
The Heart of Centering Prayer
Nondual Christianity in Theory and Practice
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Narrated by:
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Gabra Zackman
About this listen
Centering prayer is the path to a wonderful and radical new way of seeing the world. It is not, as is sometimes thought, simply an act of devotional piety, nor is it a Christianized form of other meditation methods. Cynthia Bourgeault here cuts through the misconceptions to show that centering prayer is in fact a pioneering development within the Christian contemplative tradition. She provides a practical, complete course in the practice and then goes deeper to analyze what actually happens in centering prayer: the mind effectively switches to a new operating system that makes possible the perception of nonduality. With this understanding in place, she then takes us on a journey through one of the sources of the practice, the Christian contemplative classic The Cloud of Unknowing, revealing it to be among the earliest Christian explorations of the phenomenology of consciousness.
Cynthia Bourgeault's illumination of the centering prayer path provides compelling evidence of how important the practice has become in the half century since it first arose among American Trappist monks and of its maturation and refinement over the ensuing years of sincere study and practice. It will resonate with beginners on the centering prayer path as well as with seasoned practitioners.
Cover image: Mark Tomalty / Masterfile.
©2016 Cynthia Bourgeault (P)2017 Audible, Inc.Listeners also enjoyed...
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By: Thomas Keating
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The Holy Trinity and the Law of Three
- Discovering the Radical Truth at the Heart of Christianity
- By: Cynthia Bourgeault
- Narrated by: Patricia Rodriguez
- Length: 8 hrs and 23 mins
- Unabridged
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Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. In this formula that Christians recite as though on autopilot lie the secrets for healing our world, rekindling our visionary imagination, and manifesting the Kingdom of Heaven on earth. It’s an astonishing claim, but one that is supported by Cynthia Bourgeault’s exploration of Trinitarian theology—and by her bold work in further articulating the deep truth it contains.
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Refreshing theology
- By Nathan Kelley on 02-04-25
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Singing the Psalms
- How to Chant in the Christian Contemplative Tradition
- By: Cynthia Bourgeault
- Narrated by: Cynthia Bourgeault
- Length: 4 hrs and 19 mins
- Original Recording
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Fifteen-hundred years ago, St. Benedict established a system of ora et labora prayer and work that monastics still follow today. Central to this prayerful integration of body and spirit is psalmody, or chanting the psalms. On Singing the Psalms, Episcopal priest Cynthia Bourgeault shows how the psalms can awaken rich spiritual and psychological insights accessible to you today, whatever your level of vocal skill or theological understanding.
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EXCELLENT introduction
- By angelagrace on 11-08-15
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Open Mind, Open Heart
- 20th Anniversary Edition
- By: Thomas Keating
- Narrated by: Joel Richards
- Length: 5 hrs and 40 mins
- Unabridged
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First published in 1986, Open Mind, Open Heart remains one of the best introductions to contemplative prayer. Father Thomas Keating discusses the history of contemplative prayer in the Christian tradition, and introduces the listener to the practice of centering prayer as a spiritual discipline.
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Amazing book
- By Leopoldine Blaise on 02-21-25
By: Thomas Keating
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The Naked Now
- Learning to See as the Mystics See
- By: Richard Rohr
- Narrated by: Rick Adamson
- Length: 5 hrs and 38 mins
- Unabridged
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The enlightenment you seek in other religions has been present in Christianity from the beginning. Richard Rohr, a global leader in spiritual awakening, helps you recognize the forces (such as ego resistance and dual thinking) that separate you from your deeper self. Then, drawing from Gospels and the greatest Christian contemplatives, he shows you what it means to be spiritually awake. You will learn why your ego resists change and growth, what is useful about popular ideas such as the law of attraction, what Jesus, the first mythical leader in the West, can teach you.
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exceptional insights on Christianity
- By Mister E on 04-15-20
By: Richard Rohr
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The Cloud of Unknowing: With the Book of Privy Counsel
- By: Carmen Acevedo Butcher - translator
- Narrated by: James Patrick Cronin
- Length: 5 hrs and 26 mins
- Unabridged
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This anonymous fourteenth-century text is the glory of English mysticism, and one of the most practical and useful guides to finding union with God ever written. Carmen Acevedo Butcher’s new translation is the first to bring the text into a modern English idiom - while remaining strictly faithful to the meaning of the original Middle English. The Cloud of Unknowingconsists of a series of letters written by a monk to his student or disciple, instructing him (or her) in the way of Divine union.
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Contemplation -> transformation
- By M. James on 03-24-15
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The Contemplative Journey: Volume 1
- Contemplation and Transformation from Christianity's Mystical Tradition
- By: Father Thomas Keating
- Narrated by: Father Thomas Keating
- Length: 10 hrs and 44 mins
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From infancy, Father Keating teaches, we accumulate emotional layers, or programs, as a result of traumatic experiences. The practice of Centering Prayer engages directly with the unconscious and loosens old traumas that hinder your spiritual development. This form of divine therapy draws from a contemplative method that has brought profound inner transformation into the lives of thousands of practitioners.
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Love to listen to Fr Keating
- By Glory on 11-28-15
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Divine Therapy and Addiction: Centering Prayer and the Twelve Steps
- By: Thomas Keating
- Narrated by: Dan Carroll
- Length: 6 hrs and 45 mins
- Unabridged
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In this major work, Father Thomas Keating, with Tom S. interviewing, reflects on the wisdom and legacy of the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-Step method and its connections to, and similarities with, the Christian mystical traditions of centering prayer and Lectio Divina. In conversation with a long-time member of AA meetings, Father Thomas talks insightfully about surrendering to one's Higher Power and the journey that must be undertaken for the healing of the soul to begin.
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The Story of Light and Peace.
- By Diane H. on 09-13-21
By: Thomas Keating
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New Seeds of Contemplation
- By: Thomas Merton
- Narrated by: Jonathan Montaldo
- Length: 8 hrs and 56 mins
- Unabridged
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New Seeds of Contemplation is one of Thomas Merton's most widely known and best-loved books. Christians and non-Christians alike have joined in praising it as a notable successor in the meditative tradition of St. John of the Cross, The Cloud of Unknowing, and the medieval mystics, while others have compared Merton's reflections with those of Thoreau.
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Profound
- By Robert on 12-13-24
By: Thomas Merton
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Meister Eckhart's Living Wisdom
- Indestructible Joy and the Path of Letting Go
- By: James Finley
- Narrated by: James Finley
- Length: 6 hrs and 21 mins
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The 13th-century mystic Meister Eckhart was the most brilliant Christian scholar of his day, but he was also legendary for the way that he opened listeners to the direct experience of God during his public talks. Today, his written wisdom remains alive as ever, ready to illuminate us. With Meister Eckhart's Living Wisdom, James Finley, one of today's best-known teachers of the Christian contemplative tradition, invites us into Eckhart's insights in the same way that this luminary teacher delighted in sharing them.
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Great stuff but missing links are unfortunate
- By LEVI on 08-21-19
By: James Finley
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Ordinary Mysticism
- Your Life as Sacred Ground
- By: Mirabai Starr
- Narrated by: Mirabai Starr
- Length: 7 hrs and 22 mins
- Unabridged
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Life, Starr reminds us, is holy ground. Lyrical and tender, filled with profound wisdom and mind-opening insights, Ordinary Mysticism is about finding wonder in regular life, grounded in lessons from spiritual teachers across the centuries—from Julian of Norwich to Ram Dass. Starr combines their ancient wisdom with the story of her own personal and spiritual journey—from surviving the heartbreak of her fourteen-year-old daughter’s death to growing up amid the 1960s counterculture that introduced her to mysticism to her self-made spiritual practice of today.
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Mirabai has a true gift in reaching my soul
- By Thomas Fanelli on 10-05-24
By: Mirabai Starr
What listeners say about The Heart of Centering Prayer
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- Tony Pelusi Jr.
- 08-23-18
Deeper Dive
Well presented exposition of the deeper levels of Centering Prayer that opened the doors to greater possibility
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- robynsnestwa
- 02-02-24
Connecting Science with Mystery
If you are looking to deepen your perception of self and God this is the book for you. I am not a scholar but enjoyed the modern day scientific connections the author teaches to help my mind let go and allow the great mystery of God to settle softly in my soul, discovering an opening or vastness called Love.
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- KevinMcKenna
- 01-23-20
Brought me closer to my higher power
I am practicing centering prayer twice a day now instead of once in the morning. Fill of deep insight on the practice.
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- F.A.
- 10-21-22
So glad I listened to this
While casually browsing the interner I stumbled upon a SAND conference talk by Cynthia Bourgeault on youtube and what she said about the act of releasing thoughts as a way to upgrade your operating system just clicked with me. I was drawn to centering prayer and immediately got this book. For some years now I have been interested in meditation, buddhist psychology and the works of authors like Ekhart Tolle, Byron Katie, Michael Singer and also A Course in Miracles. I feel this book opens a new dimension for my spiritual journey. A truly illuminating read. 5 stars.
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- JThomso
- 09-13-17
A gift for the centering prayer movement
This is a bold, provocative and challenging study by someone who obviously has genuine experience as well as brilliant insight. This book is a real gift to the centering prayer movement, which is currently at a critical crossroad. I very much appreciate the author's exploration of the Cloud of Unknowing, which I have struggled with for years. More of that, please. I'd like for her to write a study of the whole book. I was not happy with the reader, whom I found detached from the material, a little smug, and too rushed for this deep material. I regret that Cynthia didn't elect to read it herself.
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16 people found this helpful
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- Recondite
- 05-13-21
A MUST-READ for Centering Prayer
I have listened to this reading of Cynthia Bourgeault's book about six times now, and intend to listen more. It is spiritually nourishing and a must-read for prospective and current practitioners of Centering Prayer. As an extra treat, Gabra Zackman's reading is marvelous, breathing tremendous life into an already great book. Listeners are treated to a soothing, dynamic voice that ranges over the author's powerful insights and vibrant style.
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- D. Raynal
- 06-03-21
A must read for anyone on a path
I love this book. CB has such a clear and concise way at getting to the heart of the matter. Her mix of scholarship, clarity and precise use of language is both masterful and compelling. I would heart fully recommend this book to anyone who wishes to expand their awareness of centering prayer and spiritual growth in general.
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- JeffA
- 04-15-17
Being present in the Heart of it all
She reconnected me to the 12th Cent book The Cloud of Unknowing What a Gift
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4 people found this helpful
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- Judith Templeton
- 01-10-18
Centering Prayer: spiritual, kinotic homing
Loved it! Most memorable, a felt sense of God in my chest area, as Bourgeault described in the last chapter. Zackman's reading was wonderful (slowed to 90% for this listener). I joined the Centering Prayer organization immediately upon finishing, continue regular practice, & proceed on my path, renewed. Thank you all & God!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Will D.
- 09-17-18
Best spiritual book in 32 years
I have been on a spiritual quest for 32 years and this is the best contemplative book I have read. Cynthia Bourgeault has beautifully summarized so many STEs (spiritually transformative experiences) and this has helped me to better ‘see the terrain I have already traveled through’ and it has also given me an overwhelming sense of ‘quenched thirst’ while I long for much more of the same ‘to drink’.
The first part of the book is a good introduction to contemplation in the “centering prayer” tradition. So, this book is both for an introduction to contemplation and also for the advanced, who has been given the divine gift of contemplation many times. I’ve listened twice to this book and will listen several more times as I follow along in the physical book.
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2 people found this helpful