INTIMACY WITH GOD : INTRODUCTION TO CENTERING PRAYER

This guide explains its origins, theological basis, and psychology by drawing on the writings of important Catholic figures, such as St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross, and significant texts, such as "The Cloud of Unknowing." Describing the theological basis for the Centering Prayer while staying rooted in the heart of a practice that is very personal and intimate, the study explores how harmful attitudes and beliefs about God can distort a positive relationship with the divine.

With a careful balance of both Christian and Buddhist philosophy, the volume also discusses the psychological barriers and levels of resistance that contemplatives must face and bolsters seekers with supportive practices like "Lectio Divina "(holy reading) and praying the rosary. 

Thomas Keating was the founder of the Centering Prayer movement, an author, a teacher, and a monk who worked for many years to foster understanding among the world's religions. A member of the Cistercian Order in the Benedictine tradition, he served at monasteries in Colorado and Massachusetts and directed retreats in the practice of Centering Prayer, a cornerstone of contemporary Christian contemplative practice.  He lived at St. Benedict's Monastery in Snowmass, Colorado.