The Prayer Thread is a collection of teachings and practical prompts to help as we learn to pray in community. This text was originally delivered on June 22, 2022 as a short teaching at our online weekly prayer sit.
To the degree that prayer is a symbol of our desire to be in communion, or relationship with, the Holy One, it is really quite simple: just show up. Be intentional.
Unfortunately, really simple things can easily overwhelm the human mind and heart, and so we often create methods and structures and processes to guide us. While potentially helpful, such supports can also distract us from the simple core of our prayer: to be connected to and aware of the Divine.
I recall the elaborate instructions I received about centering prayer when I was about 20-years old. Besides the simple 4-step method promoted by Contemplative Outreach, we were invited to “let go” of all our thoughts by imagining them as clouds floating by in the sky. I remember not feeling attracted to that approach, and I wrongly interpreted the phrase, “let go of thoughts” as “try not to allow any thoughts to arise.”
So, instead of simply greeting each thought and letting it be on its way, I worked madly to try to avoid all thoughts, soon became tired and frustrated, and ended up “letting go” of the practice instead of the thoughts! Certainly, countless others have also overdone other simple prayer methods as well.
Contrary to our natural inclinations, the truth is that keeping prayer simple, makes it stronger. Just as pruning extra leaves and branches allow the tree to grow, so too, pruning the extras of our efforts, our zeal, our biases and ideas about prayer also helps to keep it strong by keeping it simple.
