La Oración Contemplativa
«In the silence of contemplative prayer, the heart learns to rest in the Presence that illuminates all.» — Anonymous
In this edition, the Holistic Corner opens a space dedicated to Contemplative Prayer—an ancient practice that invites us to quiet inner noise, still the mind, and rest in Presence as a path of deep transformation.
What is Contemplative Prayer?
The Contemplative prayer is a silent and receptive form of prayer in which one does not seek to think, analyze, or speak with God, but to remain consciously in His Presence.
It is not about doing, but about being.
It is not reflection, petition, or reading, but Loving Silence.
In Christianity, contemplative prayer is the path of inner silence, equivalent in depth to meditation in the East, though oriented toward a personal and loving encounter with God.
Contemplation is simply being with God, without ideas or words.
— Thomas Merton
Silence is God’s first language.
— St. John of the Cross
| Essential Characteristics of Contemplative Prayer | Fruits of Contemplative Prayer | • Inner and outer silence • Loving and awake attention • Absence of images and concepts • Absence of images and concepts • An attitude of surrender and trust • Presence is allowed, not sought • A non-discursive prayer: it does not think about God, it rests in God | They are not sought, but often arise: • Deep peace • Greater compassion • Inner clarity • Detachment from ego identification • Trust in God and in Life • Integration of body–mind–spirit |
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Ancient Christian Roots
Contemplative prayer lies at the heart of early Christianity.
In the early Church, prayer was not primarily about “saying,” but about remaining.
“When you pray, go into your room and pray in secret” (Mt 6:6)
Desert Fathers and Mothers (3rd–5th centuries)
Seeking to return to the source of the Gospel.
Key contribution:
Hesychia (stillness, union), deep silence, inner watchfulness, simple and continuous prayer.
Hesychast Tradition (Eastern Christianity)
- Origins (3rd–5th centuries)
- Monastic development (6th–12th centuries)
- Theological consolidation (14th century)
Key contribution:
Prayer of the heart, inner stillness, loving and continuous attention to Presence.
Western Monastic Tradition
(Benedictines, Cistercians, Carthusians)
Emerging between the 4th and 6th centuries, consolidated during the Middle Ages, and alive today as a path of prayer, silence, and contemplative life.
Key contribution:
Lectio Divina, silent contemplation, rhythm of a prayerful life.
Foundational text:
The Cloud of Unknowing (14th century)
Teaches the letting go of thoughts and concepts in order to love God in silence.
Christian Mysticism
Carmelite Mysticism (16th–17th centuries)
- Teresa of Ávila: prayer as friendship, unitive experience
- John of the Cross: silence, loving encounter, transforming union
Key contribution:
Interior life, love, self-emptying, union with God.
Mística medieval occidental (siglos XII y XIV)
A spirituality centered on interiority, silence, and loving union with God.
Key contribution:
Contemplation without images or concepts, the via negativa, and trusting surrender.
Figuras destacadas:
- Meister Eckhart
- Juliana de Norwich
Modern and Contemporary Tradition
Renewal of contemplative prayer in dialogue with the modern world:
- Thomas Merton
- Thomas Keating
- Cynthia Bourgeault
Key contribution:
Centering Prayer, contemplation in daily life, interspiritual dialogue.
Contemplative Prayer as a Shared Christian Ground
“Abide in me” (Jn 15:4)
Common Core of the Contemplative Experience
- Inner silence as God’s language
- Loving attention beyond words and images
- Centrality of the heart
- Primacy of grace over effort
- Life transformation as its fruit
“Be still, and know that I am God” (Ps 46:10)
Essential Synthesis
The Contemplative Prayer is not a technique, but a disposition of the heart::
silence, presence, love, and surrender.
From the desert to today, contemplation has been the silent fire sustaining Christian spiritual life. el fuego silencioso que sostiene la vida espiritual cristiana.
An Essential Ecumenical Key
Contemplative Prayer is the place where Christians recognize one another before defining themselves. In silence, controversies fall away, language softens, and what is essential emerges.
Main Forms of Contemplative Prayer Today
Centering Prayer
(Thomas Keating)
- Sacred word (love, peace, Abba…)
- Gently used when thoughts arise
- 20 minutes of silence
- Not a mantra, but consent to Presence
Christian Meditation
(John Main)
- Repetition of a brief word (e.g., Maranatha) Maranatha)
- Gentle rhythm, often with the breath
- Loving and stable attention
Silent Contemplation (without method)
- No word or technique
- Only presence, openness, and surrender
- Very close to classical mysticism
An Ever-Open Path
Contemplative prayer is not reserved for monasteries or spiritual specialists. It is a living possibility for anyone who longs for depth, silence, and truth in their relationship with God.
It does not take us away from daily life or into extraordinary states. On the contrary, it returns us to the center—to the place where Presence already dwells and waits to be welcomed.
In the stillness of the body, in conscious breathing, in the silence of the heart, contemplative prayer teaches us to consent rather than control, to listen more than speak, to trust more than strive.
As the mystics throughout the centuries have shown—from the Desert Fathers to St. John of the Cross and Thomas Merton—transformation does not occur through the accumulation of practices, but through inner availability.
“Contemplative prayer does not take us somewhere else. It awakens us to what is already here.”
🌿 Invitation
If you feel called to explore contemplative prayer with guidance, to learn how to dwell in silence in a simple and embodied way within daily life, we would be honored to walk with you.
We offer spaces for learning, practice, and accompaniment—both individual and group—where contemplative prayer is lived not as theory, but as direct and transformative experience.
Contact us to learn about upcoming workshops, gatherings, or accompaniment processes, and to discover the form best suited for you to begin or deepen this path.
Silence already lives within you.
Learning is remembering how to enter it.
—-
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