The
Prayer of Silence: Praying Beyond Words
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I. What is the Prayer
of Silence?
Most of us are familiar with several modes
of prayer.
Verbal prayer or discursive prayer occurs when we read prayers from
the Prayer Book, or compose our own thoughts in words that we offer up to God,
when we lay our desires and petitions before God, when we offer God thanksgiving
and praise, and when we confess our sins and seek divine forgiveness.
Affective prayer occurs when we focus in reverent
attention upon a passage in Scripture, or imagine ourselves as
a participant in an episode in Jesus’ life, or ponder an
icon and its rich symbolism, or find our deep feelings moved toward
God as we sing or dance.
The
Prayer of Silence is a receptive prayer of resting
in God and being open to God’s loving, transforming
presence. Its key is the willingness to be changed by God's
indwelling; acknowledging our imperfection as not a condemnation,
but an invitation to alteration.
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© Photo
The Reverend Mary Anne Osborn
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-The
Prayer of Silence is meant to enrich and complement other,
more active forms of prayer, not to exclude or replace
them.
-The Prayer of Silence is at the same time a relationship with God and a
discipline fostering that relationship.
-It is Trinitarian in its source, God-centered in its focus, and church-centered
in its effects. That is, it claims Jesus' promised gift of the Holy Spirit,
the Comforter, to hold us in God's presence; it builds communities of faith
and it bonds people together in charity, and through these bonds expresses
God’s love and light in the world. (Adapted from Fr. Thomas Keating,
OCSO.)
A.
The Prayer of Silence is distinct from meditation on scripture
or any thought or image.
B.
It is distinct from (although intimately related to) eastern,
non-theistic forms of meditation, especially as it focuses
on attention to the breath as the symbol of the divine
presence.
C.
It is distinct from (although closely related to, and a
means toward) the mystic’s experience of union with
God. It is grounded in the grace of Pentecost, when the
Holy Spirit came to dwell richly within us, continuously
available to us. St. Augustine: “And behold, you
were within, and I was without” (Confessions, x.27).
II.
Definition of the prayer of silence, and the need to experience
this definition in practice.
- In this prayer we offer ourselves to God in silence,
in the willingness to be transformed more completely into the
image of God in which we were created. We acknowledge that
God is beyond our human knowing, while believing that God desires
only that which is eternally good for us.
- We enter into the presence of God with our deepest self, as we are right
now, with all of our self with, our deepest intention, acknowledging that God
matters above everything else.
III. How to practice the Prayer of Silence.
-We begin with the invocation of the presence of God: "In the name of
the Holy One who creates, restores, and makes whole." Then we proceed
to the central part of this practice by paying complete attention to our breath--the
flow of air in and out of our nostrils, into our lungs; noting how our lungs
expand and contract, how our chest lifts and falls. Sitting in a comfortable
erect posture will help.
-Paying attention to our breath enables us to recognize passing thoughts as
merely that--passing thoughts. Only God is permanent; everything else is changing,
moment by moment. Trying to hold on to anything merely frustrates us and makes
us anxious.
-Most of our thoughts can be gently ignored by returning our consciousness
to the breathing, knowing that we thereby are lingering in the presence of
God, and that our desire to do so is in fact pleasing to God, welcomed by God--and
blessed by God.
-When a more pressing thought occurs, a thought that weighs on our minds, we
pay attention to it respectfully and inquire mentally what deep part of our
self this thought is about: why is this thought asking for attention?
- Then we gently return to the awareness of breathing, as if it were God's
spirit (breath) breathing in us.
- If the same or another pressing thought returns, we again respectfully notice
it and inquire what it's about; and then return again to the breath, as often
as need be.
- This kind of attentiveness to God in the silence of breathing may be practiced
at any time, and many times during our waking hours, even for very brief periods;
a good regular practice is to devote twenty minutes twice a day to this practice.
IV.
The result of this prayer.
- Practice has revealed that the virtue of this prayer form is not in “doing
it well,” but in practicing it consistently and in consistently returning
to awareness of breath as the focus on and receptiveness to God, inquiring
as necessary about thoughts that emerge.
- We expect nothing during the time of prayer, nor do we celebrate mental phenomena
that might occur; nor do we aim for a particular goal other than our aim to
be in the presence of God and to be transformed into God's likeness by that
experience.
- Rather, we realize that the fruits of the Prayer of Silence are in the way
we are in the world:
-in
a diminishing of anxiety and egoism;
- in a deepening of faith;
- in a serenity in living out our faith in more deeply grounded ways, as
our deepest self--the self created in God's image--begins to emerge, as we
experience ourselves participating in the divine eternal life more completely
and more willingly;
-in moving through the world we inhabit with compassion and love defining
us;
-in our being able fully to delight in the moment that is--holding on to
it very lightly;
It
is not so much that things have changed, as it is that our
relationship to things has changed.
V.
We come to realize that the actions of our lives, being
grounded in this prayer, become the fruits of this prayer
also.
- We are less “attached” to things—little irritations irritate
less, disappointments leave us less crestfallen or angry. We are able to welcome
God’s loving transformation of us—letting go of the “don’t
mess with me, I’m perfect just like I am” attitude and of the "I
must control my world" attitude.
-We acknowledge that in centering prayer, God’s love draws us and our
love responds; and that any and every gift of the divine Self is a gift of
God’s grace.
- We are more continuously mindful of the presence of God, of the divine Self
in which we move and have our being, which is continually reshaping us in the
divine image in concert with our attentiveness
- Because we are less attached to things, we experience much less emotional
suffering even as our compassion expands.
VI.
Dealing with thoughts as distractions from God’s
presence—when our attention drifts
A.
Various kinds of distractions
1. Environmental distractions—phones, fire trucks, and leaf-blowers,
voices in the home or neighborhood
2. wool-gathering—grocery lists, calls to make, imaginary journeys,
recollections
3. insights and good ideas, psychological breakthroughs
4. experience of strange, uncomfortable, or delightful sensations in mind
or body
5. experience of impatience, irritation or mild discomfort in sitting still;
the need to fidget (don't hurt your body by refusing to move a limb that
needs to be moved!)
6. re-experiencing memories that need or of thoughts arising from the “unloading
of the unconscious mind”
7. evaluations of the experience: e.g., “Am I doing this right?”
“This is really relaxing!” “I’m terrible at this!”
B. Dealing with the distractions: returning to God by paying attention to
the breath
· It is helpful to recall that the purpose of the mind is to think; it
is impossible to turn off our thinking. Therefore we do not get exasperated with
ourselves that our attentiveness wanders; rather, we simply, gently, as soon
as we become aware of wandering, return to God, paying attention to our breath.
Let the thought be, and return to the breath. It is often helpful to simply label
the thought first--planning; fretting; remembering; imagining; fantasizing, etc.
That often helps gently letting it go.
-Remember
that the virtue of this prayer is in returning; returning
signifies our belief that God is supremely important. Remember
also that we do not return to a state of mind or to a thought
or image, but to our intention of being in God’s presence
and our willingness to be transformed by God's presence.
- In the case of thoughts that recur or insist on being noticed, or thoughts
that connect with our deep sense of self, whether joyful, sorrowful, full of
anxiety or shame, or of longing or desire or intense love: these thoughts are
to be held in the presence of God—not simply dismissed—and gently
presented as part of our deep self to God as we maintain our openness to God’s
transforming love. We then make a gentle mental inquiry: what is going on here?
What is this concern about?
· And the answer to those questions may well lead us to another question:
why is that a part of who I am? Is that something I've learned something about
already? How is this being changed in me? Then one returns to mental silence
by focusing on the breath.
VII. Starting to pray
- Place—a place set aside for prayer, or a place where you regularly
pray
- Time—ideally twenty minutes, twice a day
- Posture—comfortable, giving attention to keeping your breathing
channel clear
- Paying attention to the breath in the deep awareness that your attentiveness
manifests your desire to know God, to linger in God’s presence, and your
willingness to be transformed by God.
- Labeling and gently letting go of passing thoughts
- Exploring the whys and wherefores of more urgent thoughts
- Returning again and again to awareness of the breath
© The
Reverend Bennett A. Brockman, PhD, 2002
Prayer
of Silence Background and Readings:
St.
Mary's Chapel,
St Paul's Episcopal Church
ca. 1950 |
This Payer of Silence practice grows out of the
teachings and writings of Thomas Merton, Thomas Keating,
William Johnston, Larry Rosenberg, and Joseph Goldstein,
and their various predecessors, especially the anonymous
medieval English The Cloud of Unknowing. While I am deeply
indebted to all of them, none of these writers should be
held responsible for the inadequacies of the preceding
outline, which is shaped by my own still-developing practice
of what they have taught me.
--Ben Brockman
Some
Scripture Quotations that address the theology and
practice of contemplative/silent prayer
Deuteronomy 29: 6 Moreover, the LORD your God will circumcise
your heart and the heart of your descendants, so that you will love the
LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, in order that
you may live. . . .
11 Surely, this commandment that I am commanding you today is not too
hard for you, nor is it too far away. 12 It is not in heaven, that you
should say, “Who will go up to heaven for us, and get it for us
so that we may hear it and observe it?” 13 Neither is it beyond
the sea, that you should say, “Who will cross to the other side
of the sea for us, and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe
it?” 14 No, the word is very near to you; it is in your mouth and
in your heart for you to observe.
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I
Kings 19: 11 He <the angel> said <to
Elijah>, “Go out and stand on the mountain before
the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by.” Now
there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting
mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the LORD,
but the LORD was not in the wind; and after the wind an
earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake; 12
and after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in
the fire; and after the fire a sound of sheersilence.
Psalm 24:3 Who shall ascend
the hill of the LORD?
And who shall stand in his holy place?
4 Those who have clean hands and pure hearts,
who do not lift up their souls to what is false,
and do not swear deceitfully.
5 They will receive blessing from the LORD,
and vindication from the God of their salvation.
6 Such is the company of those who seek him, who seek the face of the God of
Jacob.
Psalm 27: 1 The LORD is my light and my salvation;
whom shall I fear?
The LORD is the stronghold of my life;
of whom shall I be afraid?
8 “Come,” my heart says, “seek his face!”
Your face, LORD, do I seek.
14 Wait for the LORD;
be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!
Psalm
31:1, 5 “In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge;
Into your hands I commend my spirit, for you have redeemed
me, O Lord, O God of truth.”
Psalm
37:4,7 “Take delight in the Lord and he
shall give you your heart’s desire. . .Be still before
the Lord and wait patiently for him.”
Psalm
40:1 I waited patiently upon the Lord; he
stooped to me and heart my cry.
Psalm
42:1 “As the deer longs for the
water-brooks, so longs my soul for you, O God.
My soul is athirst for God, athirst for the living
God; when shall I come to appear before the presence
of God?
Psalm
43: 3 O send out your light and your truth;
let them lead me; let them bring me to your holy
hill and to your dwelling.
Psalm
46: 10 “Be still, and know that
I am God!
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Psalm
48:8 We have waited in silence on your loving-kindness,
O God, in the midst of your temple.
Psalm
62:1-2 “For God alone my soul in silence
waits; from him comes my salvation. He alone is my rock
and my salvation, my stronghold, so that I shall not be
greatly shaken.”
Psalm
63: 1-2 “O God, you are my God; eagerly
I seek you; my soul thirsts for you, my flesh faints for
you, as in a barren and dry land where there is no water.
Therefore I have gazed upon you in your holy place, that
I might behold your power and your glory. For your loving-kindness
is better than life itself. . . . My soul is content, as
with marrow and fatness, and my mouthpraises you with joyful
lips, when I remember you upon my bed, and meditate on
you in the night watches.”
Isaiah 30:
15 For thus said the Lord GOD, the Holy One of Israel:
In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and in trust shall be
your strength.
Isaiah 55:
6 Seek the LORD while he may be found,
call upon him while he is near;
7 let the wicked forsake their way,
and the unrighteous their thoughts;
let them return to the LORD, that he may have mercy on them, and to our God,
for he will abundantly pardon.
8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
nor are your ways my ways, says the LORD.
9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than
your ways
and my thoughts than your thoughts.
Joel 2:
28 Then afterward
I will pour out my spirit on all flesh;
your sons and your daughters shall prophesy,
your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions.
29 Even on the male and female slaves,
in those days, I will pour out my spirit.
Habakkuk 2:
20 But the LORD is in his holy temple;
let all the earth keep silence before him!
Matthew 26:37
He took with him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began
to be grieved and agitated. 38 Then he said to them, “I
am deeply grieved, even to death; remain here, and stay awake
with me.” 39 And going a little farther, he threw himself
on the ground and prayed, “My Father, if it is possible,
let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want but what you
want.” 40 Then he came to the disciples and found them
sleeping; and he said to Peter, “So, couldyou not stay
awake with me one hour? 41 Stay awake and pray that you may
not come into the time of trial; † the spirit indeed
is willing, but the flesh is weak.” 42 Again he went
away for the second time and prayed, “My Father, if
this cannot pass unless I drink it, your will be done.” 43
Again he came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were
heavy. 44 So leaving them again, he went away and prayed
for the third time, saying the same words.
Matthew 6: 7 “When
you are praying, do not heap up empty phrases
as the Gentiles do; for they think that they
will be heard because of their many words.
8 Do not be like them, for your Father knows
what you need before you ask him.
9 “Pray then in this way:
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name.
10 Your kingdom come.
Your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
© Photo
The Reverend Mary Anne Osborn |
Luke 1:
78 By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from
on high will break upon us,
:79 to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of
death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” (The song
of Zechariah)
John 4: 23 But the hour is
coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers
will worship the Father in spirit and truth,
for the Father seeks such as these to worship
him. 24 God is spirit,and those who worship
him must worship in spirit and truth.”
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Acts 10: 44 While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word.
Romans 8:
26 Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do
not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes
with sighs too deep for words. 27 And God, who searches the
heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the
Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of
God.
Colossians I:
24 I am now rejoicing in my sufferings for your sake, and
in my flesh I am completing what is lacking in Christ’s
afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church.
25 I became its servant according to God’s commission
that was given to me for you, to make the word of God fully
known, 26 the mystery that has been hidden throughout the
ages andgenerations but has now been revealed to his saints.
27 To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles
are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ
in you, the hope of glory.
II
Corinthians 4: 5 For we do not proclaim ourselves;
we proclaim Jesus Christ as Lord and ourselves as your
slaves for Jesus’ sake. 6 For it is the God who said, “Let
light shine out of darkness,” who has shone in our
hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory
of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 2:
5 Let the same mind be in you that was † in Christ
Jesus,
6 who, though he was in the form of God,
did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited,
7 but emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
being born in human likeness.
And being found in human form,
8 he humbled himself
and became obedient to the point of death—
even death on a cross. . . .
12
Therefore, my beloved, just as you have always obeyed me,
not only in my presence, but much more now in my absence,
work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for
it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will
and to work for his good pleasure.
Some Books and Other Resources about
Centering & Contemplative Prayer
Anthony
Bloom. Beginning to Pray. 1970.
The
Cloud of Unknowing and The Book of Privy Counsel. Trans.
William Johnston. Anonymous 14th century English treatises.
Standard edition, Early English Text Society, Original
Series no. 218 (1944), ed. Phyllis Hodgson.
Thomas
Keating:.
The Heart of the World.
Intimacy with God.Crisis of Faith, Crisis of Love.
Contemplative Outreach News. C/o Contemplative Outreach, Ltd. 10 Park Place,
Suite 2B. P. O. Box 737, Butler, NJ 07405. (973)838-3384. www.io.com/-lefty/COHome.html
Thomas
Merton. Seeds of Contemplation. 1961.
Belden
C. Lane. The Solace of Fierce Landscapes. Exploring Desert
and Mountain Spirituality. 1998.
Joseph
G. Sandman. “Centering Prayer: A Treasure for the Soul.” America,
Sept. 9, 2000, pp. 12-13.
Anne A. Simpkinson. “Resting in God.” Common Boundary.
Sept.-Oct., 1997, pp. 24ff. Interview with Fr. Thomas Keating.
David Steindl-Rast. A Listening Heart. 1991.
© 2002,
The Reverend Bennett A. Brockman, PhD
