Centering Prayer Free Email Support Groups
“We Welcome You as Christ”
Four free Centering Prayer email-based groups are available for those interested in learning Centering Prayer and for those interested in formation in the Christian contemplative journey as taught by Fr. Thomas Keating and Contemplative Outreach. The format consists of daily email excerpts with the opportunity to respond and/or ask questions. The groups are open and those interested may apply at any time. Experienced Centering Prayer practitioners moderate each group.
Centering Prayer One
A Contemplative Living Community in the Christian Contemplative Tradition is an unmoderated ecumenical (Christian) online group grounded in the Christian contemplative heritage. The online group members are committed to the renewal of the contemplative dimension of the Gospel through the teaching and practice of Centering Prayer as taught by the late Father Thomas Keating, OCSO (1923 – 2018), and his worldwide organization Contemplative Outreach, Ltd. This group was formed from the transition of Father Basil Pennington’s Centering Prayer group by Mercedes Scopetta in 2008.
This group is dedicated to those who are BEGINNERS and desire a community to teach, encourage and support them in their practice. The online group offers the following six-month schedule: Transcripts of the Introductory Workshop, as taught by Contemplative Outreach Ltd. and its follow-up sessions on Centering Prayer followed by the text of the book “Open Mind, Open Heart”, 2006 edition, by Fr. Keating.
If you have been practicing Centering Prayer for more than a year and have established at least two prayer periods a day check out our online group Centering Prayer Two on Yahoo Groups. Centering Prayer Two also shares the teachings and offerings of the late Fr. Keating. Even in his passing we so appreciate Fr. Keating’s gifts – his teachings, writings, and recordings. He continues to be our teacher, mentor, inspiration, and friend in Christ.
Centering Prayer is patterned on the formula given by Jesus in Matthew 6:6. “If you want to pray, enter your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
Centering prayer is a method; it is also a prayer of consenting to God’s presence and action within.
To subscribe to the CENTERING PRAYER ONE online group please write to Kay Hansen, cpone@centeringprayer.net
Please offer a brief description of your interest in Centering Prayer and the time that you have practiced it. Admission can take place at any time during the year. We hope to be able to welcome you to our cyberspace community!
We will welcome you as Christ (Rule of Benedict)!
Online Group Owners: Joanne Warner, Cecile Betit, Terri Murphy, and Mary Kay Hansen
Centering Prayer Two
This is a contemplative living community in the Christian contemplative tradition for those who have taken an Introductory Workshop, have read Open Mind Open Heart by Father Thomas Keating OCSO, and have been practicing Centering Prayer twice daily for over a year. These prerequisites can also be completed by participating in the Centering Prayer One online group for beginners.
The group is an unmoderated ecumenical mailing list grounded in the Christian contemplative heritage. The group members are committed to the renewal of the contemplative dimension of the Gospel through the teaching and practice of Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina as taught by Father Thomas Keating, OCSO, (1923-2018) and his worldwide organization, Contemplative Outreach, Ltd. It is dedicated to those who have a sustained practice of Centering Prayer for over a year and would like a community to continue to teach, encourage and support them in their practice. Father Thomas is our teacher, mentor, friend and inspiration. Centering Prayer is patterned on the formula given by Jesus in Matthew 6:6: “If you want to pray, enter your inner room, close the door, and pray to your Father in secret, and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”
To subscribe to the CENTERING PRAYER TWO group write to Terri Murphy, cptwo@centeringprayer.net. In your request, please include a brief description of your practice of Centering Prayer.
We welcome you as Christ.
Terri Murphy, Joanne Warner, Cecile Betit, and Mary Kay Hansen
Spiritus
SPIRITUS / CENTERING PRAYER ONLINE GROUP follows the teachings of Fr. Thomas Keating, OCSO. It is an unmoderated ecumenical community grounded in the Christian contemplative heritage.
The online group members are committed to the renewal of the contemplative dimension of the gospel through the teachings and practice of Centering Prayer and Lectio Divina.
The Spiritus group was founded on March 7, 1997, by Mercedes Scopetta, in honor of Thomas Keating, OCSO’s birthday. We have great appreciation for Father Thomas (1923-2018) who continues to be, through his writings and talks, our teacher, mentor and friend. His books, tapes, works and teachings are studied and reflected upon on through the online group.
The main purpose for the Spiritus group is to bring together a spiritual network to provide a communal space for those who are advanced in Centering Prayer practice, and desire advanced teachings, as well as to accompany one another in their contemplative journey. In attending to the guidance of the Holy Spirit, group members help one another to grow in intimacy with God, enfleshing that relationship in their everydayness, seeking “to live their ordinary lives with extraordinary love and utmost charity” (Thomas Keating).
We hope to be able to welcome you to our online community.
To subscribe to Spiritus please write to the Group Owners at SPIRITUS-request@LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG briefly describing your interest in joining the list and your experience with centering prayer.
Blessings of this day to you, Joanne Warner, Cecile Betit, Terri Murphy and Mary Kay Hansen.
Lux Divina
LUXDIVINA-L/CENTERING PRAYER within the Christian Contemplative Tradition brings together—in an email, on-line, un-moderated ecumenical group—those who have had a contemplative practice for ten years or more such as Centering Prayer, Lectio Divina and other teachings and practices taught by Contemplative Outreach Ltd.—the organization founded by Father Thomas Keating.
LUXDIVINA provides encouragement for daily contemplative practice and the transformative process to more fully experience the Indwelling Presence in daily life.
Mercedes Arca Scopetta started the on-line group on March 7, 1997, in honor of Father Thomas Keating, OCSO on his birthday. He continued as our teacher, mentor and friend in Christ until his death in 2018. His books, DVDs, CDs, works and teachings are studied and reflected upon in the group as are other authors. Two or three paragraphs are posted daily for reflection and subsequent comments by the group members.
Those on the list form a spiritual network, a communal space, accompanying one another as they each experience teachings designed to take them to a different level under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. They help one another to grow in intimacy with God and en-flesh that relationship in their everyday lives as they seek “to live their ordinary lives with extraordinary love and utmost charity.” (Thomas Keating).
To join the on-line group, send an email to LUXDIVINA-L-request@LISTSERV.ICORS.ORG sharing briefly your contemplative journey. We hope to be able to welcome you to our on-line community.
We will welcome you as Christ,
Cecile Betit, Joanne Warner, Terri Murphy and Mary Kay Hansen
