Programs
Many people on the contemplative spiritual journey benefit from attending formal programs offered by the Portland chapter of Contemplative Outreach and other chapters around the country.
Below is a listing of the programs we offer. Click on the links to read a short description of each. Our newsletter contains specific information about current offerings in our chapter. Programs are open to all people on a spiritual path regardless of denomination. As our ninth Theological Principle states, “…we are united in our common search for God and our experience of Christ through Centering Prayer.”
If you have questions about any of the program offerings, please e-mail us at councilcoordinating@gmail.com or leave a message on our phone line at (971) CENTER2.
If you’re new to Centering Prayer or would like to know more about the Contemplative Outreach community in Portland, we suggest the following:
Read Fr. Thomas Keating’s book on Centering Prayer entitled Open Mind, Open Heart. You may also be interested in his books Invitation to Love and Intimacy with God.
Welcoming Prayer Practice
The Welcoming Prayer is an appropriate practice to add after one has been practicing Centering Prayer for a minimum of one year and as a complementary practice to Centering Prayer. It helps dismantle the emotional programs of the “false self” value system in everyday life and heal wounds of a lifetime by addressing them where they are stored – in the body! This practice is presented in a one-day, weekend or five-day immersion experience.
To schedule a Welcoming Prayer workshop for your group, church or organization, please leave a message by email at councilcoordinating@gmail.com.
Introduction to Centering Prayer
Introductory workshops are held throughout the year at a variety of sites. The presenters are specially trained and commissioned in teaching this short course which covers the essentials of the method and conceptual background of Centering Prayer. The first six-hour workshop is typically held on a Saturday. The program may continue with “follow-up” sessions held on one full-day or for five to six weekly 90-minute gatherings to pray, view and discuss a video presentation by Fr. Thomas Keating and to support an emerging daily practice of Centering Prayer.
To schedule an introductory workshop for your group, church or organization, please contact us by email at councilcoordinating@gmail.com.
Introduction to Lectio Divina
The four moments of Lectio Divina, Latin for “divine reading”, is explored in this short workshop and its following sessions. The slow, contemplative praying of the scriptures enables us to discover an underlying spiritual rhythm increasing our ability to open to the presence and action of the Holy Spirit. Through lectio (reading/listening), meditatio (meditation/reflection), oratio (responding/speaking with God) and contemplatio (resting in God), we learn to listen with the “ear of the heart” for that “still, small voice” that is guiding and transforming our lives.
To schedule a Lectio Divina workshop for your group, church or organization, please leave a message by email at councilcoordinating@gmail.com.
Intensive/Post Intensive Retreat
This retreat is offered for those who wish to make either an Intensive or a Post-Intensive retreat. It is designed to deepen your established practice; a regular daily practice of Centering Prayer for at least 9 months is a prerequisite. The Intensive retreat is the first of the retreat series and is the prerequisite for the Advanced and Post-Intensive retreats.
The Intensive retreat offers the foundational instruction of Fr. Keating’s Spiritual Journey Video Series on the human condition and an immersion in Centering Prayer. The Post-Intensive retreat participants extend their time of Centering Prayer and do not view any video conferences.
Except for opening and closing times, silence will be observed throughout the retreat, including at meals. Post intensive retreatants observe Grand Silence, with no eye contact, to deepen their practice of Centering Prayer.