A Winter Meditation for Centering Prayer

Winter invites us into stillness into a season of rest, quiet, and trust. A winter meditation for centering prayer is offered as a gentle way to settle into stillness, allowing the body and spirit to soften before entering silence.

Preparing a Quiet Space

Before you begin, you may wish to create a simple, quiet space. Perhaps lighting a candle as a sign of presence and attentiveness. If there is no sunshine today, you might notice the steady calmness of the snow as it falls the hush it brings, the way it softens the world.

Let these be gentle invitations, not requirements.

Winter stillness: light, quiet, and open.

Entering A Winter Meditation for Centering Prayer

Let us begin by settling into our bodies.

Gently place your feet on the floor and notice the support beneath you. Allow your hands to rest easily in your lap.

Take a slow breath in through your nose…and release it softly through your mouth. Repeat and repeat again and again.

As you continue to breathe, imagine yourself standing at the edge of a quiet winter landscape. The air is cool and clear. The ground beneath you is still, covered in a soft blanket of snow.

The trees around you are bare, yet strong. Nothing is rushing. Nothing is trying to grow. Everything is resting.

Notice how winter does not ask the trees to produce fruit. It does not demand effort or proof. It simply invites them to be held in stillness.

Allow yourself to receive that same invitation. You do not need to fix, plan, or understand anything right now.

If there are thoughts, worries, or feelings present, imagine them as footprints in the snow. They appear… and then slowly soften, fading back into quiet.

As you gently introduce your sacred word or symbol, a simple word or image chosen as a sign of your intention to rest in God’s presence, let it be like a snowfall, light, effortless, and without force.

We rest now in the stillness of winter, trusting that even in silence, something sacred is at work.

Let us enter our time of Centering Prayer.

Beginning the Time of Silence

As we enter the time of silence, allow the words to fall away. There is nothing more to do or say.

You may wish to set a gentle timer for 20 minutes, allowing yourself to rest in silence without watching the clock.

Return slowly when you are ready, carrying the stillness with you.

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About Our Group

Centering Prayer at Hope Ridge United Methodist Church

This meditation is shared as part of our Centering Prayer gatherings, a quiet, welcoming space for those drawn to silence, stillness, and contemplative prayer. We gather regularly to rest together in God’s presence, trusting that even in quiet, we are being gently held and shaped. All are welcome, whether you are new to Centering Prayer or returning again and again.

All are welcome. Come as you are, and rest in the quiet presence of God.

For more information, click here or email the group facilitator.