Combining lectio divina with centering prayer
Use a brief lectio as preparation that deepens the consent you bring to centering prayer.
Key takeaways
- What it is: Use a brief lectio as preparation that deepens the consent you bring to centering prayer.
- Why it works: Lectio divina and Centering Prayer are complementary: lectio nourishes the mind and heart with sacred language, creating resonances that the subsequent silence of centering prayer can take deeper. The text orients the practitioner’s intention before the sit; the silence allows what the text touched to settle without commentary. The two practices scaffold each other rather than competing.
- Evidence: Practitioner experience / self-report; no formal study.
- Avoid: Trying to "work with" the lectio text during the centering prayer sit — which converts it back into meditatio and prevents the silence from opening.
Why it works
Lectio divina and Centering Prayer are complementary: lectio nourishes the mind and heart with sacred language, creating resonances that the subsequent silence of centering prayer can take deeper. The text orients the practitioner’s intention before the sit; the silence allows what the text touched to settle without commentary. The two practices scaffold each other rather than competing.
How to do it
- 1Begin with 5–10 minutes of lectio: read a short passage slowly and sit briefly with what arose.
- 2Move directly into your 20-minute centering prayer sit, carrying the quality of openness from the lectio.
- 3Do not try to "hold" the lectio content during centering prayer; release it as you release any other thought.
- 4After the sit, you may briefly note any connections between the text and what arose — but do not turn this into analysis.
What the evidence says
AnecdotalCombining focused preparation with subsequent open rest is consistent with how concentration and open-monitoring practices are sequenced in contemplative traditions worldwide. The specific lectio-plus-centering combination is traditional and reported experientially; no controlled comparison exists.
Honest caveat: The sequencing rationale is traditionally established; whether lectio meaningfully enhances centering prayer outcomes compared to centering prayer alone has not been studied.
Common mistake
Trying to "work with" the lectio text during the centering prayer sit — which converts it back into meditatio and prevents the silence from opening.
IX Coach can structure your morning practice as a brief guided reflection on a short text followed by a timed silence period, combining the two practices into a cohesive daily session.
Practice this with IX Coach →