Consenting to the Presence & Action of God: How does that work in daily life

Leader:  Jill Benet

 Rooted in the Desert Fathers and Mothers, and the Cloud of Unknowing for its renewal, Centering Prayer prepares us for the gift of contemplation. When we sit in Centering Prayer, we are told
that by our willingness to renew our intention to consent to God’s presence and action within, moment by moment, our core of goodness is affirmed, and our consciousness restructured.

What does that mean in practice? Drawing on the extensive work of Thomas Keating and Cynthia Bourgeault, we see how current psychological understanding resonates with the teaching of the mystics in practical ways. What might appear to be obstacles to our spiritual life turn out to be gateways to greater freedom. This weekend will allow us to explore the nuances, and deepen our practice of Centering Prayer. There will be extended periods of prayer, teaching and silence.

Jill is a teacher of Centering Prayer. She is the London Co-ordinator of Contemplative Outreach, founded to teach the method of Centering Prayer and to support Centering Prayer groups and communities. She has studied in-depth the conceptual background and has attended several

retreats led by its founder, Father Thomas Keating, as well as retreats led by Cynthia Bourgeault and Richard Rohr, among others. She has trained in the US and UK and leads groups, Introductory Days, Quiet Days and retreats. Jill is a co-founder of the Silence in the City series of talks on the contemplative life.