{"id":1338,"date":"2019-08-16T17:18:32","date_gmt":"2019-08-16T16:18:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/contemplativeoutreachireland.com\/coi\/?page_id=1338"},"modified":"2019-08-16T17:24:29","modified_gmt":"2019-08-16T16:24:29","slug":"forming-a-centring-prayer-group","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/contemplativeoutreachireland.com\/coi\/resources\/forming-a-centring-prayer-group\/","title":{"rendered":"Forming a Centering Prayer Group"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Forming a Centering Prayer Group –\nGuidelines<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

You need at least one other person to start a group. Faithful attendance of the leaders of the group is important for group formation. Starting with a dedicated few, the group will grow as others attend. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Most\ngroups meet once a week. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nprimary purpose of the group meeting is to share Centering Prayer and support\none another in their practice of the prayer. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Most groups meet for an hour or an hour and a\nhalf, which allows time for spiritual enrichment. This can include, among many\noptions, watching a portion of the Spiritual Journey series by Fr. Thomas\nKeating or another DVD. There can be group lectio divina. <\/em> A book can be read by the group, discussing a\nchapter or section at each meeting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 Part of the time of a\nCentering Prayer meeting can be used for group sharing. The following are\nContemplative Outreach guidelines for personal sharing in small prayer groups: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. We accept one another as we are. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. We do not give advice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. We do not criticize what others share. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. We listen attentively when someone else is\nspeaking. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. We keep the sharing in the group absolutely\nconfidential. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. We share experiences from our own lives,\nnot abstract ideas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. We gather to care, not to cure or remove\nthe crisis of pain. God does the healing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. We decide among ourselves how much time we\nwill devote to sharing, making sure that each person who wishes has a chance to\nspeak. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. We are always free to remain silent if we\nwish. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\ngroup is encouraged to adopt these guidelines; they may be read from time to\ntime in order to keep the group unified and intentional. Try to cultivate an\natmosphere in which differences are respected and honoured. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Group\nfacilitators may need to make a quick introduction to Centering Prayer to\nnewcomers unfamiliar with it. It is advised that the leaders have thought\nthrough how they will introduce the practice in a few sentences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

 A good way to start a group is to host an Introductory\nCentering Prayer Workshop. The participants are invited to attend 6 continuing\nsessions over the following 6 weeks, which include a period of Centering Prayer\nas well as teaching by Fr Thomas Keating.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The \u201cSix Continuing Sessions by Fr Thomas\nKeating\u201d<\/strong> are available free on YouTube<\/strong>\nand can be accessed through the coi.ie\nwebsite<\/strong> under \u201cResourses\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Guidelines\nfor Facilitator<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Welcome\nthe participants. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Read the four guidelines of Centering Prayer,\nespecially for any who are new to the prayer. Announce how the prayer period\nwill begin and end, and the length of time for the prayer. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ring\nthe gong 3 times<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The\nfollowing prayer can be used or use a prayer of your choice.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source of all, Saviour, Holy Spirit,<\/p>\n\n\n\n

We welcome your presence at the centre of our\nbeing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Letting go of all else, we surrender in love to\nyou.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Let our sacred word be a symbol of our consent to\nyour loving presence and healing action within.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ring the gong once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

20 – 30\nminutes of silence.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ring the gong once.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The leader recites the Our Father slowly and\nquietly while the rest of the group are silent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The group remain in silence for a few moments.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Forming a Centering Prayer Group – Guidelines You need at least one other person to start a group. Faithful attendance of the leaders of the group is important for group formation. Starting with a dedicated few, the group will grow as others attend.  Most groups meet once a week. The primary purpose of the group … Continue reading Forming a Centering Prayer Group<\/span> →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"parent":155,"menu_order":2,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-1338","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/contemplativeoutreachireland.com\/coi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1338","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/contemplativeoutreachireland.com\/coi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/contemplativeoutreachireland.com\/coi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/contemplativeoutreachireland.com\/coi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/contemplativeoutreachireland.com\/coi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1338"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/contemplativeoutreachireland.com\/coi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1338\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1342,"href":"https:\/\/contemplativeoutreachireland.com\/coi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/1338\/revisions\/1342"}],"up":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/contemplativeoutreachireland.com\/coi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/155"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/contemplativeoutreachireland.com\/coi\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1338"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}