. . . apophatic prayer . . . refers to prayer without images. Here, you simply call to mind that God’s loving presence saturates all things, and so you simply rest in a kind of general attentiveness to God, open to receiving whatever God wants to give. You come to know God as the Ground of your own being, and the presence at the heart of all things. No words can express this, and so apophatic prayer emphasizes loving silence and “unknowing” as distinctive features.

This quote from a previous conference on prayer describes what contemplative meditation practice is about. In fact, the description of apophatic prayer given above pretty much coincides with the understanding of mystical contemplation expressed by many Christian spiritual writers. Contemplation = apophatic prayer, including the Prayer of Quiet, Prayer of Union, and so forth.

In our previous conference, we discussed the “ladder of prayer,” and how the practice of Lectio Divina can help one come to a state of recollection, which is fertile ground for the reception of contemplative graces. This conference will review other meditation practices which proceed more in the apophatic mode, making use of very few words or symbols, if any. Whether or not the gift of mystical contemplation is given, we cannot control: that part is up to God. But we can wait, and invite, and hope, and be ready for these mystical graces through apophatic meditation practice.

Two Apophatic Stances

There are two general approaches to aphopatic meditation. The first is often called concentrative, as the focus is on awareness and the cultivation of expanded and clearer states of awareness. One learns to make a distinction between the contents of consciousness (thoughts, feelings, images, etc.) and the fact of awareness itself. You might say that this type of practice seeks God as the Ground or Source of awareness and subjecivity. It is consciousness-centered and, therefore, somewhat impersonal and non-relational in comparison to the other type of practice I shall soon describe. Some of the meditation methods used in the concentrative approach are Zazen (Zen meditation), Vipassana (Buddhist awareness meditation), T.M. (Transcendental Meditation), various forms of breath prayer, and Focusing (when used in a spiritual sense). John Main’s method of Christian Meditation, which makes use of a mantra, also belongs to this type of practice, I believe.

The other general approach to apophatic meditation is called receptive. God is approached as a relational Partner and one seeks loving union with God at the level of the will. These methods are volitional-centered rather than consciousness-centered and seem much more predominant in the Christian mystical tradition. Perhaps the best example is centering prayer, which makes use of a simple prayer word, but not in the manner of a mantra, which is a device to calm the mind and produce expanded states of awareness. The prayer word in centering prayer is used to refocus one’s attention toward God and to give expression to one’s consent to God’s will and action within. This is relational prayer, primarily, finding its roots in the Christian tradition in such writings as the Cloud of Unknowing and St. Teresa of Avila’s prayer of simplicity. Hesychast prayer--praying the Jesus Prayer--is also another good example of a receptive form of meditation.

Concentrative and receptive methods can both have their place in the life of Christian prayer; each individual will have to find which is more suitable at any given time. For example, I’m sometimes drawn to spend the first few minutes doing Zazen, or some form of breathing prayer, to clear the mind and open awareness. Then I’ll read a Scripture and stay with a short phrase from it, using this as my prayer phrase in the manner of centering prayer. There seems to be a natural movement from kataphatic to aphophatic practice, and within the latter, there can be a movement between concentrative and receptive methods. In my own experience, I find it more helpful to emphasize the receptive approach, as this helps me to realize better the relational perspective emphasized in Christian faith.

In our next conference, we’ll look more into the issue of Eastern forms of meditation and their place in the Christian spiritual life. For now, however, I’d like to stay with this recognition of two basic approaches of apophatic meditation. Some of the web sites listed below can also provide good content for our discussion on this thread.

Two simple receptive practices

Here are two simple forms of receptive apophatic prayer that you might want to try sometime. This is mostly what I do now, in addition to lectio divina and occasional glossalalia.

A. Modified of Centering Prayer. After spending some time in lectio divina, or when you feel recollected and ready for prayer, simply direct your attention to God, using a sacred word or short phrase. When a distraction comes along, turn it over to the care of God in prayer of petition, especially if it's a distraction you're concerned about. After turning it over, return to the sacred word. Keep up this practice throughout your prayer time. Remeber, prayer of petition is a form of prayer, and turning things over to the care of God is a form of surrender.

B. Letting God "Breathe You" to Life. Again, after lectio divina or when you are ready for your apophatic meditation time, sit with your back straight, and chin slightly tucked in. Place your feet squarely on the floor and let your hands rest in your lap, palms up. Begin to be aware of your breathing, and let your breathing become your "sacred word," if you will. I also like to use, "Jesus, breath me." Let your breathing be the terms of relationship with God. When you inhale, God is breathing life into you; your inhalation is God's exhalation. When you exhale, you are surrendering yourself to God and God is receiving your life; your exhalation is God's inhalation. Let your breathing be slow, prayerful, and deep, but don't try to force any particular pattern. If it becomes shallow, let it be that way; if it even stops, that's OK. Sooner or later it will deepen, having been "reset" by the Spirit according to the Spirit's rhythm. You are a cell in Christ's mystical body; let him be the breather during this meditation to deeply integrate you into his Body. Continue meditating in this mode for a few minutes, or until you feel drawn to other forms of prayer.

Further Reading

The World Community for Christian Meditation. Web site devoted to supporting the practice of Christian meditation (concentrative type) as taught by Fr. John Main. See the Freqently Asked Questions link for more information about the method.
Centering Prayer Provides a good description of the practice as well as links related to the practice.
Prayer of the Heart. Excellent presentation on contemplative practice by Bill Ryan, a friend of Shalom Place.
Pray Without Ceasing A Look at the Jesus Prayer and the Way of Hesychast for the Modern World

Reflection and Discussion

1. What questions or comments do you have about this lesson?

2. What are some of your experiences in using concentrative and receptive forms of apophatic meditation?