Distracted and Absent

“I’m lost in my screens again!” “Another day gone by in a blur.” “My mind is too busy to meditate.” How easy it is for us to get distracted in meditation and in life. God is, as Augustine said, closer to us than we are to ourselves. But too often we are distant from God and even more absent from ourselves and from our lives. From distraction and absence come unhappiness, addiction and a quiet despair that easily undermines our ability to realize our life’s purpose.

Present to the Divine Presence

Practicing sacred attention, learning how to listen to God, awakens you to the divine presence in everything, in every moment of time. Learning this way of meditation gives you an interior practice for experiencing what de Caussade called the sacrament of the present moment, a inner way for bringing to life what Brother Lawrence of the Resurrection called practicing the presence of God, an entry into Therese of Lisieux’ s little way of devotion through daily activities. Happiness, freedom and joy arise from presence to the Divine Presence. Jesus said, God is in your midst! (Lk 17: 21)

Experience this Approach as a Way of Integrating Centering Prayer with Ordinary Life

David has shared this simple contemplative approach for twenty years as “The Attention/ Intention Practice” — an effective way of integrating Centering Prayer into ordinary life. Join David, Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler, Pamela Begeman and Mary Ann Brussat for an e-course, offered through Spirituality and Practice on an on-demand format, in which some of the principles of Attention/ Intention will be explored.

Scripture, Creation, Relationships, Healing, Creativity

Sacred attention is now being developed in a much deeper way, in a more holistic program, as a complete contemplative approach for awakening to God’s transformation of your awareness and your life.

Sacred attention is accessed and practiced through many channels. Learning to listen to God in scripture, especially the psalms, has always been a practice of contemplative monks and nuns. Sacred attention allows you to hear God singing in the psalms. The early Christian monks also experienced Creation as a “second book of revelation.” Sacred presence to God in Creation awakens you to appreciate the unity of life and better care for the natural world. Training your awareness to attend to the depths of relationship opens you to greater intimacy with others. Practicing being present with your own felt experience opens you to healing and a new relationship with your humanity. Learning how to attend to the Spirit’s movements in your intuition aligns you with your creativity. What is needed is a simple interior contemplative practice that opens your to the treasures of life.

New Retreats and Resources

A nine-day retreat, March 14-22, 2014, will be offered at the Garrison Institute; please see David’s Teaching Schedule here for updated information. You may also contact Lindsay Boyer of the Garrison Institute for more information: lindsay@lindsayboyer.com. Sign up in the “Stay Informed” box at the right to receive periodic updates on other new resources for cultivating this contemplative approach.