Into the Silence

 

Christian Contemplative Meditation and the Practice of Presence

As early Christianity took root in the first centuries of the Common Era, a quiet movement began to flourish in the desert. Far from the political centres of Rome or Jerusalem, seekers retreated into solitude – not to escape the world, but to encounter God more directly. These were the Desert Fathers and Mothers, early Christian ascetics who sought union with the Divine through simplicity, silence, and prayer.

This marked the beginning of what would become known as Christian contemplative meditation. Rather than emptying the mind for its own sake, contemplation in the Christian tradition is a gaze of love, an inner turning of the heart toward God. It is less about doing and more about being in relationship … wordless, trusting, and open.

Over the centuries, this tradition deepened. From the fourth-century teachings of Evagrius Ponticus to the anonymous 14th-century English text The Cloud of Unknowing, Christian mystics taught that we come closest to God not through thinking about God, but through surrender into the mystery. This thread was carried through Lectio Divina, the Benedictine rhythm of prayerful scripture reading, and later revived in the 20th century as Centering Prayer by monks such as Thomas Keating and Thomas Merton.

At its heart, Christian contemplation is a prayer of presence – a spacious resting in the quiet company of God.

Meditation Practice: Centering Prayer

Inspired by the contemplative Christian mystics and brought into the modern era by Fr. Thomas Keating, Centering Prayer offers a simple and profound way to sit with the Divine.

“Consent to God’s presence and action within.” – Thomas Keating

To practice:

1. Choose a sacred word (such as Peace, Love, Abba, or Here) as a symbol of your intention to be open to God.
2. Sit comfortably and allow the body to settle. Close your eyes gently.
3. Silently introduce your sacred word, not as a mantra, but as a gesture of turning toward the presence of the Divine.
4. When thoughts arise (as they will), gently return to the sacred word. No effort, no judgment—just return.
5. Rest in this space for 10–20 minutes. When finished, sit in stillness for a few moments before re-entering your day.

This is a prayer of trust, a quiet being-with rather than a doing-for.

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Type of Meditation: Entering Prayer
Root Tradition: Christianity
Key Region: Middle East, Europe
Rough Timeframe: 100 CE – Present