Comments on: Centering Prayer and the Healing of the Unconscious http://www.anamchara.com/2007/12/13/centering-prayer-and-the-healing-of-the-unconscious/ Carl McColman ~ The Fullness of Joy is to Behold God in All Tue, 22 May 2012 04:20:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: John Theobald http://www.anamchara.com/2007/12/13/centering-prayer-and-the-healing-of-the-unconscious/#comment-2891 John Theobald Thu, 23 Oct 2008 21:40:46 +0000 http://anamchara.com/2007/12/13/centering-prayer-and-the-healing-of-the-unconscious/#comment-2891 some information on the official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church EXCERPTS FROM: LETTER TO THE BISHOPS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON SOME ASPECTS OF CHRISTIAN MEDITATION Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith REFERENCE SECTION 12 Some use eastern methods solely as a psycho-physical preparation for a truly Christian contemplation; REFERENCE SECTION 16 The majority of the "great religions" which have sought union with God in prayer have also pointed out ways to achieve it. Just as "the Catholic Church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these religions, neither should these ways be rejected out of hand simply because they are not Christian. On the contrary, one can take from them what is useful so long as the Christian conception of prayer, its logic and requirements are never obscured. REFERENCE SECTION 26 The spiritual authors have adopted those elements which make recollection in prayer easier, at the same time recognizing their relative value: they are useful if reformulated in accordance with the aim of Christian prayer. For example, the Christian fast signifies, above all, an exercise of penitence and sacrifice; but, already for the Fathers, it also had the aim of rendering man more open to the encounter with God and making a Christian more capable of self-dominion and at the same time more attentive to those in need. That does not mean that genuine practices of meditation which come from the Christian East and from the great non-Christian religions, which prove attractive to the man of today who is divided and disoriented, cannot constitute a suitable means of helping the person who prays to come before God with an interior peace, even in the midst of external pressures. REFERENCE SECTION 31 The Supreme Pontiff, John Paul II, in an audience granted to the undersigned Cardinal Prefect, gave his approval to this letter, drawn up in a plenary session of this Congregation, and ordered its publication. At Rome, from the offices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, October 15, 1989, the Feast of Saint Teresa of Jesus. Joseph Card. Ratzinger Prefect Endnotes 1. The expression "eastern methods" is used to refer to methods which are inspired by Hinduism and Buddhism, such as "Zen," "Transcendental Meditation" or "Yoga." Thus it indicates methods of meditation of the non-Christian Far East which today are not infrequently adopted by some Christians also in their meditation. some information on the official teaching of the Roman Catholic Church

EXCERPTS FROM:

LETTER TO THE BISHOPS OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON SOME ASPECTS OF CHRISTIAN MEDITATION
Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

REFERENCE SECTION 12

Some use eastern methods solely as a psycho-physical preparation for a truly Christian contemplation;

REFERENCE SECTION 16
The majority of the “great religions” which have sought union with God in prayer have also pointed out ways to achieve it. Just as “the Catholic Church rejects nothing of what is true and holy in these religions, neither should these ways be rejected out of hand simply because they are not Christian. On the contrary, one can take from them what is useful so long as the Christian conception of prayer, its logic and requirements are never obscured.
REFERENCE SECTION 26
The spiritual authors have adopted those elements which make recollection in prayer easier, at the same time recognizing their relative value: they are useful if reformulated in accordance with the aim of Christian prayer. For example, the Christian fast signifies, above all, an exercise of penitence and sacrifice; but, already for the Fathers, it also had the aim of rendering man more open to the encounter with God and making a Christian more capable of self-dominion and at the same time more attentive to those in need.
That does not mean that genuine practices of meditation which come from the Christian East and from the great non-Christian religions, which prove attractive to the man of today who is divided and disoriented, cannot constitute a suitable means of helping the person who prays to come before God with an interior peace, even in the midst of external pressures.
REFERENCE SECTION 31
The Supreme Pontiff, John Paul II, in an audience granted to the undersigned Cardinal Prefect, gave his approval to this letter, drawn up in a plenary session of this Congregation, and ordered its publication.
At Rome, from the offices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, October 15, 1989, the Feast of Saint Teresa of Jesus.
Joseph Card. Ratzinger Prefect
Endnotes
1. The expression “eastern methods” is used to refer to methods which are inspired by Hinduism and Buddhism, such as “Zen,” “Transcendental Meditation” or “Yoga.” Thus it indicates methods of meditation of the non-Christian Far East which today are not infrequently adopted by some Christians also in their meditation.

]]> By: Carl McColman http://www.anamchara.com/2007/12/13/centering-prayer-and-the-healing-of-the-unconscious/#comment-2890 Carl McColman Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:45:35 +0000 http://anamchara.com/2007/12/13/centering-prayer-and-the-healing-of-the-unconscious/#comment-2890 Whether we like it or not, CP's harshest critics attack it for its links to TM. Hopefully over time the CP community will be able to articulate a balanced view of the TM-CP relationship. But at the moment, the pendulum is decidedly swinging in the direction of differentiation. Whether we like it or not, CP’s harshest critics attack it for its links to TM. Hopefully over time the CP community will be able to articulate a balanced view of the TM-CP relationship. But at the moment, the pendulum is decidedly swinging in the direction of differentiation.

]]> By: John Theobald http://www.anamchara.com/2007/12/13/centering-prayer-and-the-healing-of-the-unconscious/#comment-2889 John Theobald Wed, 22 Oct 2008 22:16:24 +0000 http://anamchara.com/2007/12/13/centering-prayer-and-the-healing-of-the-unconscious/#comment-2889 I note Fr. O'Madagain's repeated attempts to show the difference between Centering Prayer and TM, however all the objections are to the mindset and conceptual pattern of the TM movement versus the mindset of a Christian using this technique as a psychophysiological preparation of " truly Christian contemplation" (as Cardinal Ratzinger put it). There is obviously a contradiction as noted on page 248 "Because one uses a technigue to help one pray, that does not imply that it is therefore not prayer. What is important is the intention and will of the person praying." Further down the page he says, "We have also seen this difference between TM and Centering Prayer." Obviously a Christian can have the same prayerful intention practicing TM, completely seperate and apart from it's Hindu conceptual framework and milue. which to the Christian are irrelevant. This is indeed what Fr. Keating has said both in person and in some of his books. Basil Pennington has a whole chapter on TM to this point in his book "Daily we Touch Him". It would be a shame to gradually alter Frs Keating and Pennington's original teachings. Fr. O'Madagain on page 28 cites Trancenet which is a noted anti TM organization comprised of disgruntled former TM teachers and is hardly a credible source. I note Fr. O’Madagain’s repeated attempts to show the difference between Centering Prayer and TM, however all the objections are to the mindset and conceptual pattern of the TM movement versus the mindset of a Christian using this technique as a psychophysiological preparation of ” truly Christian contemplation” (as Cardinal Ratzinger put it). There is obviously a contradiction as noted on page 248

“Because one uses a technigue to help one pray, that does not imply that it is therefore not prayer. What is important is the intention and will of the person praying.”

Further down the page he says,

“We have also seen this difference between TM and Centering Prayer.”

Obviously a Christian can have the same prayerful intention practicing TM, completely seperate and apart from it’s Hindu conceptual framework and milue. which to the Christian are irrelevant. This is indeed what Fr. Keating has said both in person and in some of his books. Basil Pennington has a whole chapter on TM to this point in his book “Daily we Touch Him”. It would be a shame to gradually alter Frs Keating and Pennington’s original teachings. Fr. O’Madagain on page 28 cites Trancenet which is a noted anti TM organization comprised of disgruntled former TM teachers and is hardly a credible source.

]]> By: Peter http://www.anamchara.com/2007/12/13/centering-prayer-and-the-healing-of-the-unconscious/#comment-2888 Peter Sat, 15 Dec 2007 02:06:46 +0000 http://anamchara.com/2007/12/13/centering-prayer-and-the-healing-of-the-unconscious/#comment-2888 I certainly can see the need for this book in the church, and I may pick it up out of interest in the historical and theological implications of Centering Prayer, its place in the stream of contemplative practice, etc. But since my main interest in Centering Prayer is not polemics but practice, I am likely to continue to follow what I have learned from Cynthia and maybe pick up some original work from Keating and Pennington to enrich my practice rather than expand my theory. I am not currently experiencing any persecution from doing this, though I am probably in a more conservative environment than most practitioners. But then I have made only very limited attempts to describe to others what I do in this regard. Blessings to all, Peter I certainly can see the need for this book in the church, and I may pick it up out of interest in the historical and theological implications of Centering Prayer, its place in the stream of contemplative practice, etc.

But since my main interest in Centering Prayer is not polemics but practice, I am likely to continue to follow what I have learned from Cynthia and maybe pick up some original work from Keating and Pennington to enrich my practice rather than expand my theory. I am not currently experiencing any persecution from doing this, though I am probably in a more conservative environment than most practitioners. But then I have made only very limited attempts to describe to others what I do in this regard.

Blessings to all,
Peter

]]> By: Jason Aubrey http://www.anamchara.com/2007/12/13/centering-prayer-and-the-healing-of-the-unconscious/#comment-2887 Jason Aubrey Fri, 14 Dec 2007 18:00:39 +0000 http://anamchara.com/2007/12/13/centering-prayer-and-the-healing-of-the-unconscious/#comment-2887 Thank you for that review Carl. I'm always surprised (and saddened) to hear theologically conservative people go after centering prayer, especially when the 'principals' are so deeply Catholic (I mean, e.g., Keating, Pennington, Menniger). I'm Episcopalian, and, believe it or not, even there I've been handed the "Dangers of Centering Prayer" article from This Rock magazine! Thank you for that review Carl. I’m always surprised (and saddened) to hear theologically conservative people go after centering prayer, especially when the ‘principals’ are so deeply Catholic (I mean, e.g., Keating, Pennington, Menniger). I’m Episcopalian, and, believe it or not, even there I’ve been handed the “Dangers of Centering Prayer” article from This Rock magazine!

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