Centering Prayer
Learn Centering Prayer meditation: Christian Contemplative contemplative technique. Step-by-step instructions, benefits, duration, and tips for practice.
Last reviewed April 2026
What is Centering Prayer meditation?
Centering Prayer is a modern contemplative practice rooted in the ancient Christian tradition of apophatic (imageless) prayer, developed by Trappist monks Thomas Keating, William Meninger, and Basil Pennington in the 1970s. It is the Christian tradition's clearest expression of meditation as surrender -- not asking God for anything, not thinking about God, but consenting to God's presence and action within.
The practice is structurally simple: choose a sacred word as a symbol of your intention to consent to the divine presence, sit in silence, and when you notice you have engaged with a thought, gently return to the sacred word. That is the entire method. Yet within this simplicity lies the same radical reorientation found in the deepest contemplative practices of every tradition -- the shift from doing to being, from speaking to listening, from seeking to allowing.
What makes Centering Prayer distinctive is its theological framework. Keating understood that the contemplative dimension of Christianity had been largely lost to ordinary practitioners, reserved for monastics or treated as an extraordinary grace. He drew on the 14th-century anonymous classic The Cloud of Unknowing and the writings of John of the Cross and Teresa of Avila to create a practice accessible to anyone willing to sit in silence for twenty minutes. The method restores something that the early Desert Fathers and Mothers knew: that stillness is not the absence of prayer but its deepest form.
Early morning before the day begins and late afternoon or early evening. Keating recommended these two periods specifically. Avoid practicing immediately after meals, when drowsiness is more likely. The regularity of the twice-daily rhythm is more important than the specific times chosen.
Posture
Seated in a chair or on a cushion with the spine relatively straight but not rigid. The body should be comfortable enough to remain still for twenty minutes. Hands rest in the lap or on the thighs. Eyes closed. A prayer shawl or blanket can be helpful, as body temperature sometimes drops during deep stillness.
Pitta types benefit enormously from Centering Prayer's emphasis on surrender and consent rather than achievement -- the practice directly addresses the Pitta pattern of turning spiritual life into another project to master. Vata types find the consistent twice-daily rhythm grounding and stabilizing, though they may initially resist the commitment. Kapha types should sit upright rather than reclining and may need the sacred word more frequently to prevent the silence from becoming sleepiness.
How to Practice
Choose a sacred word that symbolizes your intention to consent to the divine presence and action within. This word should be short -- one or two syllables. Common choices include God, Jesus, Abba, Love, Mercy, Peace, Silence, or Let Go. Once chosen, do not change it during a prayer period.
Sit comfortably with eyes closed. Settle briefly and silently introduce the sacred word as a symbol of your consent.
When you become aware that you are engaged with thoughts -- including thoughts about the prayer itself, body sensations, emotions, or images -- gently return to the sacred word. The word is not a mantra to repeat continuously. It is used only when you notice you have been carried away. The gentleness of the return is essential -- no frustration, no force.
At the end of twenty minutes, remain in silence with eyes closed for two to three minutes. This transition period allows the deep stillness of the prayer to integrate before returning to activity.
Practice twice daily -- morning and evening -- for twenty minutes each session. Consistency matters more than any single session's quality.
What are the benefits of Centering Prayer?
Deepens the capacity for interior silence and receptivity. Gradually dissolves what Keating called the 'false self system' -- the emotional programs for happiness rooted in security, esteem, and control that drive most of human suffering. Develops a stable sense of the divine presence that carries into daily life. Increases patience, compassion, and equanimity through the gentle practice of letting go. The 'unloading of the unconscious' -- Keating's term for the spontaneous release of stored emotional material during prayer -- provides a natural healing process for old wounds.
What are the contraindications for Centering Prayer?
Those processing acute grief, trauma, or severe anxiety may find the silence overwhelming at first. Starting with shorter sessions of ten minutes and building gradually is recommended. If intense emotional material surfaces during the prayer, working with a spiritual director familiar with contemplative practice is advisable. Centering Prayer is not a substitute for psychological treatment when clinical conditions are present.
What are some tips for practicing Centering Prayer?
The sacred word is not a mantra -- it is not repeated continuously. It is returned to gently, like a feather landing on a piece of cotton, only when you notice you have become engaged with thoughts. Resist the temptation to evaluate your prayer sessions. Keating was emphatic: the only bad prayer period is the one you do not show up for. Thoughts during prayer are not the enemy -- they are the raw material of the 'unloading' process. The practice works at a level deeper than you can perceive during the sitting itself. Consider reading Keating's Open Mind, Open Heart and joining a Centering Prayer group through Contemplative Outreach for support.
Supplies for Centering Prayer Practice
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What is the history of Centering Prayer?
Centering Prayer draws on the deepest strands of Christian mysticism -- the Desert Fathers and Mothers of 4th-century Egypt, the anonymous author of The Cloud of Unknowing (14th century England), John of the Cross's dark night and living flame, Teresa of Avila's interior castle, and Meister Eckhart's radical theology of detachment. Keating saw that these teachings described a systematic contemplative path that had been obscured by centuries of emphasis on discursive (thinking) prayer.
The structural parallels with other contemplative traditions are unmistakable. The use of a sacred word as an anchor for attention mirrors mantra practice across Hindu, Buddhist, and Sufi traditions. The instruction to let go of all thoughts -- even holy and inspired ones -- parallels the Buddhist teaching of non-attachment and the Zen instruction to hold nothing. The 'cloud of unknowing' itself -- the contemplative darkness where God is found beyond all concepts -- corresponds precisely to the apophatic traditions of Neoplatonism, the Buddhist concept of sunyata (emptiness), and the Kabbalistic Ein Sof (the infinite beyond all description). Keating himself recognized these parallels and actively engaged in Buddhist-Christian dialogue, seeing in the convergence not a dilution of traditions but evidence that the human capacity for contemplative depth is universal.
Deepen Your Practice
Your Ayurvedic constitution and Jyotish chart can reveal which meditation techniques align most naturally with your mind and temperament. Understanding your prakriti helps you choose practices that balance rather than aggravate your dominant tendencies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long should I practice Centering Prayer meditation?
The recommended duration for Centering Prayer is 20 minutes. As a beginner-friendly practice, you can start with shorter sessions and gradually increase. The best time to practice is early morning before the day begins and late afternoon or early evening. keating recommended these two periods specifically. avoid practicing immediately after meals, when drowsiness is more likely. the regularity of the twice-daily rhythm is more important than the specific times chosen..
What are the benefits of Centering Prayer meditation?
Deepens the capacity for interior silence and receptivity. Gradually dissolves what Keating called the 'false self system' -- the emotional programs for happiness rooted in security, esteem, and control that drive most of human suffering. Develops a stable sense of the divine presence that carries i
Is Centering Prayer suitable for beginners?
Centering Prayer is classified as Beginner level. It is well-suited for those new to meditation. Recommended posture: Seated in a chair or on a cushion with the spine relatively straight but not rigid. The body should be comfortable enough to remain still for twenty minutes. Hands rest in the lap or on the thighs. Eyes closed. A prayer shawl or blanket can be helpful, as body temperature sometimes drops during deep stillness.. The sacred word is not a mantra -- it is not repeated continuously. It is returned to gently, like a feather landing on a piece of cotton, only when y
Which dosha type benefits most from Centering Prayer?
Centering Prayer has a particular affinity for Pitta types benefit enormously from Centering Prayer's emphasis on surrender and consent rather than achievement -- the practice directly addresses the Pitta pattern of turning spiritual life into another project to master. Vata types find the consistent twice-daily rhythm grounding and stabilizing, though they may initially resist the commitment. Kapha types should sit upright rather than reclining and may need the sacred word more frequently to prevent the silence from becoming sleepiness.. It connects to the Primarily engages Anahata (Heart) chakra, as the practice is fundamentally about opening to receive rather than projecting or achieving. The consent at the heart of the practice softens the protective barriers around the heart center. Secondary engagement of Sahasrara (Crown) through the surrender of conceptual thought and opening to transpersonal reality. Chakra. From the Christian Contemplative tradition, this contemplative technique works with specific energetic qualities.
Are there any contraindications for Centering Prayer?
Those processing acute grief, trauma, or severe anxiety may find the silence overwhelming at first. Starting with shorter sessions of ten minutes and building gradually is recommended. If intense emotional material surfaces during the prayer, working with a spiritual director familiar with contempla