Every week on Thursday at 1 p.m., a small group gathers in the Mary Chapel for contemplative prayer.  Under the gentle guidance of Spiritual Director Timothy Bingham, we join together for something that's neither simply worship nor personal prayer, but something unique.  Steeped in the Christian tradition, contemplative prayer has recently been "re-discovered" by Catholics, Anglicans, and others.  Sometimes called centering prayer or Christian meditation, it offers a way to deepen one's connection to the divine.

I've been practicing contemplative prayer off and on for many years - in Catholic and Episcopalian settings.  I find it to be a way to encounter God's presence that is neither intellectual nor emotional.  Its benefits are spiritual and also, frankly, psychological.  Its calming effect has actually been documented by scientists - something to do with brain waves.  However, unlike nonreligious meditation techniques that product these same positive physical and psychological effects, contemplative prayer promotes spiritual growth. 

It's both simple and difficult.  You will find that Tim can offer you basic instructions in a few minutes.  Many accounts have been written by contemporaries and by well-known mystics and saints about this practice which shows it to be a journey as are all religious disciplines.  And like any journey, it offers beautiful vistas, exhilaration, detours, and bumps in the road. 

Why do we practice in a group?  I have found there is a special energy to being in a group.  It's like worshipping with others.  And I believe it's in tune with what Christ said about two or more being gathered together in His name.  You can come as you like and when you can.  The atmosphere of the chapel, the light ringing of the bell when each of the two 20-minute periods begins and ends, the icons and the candles make this a treat for the world-weary spirit.

Nanette Smith