Searching for the Center

On Saturday, May 31, my sabbatical adventure took me across mountains and valleys, through canyons, and alongside sprawling mesas and rivers, swollen and raging with the spring runoff from a heavy snow-melt, and to the other side of the beautiful state of Colorado. My destination: the Spes in Deo ("Hope in God") Retreat Center south of Montrose, in the shadow of the awe-inspiring San Juan Mountains of southwestern Colorado.

The retreat center director had given me clear directions–landmarks to watch for, the center is 9 miles south of Montrose, and "if you get to storage units, turn around". I got to the storage units, but didn’t think I was 9 miles south of Montrose. 3 miles further, I was in another hamlet. I called my host: "Yes, you’ve gone too far!" was the reply. I headed back north, past the storage units once more, and spotted the Spes in Deo sign–after almost passing it again! Finally, my search was ended. I arrived at Spes in Deo, and was touched to see a handwritten sign posted in front, "Welcome, Rick!"

Spes in Deo is an approved retreat center under the auspices of the Roman Catholic Bishop of Pueblo. Joyce, the director, is a trained spiritual director and a lay associate member of the Franciscan order of religious; I’ve always respected and appreciated the Franciscans for their gentleness, respect for all of creation, and passion for peace and justice. So, I had a strong hunch I’d enjoy Joyce, and that hunch proved to be correct!

After my arrival, I was escorted to my quarters for the next four days–a comfortable dome home on the family property, built especially for retreatants. After settling in, I was invited to join Joyce and her two daughters, who live with their recently-widowed Mom, at the family dinner table. We had some enjoyable conversation, and I was warmly invited–and accepted–an invitation to join them at Mass the next morning, with the assurance that I would be welcome to share in the Holy Communion. By this time, I was quite tired from my drive, and settled in for the night.

I didn’t really know what to expect from this retreat, other than intending to receive some spiritual and physical rest and renewal. After Mass–which I thoroughly enjoyed–and another meal with the family, I began what would be another search for another Center. Under Joyce’s spiritual direction, I was invited into an intense and intentional search for God who dwells within me, at the center of my true self.

Joyce is trained in the method of contemplative prayer called Centering Prayer. In fact, for a number of years her personal spiritual director was Father Thomas Keating, a founder of the contemporary practice of Centering Prayer, a priest and Trappist monk, and a resident of Snowmass Abbey near Aspen, CO. Father Keating has adopted and adapted an ancient prayer practice, rarely utilized in the past three centuries, and offered it as a tool for the spiritual renewal and deepening of countless persons. At the heart of Centering Prayer is the commitment to set aside two 20-minute periods daily with the intention of resting in God.

I have committed myself to practicing Centering Prayer for three months; that’s the recommended "trial" period before one determines if the method is helpful to one’s spiritual growth and deepening of faith. Typical outcomes for those who practice Centering Prayer are deeper intimacy with God, greater awareness of one’s true self, and a more consistent ability to live and relate to others with authenticity. So, we’ll see where this leads me–and, if you would, keep me in prayer as I take this step in my faith development.

If you’d like to know more about Centering Prayer, feel free to visit the Contemplative Outreach website, dedicated to furthering the practice of Centering Prayer and supporting those engaged in it. The web address is http://www.centeringprayer.com/