One of the things Cynthia Bourgeault suggests in her book The Heart of Centering Prayer is to choose a word that you can use as a “bookmark” to say to yourself when you find your mind wander during prayer. The word is not something that you focus on, but a gentle reminder to bring your attention back to God.
When I first read that, I thought I knew just what my word would be. I had chosen the word “embrace” as my word for this year. Then, reading further and trying to put the word into practice, I realized that it had too many thoughts attached to it. I needed a word that would not activate my thinking. After some more consideration an practice I found another word. Bourgeault suggests that the word you choose to us during your time on Centering Prayer is something you hold very close and not share with everyone. With her recommendation, I am going to not share my word here. However, I have found that using it along with an exhale from my breath has been helpful.
Again Bourgeault says that unlike other forms of meditation the goal is not to focus on your breath, a mantra, or a word but emptying yourself to make room for the presence of God. In that way I see using my breath along with my word as a set of dual bookmarks you might say. You only use the focus on something in particular like a word or breath as a bookmark.
I much of my writing about prayer beads I refer to them as tools for prayer. I can see now how they could also be referred to as bookmarks for prayer.
CenterRings Mindfulness Reminder Necklace
In a a previous post I referred to a new endeavor I was working on called CenterRings Mindfulness Reminders. It took me some time to decide that I wanted these necklaces I was making to be separate from prayer bedes, but I still find many times there is a definite cross over and they both actually focus on tools for prayer. Granted, CenterRings necklaces are directed at a broader audience that might not necessarly label themselves as a Christian.
Thinking of bookmarks, one of the things I am using as a metaphor of the present moment for CenterRings is the baby bird. The baby bird has two-fold meaning for me. It is when I notice the the song of a bird that I realize I am being more centered in the present moment. The symbolism of the baby bird also refers to “holding your thoughts and feelings as gently as you would a baby bird”–without judging or trying to analyze them. (I have written more about this on my CenterRings blog.)
In my experience that gentleness with your thoughts and feelings is also a key in Centering Prayer. It is a way of observing and letting go that helps me avoid clinging or grabbing onto my thoughts and feelings. So in that way, I see a little bird as possibly a helpful tool or bookmark one could use in Centering Prayer.
Link to my CenterRings Etsy Shop:
CenterRings on Etsy
Link to my CenterRings blog:
What other tools or bookmarks could be helpful tools for prayer? Though our breath is not one of our five senses, I can see how prayer beads, a word, aroma, and the sound or vision of a little bird being tools or bookmarks that bring us back into the presence of God. After all, is not our intention in all forms of prayer to enter into God’s presence? We can say we always do that every second f every day, but in reality we get caught up in so many other things that we need to take time to focus on our relationship with God. As with all prayer practices, it requires practice.
Shalom!
