Centering Prayer and the Reality of Being: A Silent Centering Prayer Retreat
With Rev. Amber Sturgess and Catherine Regan, Ph.D.
August 15 - 17, 2025
“Christ is the Reality.” Col. 2.17
How do we show up in the world? What kind of presence and attention are we able to bring to our daily living?
How can we begin to cultivate presence and come from a place of true being in the midst of a world in chaos?
The practice of Centering Prayer nurtures the formation of being in us by sitting with the ground of Being, that is God.
As we sit in Centering Prayer we begin to let go of all that is not real. All of our filtered lenses through which we receive and perceive life gradually dissolve – so that we can begin to open and perceive reality directly from a place of pure being. Each time we return to the sacred word, we return to the ground of being, the only true reality. The theologian Paul Tillich says that God is “the power of being in everything and above everything, the infinite power of being.” The power of the ground of being infuses us with Presence and Being. We begin to live and act from a more centered place in ourselves.
In this retreat we will learn how to allow “Being” to grow in us and to perceive how it differs from the mind. We will also explore the qualities of being such as love, compassion, and humility.
Join us at the beautiful Mercy Center for a transformational weekend. We will ground ourselves in silence, periods of Centering Prayer, teachings, time among the Mercy oaks, liturgy, and optional gentle yoga.
About the Leaders
Rev. Amber Sturgess
Rev. Amber Sturgess is an Episcopal Priest, spiritual director, and seeker on the contemplative wisdom path. She enjoys teaching contemplative practices that deepen our spiritual awareness for living. Amber currently serves as Rector of All Saints’ Episcopal Church in Carmel.
Learn more about Rev. Amber Sturgess
Catherine Regan, Ph.D.
Catherine Regan, Ph.D. is a spiritual director, retired psychologist, and longtime adjunct program staff member at Mercy Center, at this time serving on the Centering Prayer/Wisdom Practices team. She also offers online and in-person retreat days. She is committed to fostering our reclaiming the Wisdom at the heart of the Christian Tradition and the contemplative […]
Learn more about Catherine Regan, Ph.D.Categories : Centering Prayer, Sponsored