how to have a gratitude practice

How to Use the Centering Prayer Throughout Your Day

How to Use the Centering Prayer Throughout Your Day

Last blog I shared a meditation/prayer practice with you called the centering prayer. If you missed it, here’s a link to the post.

As a quick review, here’s the basic idea:

1. Choose a word (or phrase) to focus on during your meditation.

2. Ensure that you’re sitting comfortably with your eyes closed.

Begin repeating the word or phrase silently to yourself over and over again slowly. Deepen into the phrase, slowly and intentionally, giving your thought-mind something to focus on. If your phrase is: “I rest in God,” begin by saying that phrase. Eventually it may become “I rest,” or “God” that gets repeated as you slow down and deepen into the words.

How to Have a Centering Prayer Practice

How to Have a Centering Prayer Practice

Today I have a cool meditation/prayer for you.

It’s called the Centering Prayer.

The Christian contemplative, Cynthia Bourgeault, has written extensively about this practice and teaches this technique around the world! It’s a way of praying that allows us to loosen our minds from thought and enter that transcendental space that can often feel elusive.

She shares that this practice was popularized by Father Thomas Keating, a Trappist priest. He was one of the first people to promote the Centering Prayer which is based on a 14th century Christian mystical text called The Cloud of Unknowing.

Deepening into Gratitude

Deepening into Gratitude

Last week we explored the basic definition of gratitude and how to cultivate an attitude of appreciation. Today let’s dive into what life might look like if you adopted a PHILOSOPHY of gratitude.

It isn’t just about a response to what you have in your life right now. It's taking gratitude to the next level and applying it directly to your life!

It’s choosing to be grateful that you are alive.

Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude

Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude

As we move into the end of the year, it can be a wonderful time to pause and reflect. Whenever I think about that, it immediately drops me into gratitude.

So, for the next few weeks, I thought it’d be fun to do a deep dive into gratitude.

3 Ways to Deepen into Gratitude

3 Ways to Deepen into Gratitude

The month of November is always the month I return to gratitude. Of course, it’s because of Thanksgiving. It’s my annual reminder to return again to gratitude.

And as I circle back around to focusing on gratitude, I’ve been reexamining the studies behind it.

Here are the top 3 takeaways: