12 STEP OUTREACH

12 Step Outreach Is One of the Service Teams of Contemplative Outreach, Ltd.

Our Mission: We are 12 Step people who practice Centering Prayer as our 11^th Step and pass it on to others in 12 Step recovery.

Our Purpose: The purpose of 12 Step Outreach is to support one another in the process of spiritual transformation through the practice of Centering Prayer.

Contemplative Outreach Ltd. was founded in 1984 to encourage the practice of Centerng Prayer, which is based on an ancient prayer practice. Thomas Keating, OCSO is one of the founders of the Centering Prayer movement and Contemplative Outreach, a spiritual network that teaches Centering Prayer and provides a support system for those who practice it. He is the author of many books and recorded presentations on Contemplative Prayer. The practice of Centering Prayer, and the spiritual, historical and psychological basis of it, are described and elaborated in several of Thomas Keating's works, including Open Mind, Open Heart and Invitation to Love.

In 2001, The 12 Step Outreach program of Contemplative Outreach was established to offer Centering Prayer to people in all 12 Step fellowships as an 11^th Step prayer/meditation practice. We help individuals and groups establish contemplative prayer practices through workshops, retreats and formation programs. Thomas Keating's recent work, Divine Therapy and Addiction, reflects on the wisdom and the legacy of Alcoholics Anonymous and all 12 Step programs. The practice of Centering Prayer has parallels with other spiritual traditions and is easy to do.

For those who live by the 12 Steps found in AA, Al-Anon, SCA, OA, DA, NA, GA, and other programs, a Centering Prayer practice can be a key support system in the process of recovery and transformation.

Centering Prayer can help deepen our application of the 12 Steps generally, and the 11^th Step specifically, through daily immersion in prayer and meditation. We believe that, when applied as a daily supplement to the 12Steps, Centering Prayer open us to the deepest dimension of spirituality.

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THE GUIDELINES OF CENTERING PRAYER

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1. Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God’s presence and action within.

2. Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly, and silently introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God’s presence and action within.

3. When engaged with your thoughts*, return ever-so-gently to the sacred word.

4. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes.

*thoughts include body sensations,

feelings, images, and reflections

1. The “sacred word” is sacred not because of its inherent meaning, but because of the meaning we give it as the expression of our intention and consent. Examples: Love, Let Go, Serenity, Peace, Silence, Faith, Trust, Gentle, etc.

2. “Sitting comfortably” means relatively comfortably so as not to encourage sleep during the time of prayer.

3. By “returning ever-so-gently to the sacred word” a minimum of effort is indicated. This is the only activity we initiate during the time of Centering Prayer.

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BOOKS AND DVD'S

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DivineDDivine Therapy & Addiction

Centering Prayer and the Twelve Steps

In this major new work Thomas Keating reflects on the wisdom and legacy of the Alcoholics Anonymous Twelve Step Method and its connections to, and similarities with, the Christian mystical traditions of centering prayer and Lectio Divina. In conversion with long-time member of AA meetings, Father Thomas talks insightfully about surrendering to one's Higher Power and the journey that must be undertaken for the healing of the soul to begin.

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Centering Prayer Program

Contemplative Outreach and Sounds True are pleased to present the first complete home study course in learning Centering Prayer, the silent Christian prayer practice for consenting to the presence and action of the Divine Indwelling. Includes more than nine hours of guidance and teachings on CD and DVD from Fr. Thomas Keating, Gail Fitzpatrick-Hopler and Fr. Carl Arico.

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12 STEP OUTREACH IS CARRYING THE MESSAGE TO OTHER COUNTRIES

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This year members of 12 Step Outreach are taking the message of Centering Prayer as an effective 11th Step practice to other countries.

Mary D and her husband, Juan, from Florida will go to the Dominican Republic in March to serve a weekend retreat for regular presenters of Centering Prayer. Mary and Juan will teach the presenters effective ways to communicate with the 12 Step community. Divine Therapy and Addiction is available now in Spanish..

Tom S. recently returned from a trip to the Philippines. During his visit, Tom renewed his friendships with members of the Malate Church group and introduced them to the AA meditation practice popular in NY and St. Louis. The group had their first 11^th step meditation meeting on Tuesday January 21, 2012.

Christophe D. from Los Angeles will go to the Netherlands for the third time in April. Christophe D. from Los Angeles will go to the Netherlands in the Hague for the third annual intro workshop in April. That workshop is sponsored by the local CA and AA groups.

Jim M from St. Louis will attend a 12-Step Recovery Conference for all the German speaking countries in Oldenburg, Germany May 25-27. Jim had the 12-Step Centering Prayer brochure translated into German and he speaks German since he lived there for several years. The conference will have a "Room of Silence" and Jim hopes to let participants know about 12-Step Outreach and distribute the brochure and contact information.

And, in August Pat Johnson from Colorado and Jenny A from Iowa will go to Iceland to do Formation to teach Centering Prayer and they will meet with members of the 12 Step community who have been teaching Centering Prayer as an 11th Step practice.

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THE EFFECTS OF CENTERING PRAYER

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The positive effects of the prayer are experienced in daily life and not necessarily during the prayer period itself. During this prayer, avoid analyzing the experience, or having expectations such as: continuously repeating the sacred word; having no thoughts; achieving a spiritual experience. It is important not to judge the success of your prayer period. The only thing you can do wrong in this prayer is to get up and leave. You may find yourself getting in touch with feelings of pain, lust, or fear, even remembering feelings or events you forgot about long ago. There is no way to change or repair the damage of a lifetime EASILY or QUICKLY.

Everyone moves at his or her own pace in Centering Prayer. Just doing the prayer and opening our self to the presence of our Higher Power in silence will encourage you to keep going.

Growth will happen when we practice Centering Prayer in the context of the 12 Steps.
Enhances our ability to “Let Go and Let God”
Develops in us a nonjudgmental attitude of ourselves and others
We grow in self knowledge which at times may be painful
Emerging capacity to listen and serve others
Nurtures our ability to live in the present moment and just for today
SOME PRACTICAL POINTS

1) Twenty minutesof Centering Prayer twice a day is recommended.

2) If you notice slight physical or emotional pain arising during the prayer, pay no attention and return ever so gently to the sacred word.

3) It is suggested that you join a weekly Centering Prayer Group or find others in recovery willing to meet on a regular basis, to support one another in this practice.

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MEMBERS SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE

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SPIRITUAL JET LAG

I just returned from St Benedict Monastery after spending 9 days in silence with my 12 step brothers and sisters.

This was my 7th retreat there in 7 years.

This time the silence was filled with fury and groans for the first 3 days until I finally surrendered and was lost to depths never experienced before. Words are powerless to describe such experience but I can somewhat measure the depth and width of what happens in silence by the way I (dis) function on "re-entry" from the retreat; this year was informative in that regard. to continue go to stories

Coming down from Snowmass Mountain

This was the seventh year we've had this all 12 step, 10 days, silent retreat and the past few years have been a turning point for me in being able to hold the silence. We do a lot of meditation time. Together in a group, 3 and a half hour of sits a day. I wish I could put my finger on exactly what happened during that time or know for sure that this or that shift took place but I really don't know any of that.

to continue go to stories

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JOIN IN THE CONVERSATION

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I know we shouldn't judge our experience in centering prayer and I don't mean this in the way of judging but only by way of talking about the journey I wanted to share this. Talking About The Journey.