediate reward.  Looking at the face of God is all the prayer we need, and it can be done in the midst of a meeting, on our drive home from work, or even while trying to solve a problem.  And then.....