In John 4, Jesus taught that true worship must be done “in spirit” because God is spirit. Now, granted, this phrase is quite nebulous and open to a wide variety of interpretations. But it’s still a good idea to contemplate what Jesus meant.
I believe a part of the answer lies in a very ancient tradition that turned to silence to solve this riddle. Those who were most serious about worshiping in spirit sought increasingly isolated places to simply be with God without any distractions. Though, as they soon discovered, silence itself could be one of the most challenging distractions of all. But once overcome, the ancients learned that God often chooses to relate to us using a vocabulary of silence on a path known as the “via negativa” or the “negative way.” In a grossly over-simplistic description, this refers to the notion of approaching God by stripping our prayer and worship of all images, thoughts, and even words–because all of these things limit God.
The “via negativa” attempts to let God be God by understanding Him through what He is not. In more practical terms, it refers to finding God in silence and solitude and stillness.
One doesn’t have to look far to notice that we live in a world where more and more people are living frenetic, 24/7 lives constantly connected to input from the internet, TV, games, cell phones, and the like. In fact, I recently saw a commercial for a game device with the tagline, “Never Stop Playing.” Even the church has become a place so programmed that thirty-second blocks of time are mapped out in a service to insure that there is no wasted “dead air.”
Consequently, we have become addicted to noise. Without a constant feed running through our mind during our awake moments, we feel at a loss. But if we pause just for a moment and reflect upon this obsession, it will become apparent to us that this lifestyle is unsustainable. At some point we are going to suffer the consequences physically, spiritually and emotionally. And no amount of medication is going to help.
The prescription offered by Christian contemplatives is to bring balance back to our lives. In part, we do this by speaking to God in spirit utilizing a more intuitive part of the mind that forces us into the silence. Augustine described this as the “higher” portion of the mind which was capable of uniting with God, as opposed to the “lower” part of the mind that utilized reason. Even though today it might be a bit unsophisticated to speak of the brain operating in this way, there is some truth to this as modern psychology supports, though using a different vocabulary.
A Desert Father by the name of Evagrius the Solitary called this higher portion the “nous” which he defined as a type of intuitive spiritual intelligence. He writes, “Undistracted prayer is the highest intellection of the intellect. Prayer is the ascent of the intellect to God. If you long for prayer renounce all to gain all”(Philokalia, edited by G.E.H. Palmer, et. al., p. 72).
Fundamental to this definition is the idea that prayer is a journey that begins within. As one ventures inward, one removes distractions, whether external or internal, that then leads to the edge of one’s self.
He explains, “Do not pray only with outward forms and gestures, but with reverence and awe try to make your intellect conscious of spiritual prayer” (Philokalia, p. 72). In other words, as one sits in silence and slowly calms the mind so that the to-do list, the worries, the fears, the yearning to check email, to turn on the TV, to browse the web become more and more distant, the more one becomes aware of the more important presence of God. And so, as one puts distance to even such distractions as words, one discovers that prayer is not a matter of running through a shopping list of requests, or of constantly chattering about this or that, but that prayer, as Evagrius described it, is a state of being.
One doesn’t pray. One enters the state of prayer.
Recently I had the chance to sit down with Phileena Heuertz and ask her some questions about this type of prayer. She teaches contemplative spirituality regularly to groups in her non-profit organization she co-founded with her husband, Chris, called Word Made Flesh. It’s an intriguing approach to ministry that combines contemplative spirituality with social justice, based on the model pioneered by Mother Teresa. Phileena has also written a book telling her own story that led her into this tradition entitled, Pilgrimage of a Soul.
In this clip, Phileena defines centering prayer for us.
In this clip, Phileena explains how solitude, silence, and stillness can benefit us.
I should mention that if you desire to give this a try, start simple with five minutes and then work your way up to twenty minutes. Thomas Keating recommends twenty minutes, twice a day. And that you stick with it at least six months before deciding this is not for you.
Thanks for posting the videos!
We are using the book, Soulful Spirituality, in our Colloquium small group time. David G. Benner suggests that most of us live our lives in unawareness – we find our inner stirrings as interruptions of our life so drown them out with TV or any other distraction we can find. He alsu suggests that “the attempt to shut down awareness of our inner disquiet is the source of all addictions” (p. 21). I wonder why we are so fearful of quiet and stillness?
Starting from last weeks post I have been giving 5-10 minuets of silence and contemplation. I have loved saying “have mercy on me a sinner” and am looking forward to trying to find a word and focusing on “silence, solitude, and stillness” I have never tried this type of prayer and I have found it surprisingly helpful this week. I loved when you said “The prescription offered by Christian contemplatives is to bring balance back to our lives.” I must say I concur.
I have practiced this type of prayer and contemplation all my life. I just did not realize it. I have been a long time fisherman and I know one thing to be consistently true about fishing; when I am in the stillness and quit of nature, I am in the presence of God. Many times while fishing, I have stopped what I was doing for a couple of minutes (even at an early age) and reflected on God and his creation. I have listened to the birds chirp and the wind blow by, imagining the praises they are singing to God. I know it is not exactly the same as what we are talking about here, but I feel closer to God in those moments, than any other time! I may hear the birds and sounds of nature, but I get lost in the presence of God!
Good word! And I really enjoyed the videos!
I love how Heuertz talks about just sitting and breathing and enjoying the moment. Being alone just you and God.
I find myself having to make a conscious, and sometimes unsuccesful, effort to be alone with my thoughts and God. How easy it is to forget to make time for our creator. I love the concept of entering into a “state of prayer.”
This helped me a lot with my prayer life.
I find this very helpful in my prayer life. Ive started with just 2 minutes and worked my way up to 10. This has most def helped me in my walk. Thanks for the viedos. Those helped me understand better.
This is so true Dr. Pigott. Noise is constantly around us and its almost like our scapegoat in today’s society. I myself feel the need to always have music playing or have the T.V. on when honestly probably just needs to be turned off. This prayer style helps you enter the “state of prayer” rather than just praying.
This definitely made sense. I am rarely in a silent place because I feel like I always have to be doing something or I am bored if it is quiet around me. I enjoyed the videos as well.
Love the videos! Really makes you realize that sometimes you need to slow down and really feel the meaning of your prayers not just let the words fall out and go on about your day.
Loved this article, and these videos! Its so true that many of us do not spend time with God in the way that we should, and if we do spend time with him, many times its because we feel obligated. Its what the “Good christians” should do. We should yearn for this time with God, and that is when we will see changed in our lives. We are called to surrender to our father tand let him work through us.
This makes sense because we need to have a daily quiet time in order for us to hear God. This is so important if we want to get closer and hear what God wants to say to us. A lot of people do not have a daily quiet time because they like to have noise, but it is very important to have it.
I’ve been reading Keating’s book on centering prayer. It’s been interesting and a little out of my comfort zone, which is actually good.
I have always found when I am on a mission trip or at a Christian leadership retreat and have nothing besides God to focus on I seek the solitude and silence I often find so hard to find in my everyday life. It has been on those trips when I consciously make the effort to wake up earlier then everyone else and take a walk, hike or climb that takes me even further away from distractions and on those days I have found a peace settles over me as I contemplate the glory of God and the insignificance of my life but the great love He has for me.
I really liked the videos, Dr. Pigott!
Jesus said to worship, ” . . . in spirit and truth . . .” (He said it twice! Let’s not miss this). Makes me nervous when parts of sentences are pulled out of scripture and the rest is left behind. She is concentrating on spirit, but not truth. It is not a full picture and can go off in the wrong direction. Thinking on the one word, over and over, is way too much like cults. Jesus said NOT to pray like the heathen (He said this when teaching the disciples how to pray). He said NOT to use repetitive words. Should we not be praying like Christ told us to pray (Christ being the “Truth that was made flesh”)? Yes, quiet time is important, very important. But the scripture tells us to be saturated in truth, fill our mind with His Truth, written scripture, not to empty our minds with all but a word. My prayer and quiet time includes an open Bible on my lap. That way I can discern the Holy Spirit from the unholy one.