Customer Reviews

Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening

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First, a disclaimer: the author is my (informal) teacher. Still, while this might be the reason that I might not submit a negative review, I can submit a positive one with enthusiasm not founded in my personal connection.

There are numerous "de-constructionists" in the Christian market-place -- Bishop John Spong, Marcus Borg amoung them, and I argue that they perform an essential service. But for spiritual growth, these writers are a little more likely to give a stone than a drink of water. Cynthia's book is a refreshing answer to the vacuum that I feel after reading one of those books.

Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening is thoroughly grounded in Christian tradition -- this is a Christian text by an Anglican (Episcopal) priest -- but it draws from a larger context than the 21st century North American one. In doing so, she challenges some perspectives that are unquestioned. The first and perhaps the most important is the question of "where God is". In the long tradition of contemplatives, Cynthia suggests that attempts to look for God "out there" is going to lead to a religion that is fractured and a faith that is out-of-touch with what we know in our hearts to be true. No, God is to be found within -- which must be carefully contrasted with the notion that we are in any way "god".
So the way to discover God? Cynthia gently takes us through the approaches that have been used over the millennia, but lands on a relatively modern approach (about 30 years old) usually called "centering prayer". It would be a disservice here to describe this, except perhaps to say a couple of things about what it isn't. This isn't a New Age technique to lower blood pressure, experience enlightenment, or meet your inner child (and I say this with great respect to methods that do all of the above). Most challenging for those newly introduced to the method, this doesn't "do" very much -- looked at from the external perspective -- at all.

The best I can say in a few words allotted me, is this purports to be the way that we can find our "true selves" (in contrast to that exterior presentation of our selves), and more profoundly, allow our true selves to connect to that ember of God that burns in all of us. And this is an end in and of itself.

Having said that, 30 years of this practice has lead to some observations that need to be made: that the connection to the true self leads to surprising healing of that external self (I'll use the word that is generally used here: the egoic self). Cynthia provides a short phychology of Centering Prayer, and then -- for those who are concerned about the orthodoxy of the method -- a theology of Centering Prayer. Don't be intimidated. This is accessible stuff.

And last, as the book title suggests, she takes us full circle. It turns out that that inner work (work that we ourselves are not aware of -- it is only between our inner self and God), our spiritual life is surprisingly watered. In an age when our religion lives in our heads -- that when that head religion is being unceremoniously dismantled, the age-old contemplative tradition is here to nurture our hearts back to health. This book shows you how. I recommend it.

Cynthia Bourgeault is an excellent writer and elucidates difficult concepts with consummate skill. There is much food for thought in her book, "Centering Prayer and Inner Awakening." This book is one of the very best I have read on centering prayer, and for those who have already read one or two books on the subject but have not yet had the pleasure of reading this one, I highly recommend it. She frequently adds to many of the insights offered by Father Keating in his books. She is not at all adversed to pointing out some of the potential pitfalls and snares involved in the practice of this type of prayer. One often gets a sense of whether a writer is speaking from the top of his or her head or is actually coming from a place of deep experience. Cynthia Bourgeault fits the latter category. Her explanations of the "inner witness" and unconscious programming seem right on target and add much to the continuing discussion of centering prayer in particular and the comtemplative life in general. Her chapter on Welcoming Prayer, I believe, is alone worth the price of the book. In it is a technique designed to disrupt our continued unconscious programming loop that I have found works very well. Although this book might not exactly qualify as an introduction to centering prayer, it nonetheless adds considerably to the growing number of books on this subject. It is not just another book about centering prayer.

I always find reading the reviews helpful in deciding whether to buy a book. However, I have never written a review before. I wondered whether I needed another book on centering prayer when I purchased the book. I was surprised and pleased at the way the author synthesizes and describes the history of centering (or contemplative) prayer connected with the centering prayer movement of the modern era, particularly describing the thought of Fr. Thomas Keating. One of my favorite sayings of Thomas Merton is that the closer you come to God, the closer you come to your true self. And this book describes how to deal with those conflicting emotions that feed the false self. I have heard that I needed to welcome the "Wisdom Teacher" when struggling, but have never known how to do this. The last chapters dealing with this give me examples and descriptions that will guide me more clearly. I think this is an excellent book, especially for those who are already practicing centering prayer.

I found this book helpful to find some other ways to enter into the joys of contemplative prayer. Keating has written books that introduced many contemporary readers to the topic. Bourgeault uses some creative images from the sea to help invite people to try this rewarding practice of spiritual formation.

Bourgeault does a very good job of introducing the practice of Centering Prayer and placing it within the framework of contemplation. She links experience to insight which reveals the tremendous power of this simple yet profound practice.
Bourgeault expands this practice with additional chapters on the practice of the Welcoming Prayer - a means of extending the practice of Centering Prayer to the rest of the day.
Bourgeault begins at the most basic level of explaining the practice of Centering Prayer and then builds upon the profound insight which this practice offers to the world in the 21st century.
Very interesting and accessible!

I have read many wonderful books over the past years, but this is the first time that I have been motivated to actually send in a review. I heartily recommend this book. I won't go into specifics, but just want to say, get it, read it, mark it up, reread it, then live it out. Thank you, Cynthia.

Simply put, this is the single most helpful volume I've yet run across for participating in "the fellowship of the Godhead," the God-given gift known variously as contemplative or centering prayer. I revisit it again and again in my personal practice, and would recommend that others do the same. John 17 and 1 John 1 come alive in this "wayless way" that Bourgeault suggests. Check it out!

I enjoyed this book very much. The author, Cynthia Borgeault - an Episcopalian priest, reviews aspects of centering prayer, a Christian contemplative practice evolved from Christian monastic practices of the first few centuries A.D. by Fr. Thomas Keating and his monastic colleagues. Fr. Keating is a leader in this form of spirituality and is the author of many of the books related to the practice. Borgeault studied with Fr. Keating, but her "take" on centering prayer is a bit different than Keating's and it provides useful contrast and food for thought... Give it a try, you might like it.

I hesitate to write this for fear of not doing it justice. I cannot stop reading this book. There is a depth and authenticity about it that makes me think I will be reading it for years to come. I have worked with numerous approaches to prayer and meditation. This one is guiding me to let go of the stuff that stifles the Spirit and makes me a less loving person. This is a way of prayer that meshes with the rest of my life rather than being set apart from life. I have read Thomas Keating's excellent book on centering prayer but if you will only read one, this should be it.

For those on a spiritual path,Cynthia Bourgeault has given us a book with not only an excellent background in the nature of Centering Prayer, but a book which will inspire us to seek a deepening of our own journey with God. Centering Prayer has been part of a new spiritual searching in the world, and this book will be an important aid to those who want to know how it can help in their own search for deeper life in God's presence.