The Journey Inward provides practical insights to facilitate the ability to sit still before God, using the contemplative writing of Teresa of Avila’s Interior Castle as a framework.

Day Eight

Psalm 8:3-4: “When I look at your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars that you have established; what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?”

Devotional

We can extend our prayer of quiet in different ways. Each variation of this discipline requires the same quiet observation as in the last exercise, and aims at letting go of our thoughts so that we can focus using our senses.

Prayer of Quiet (Nature)

Intentionally go out into creation and contemplate the landscape in front of you. Sit or walk silently in your surroundings and bring a simple awareness of God’s presence through creation. Observe the nature around you and consider details in it that you would not normally notice. Use your five senses to do this. When your mind distracts you with thoughts, notice this, and then gently redirect your focus back to observing what is around you. You can try doing this:

·      In your garden

·      At the beach

·      Walking in a park

·      Sitting with your pet

Contemplate God as Creator of all that you see, hear, feel, taste and smell. Continue with this activity for as long as you are able. Finish your time with a mental prayer of praise and thanksgiving for all that is around you and for God who created it.

Prayer of Quiet (Sound)

Choose a piece of classical music or listen to the sounds of nature. Fully observe all the different sounds you can hear. If you start getting distracted, gently redirect your focus to simply listening to the music or sounds you can hear. Do not be surprised by distractions. When they occur, notice them, and then focus once again on simply observing the sounds.

Dr Thompson’s Christ Centred Mindfulness books are available at Koorong. Additional resources are available here.