Some Notes on Preserving the essential nature of our groups
We remain committed to creating a particular environment in our contemplative prayer groups with the following characteristics:
welcoming;
inclusive;
safe, with an emphasis on silence rather than talking;
containing ritual elements that provide consistency and familiarity, helping participants to enter the prayer space.
welcoming
We read a welcoming statement that expresses our sense of radical hospitality:
Welcome to this digital contemplative prayer group. This is a place for all God’s people. Whatever your beliefs or doubts you are welcome here. If you are new to centering prayer, just follow the instructions as the session unfolds. You are also welcome to use the silence in any other way that is right for you.
Different co-leaders may have different approaches to welcoming participants before the main meeting begins, from remaining in silence to inviting some conversation. We use our own sense of hospitality to create a welcoming environment while being aware that many of the people who come to our groups are looking primarily for silent fellowship and appreciate not being questioned too much or put on the spot.
Inclusive
We select passages for lectio divina not only from scripture but also poetry and reflections from various faith and wisdom leaders. We try to select passages that will create an atmosphere of openness and inclusivity while expressing our deep trust in contemplative practice.
Whenever possible, we avoid using male pronouns for God. Co-leaders may choose to edit lectio readings and use constructions like repeating the word God, God’s and God’s self to avoid he and him.
While we sometimes try to address current events in a prayerful way in our selection of prayers and readings, we try to avoid being too strident or partisan, trying to allow room for many prayerful points of view to coexist.
Perhaps as our groups enter a new era with more co-leaders and more room for different voices heard within sessions we will develop an even greater sense of inclusivity.
Safe/Emphasis on silence and not talking
While some people may be disappointed that there isn’t more sharing and fellowship in our groups, there is something very special about the balance of silence and talking in our groups. There is no pressure to talk at the beginning or the end or to share, and even the sharing of the word or phrase in lectio is not mandatory. We may find ways to provide more opportunities for fellowship and sharing as long as they remain somewhat separate from the main group so that participants know that with in the groups they won't be put on the spot or pressured in any way. Someone once told me that our group was the only place in her life where she didn't have to listen to “men talking too much,” and I'd like to keep it that way. We hope to make our group spiritually nourishing without overwhelming participants with wordiness or intellectual material.
Ritual Elements
Repeating the same elements in each session helps people to enter the prayer space and creates a sense of safety and existing beyond time. The meeting often begins with Psalm 46 or 63 chanted antiphonally, and the closing prayer is often either the Jesus Prayer or the Night Prayer, which regular participants have learned almost by heart from repetition, bringing the meeting to a close with a sense of familiarity and comfort.
However it's also good to leave enough freedom for co-leaders to improvise a little bit and be creative and playful. That's how new things come into being and the program can evolve in healthy ways. Perhaps we could have a kind of a tiered structure where new co-leaders are required to maintain the regular elements while those who have led a certain number of sessions have more freedom to substitute new prayers and experiment a bit more.