Releasing all thoughts without judgment

Let every thought — pleasant or unpleasant, trivial or profound — pass without engaging it.

Why it works

Keating identified five categories of thoughts the practitioner will encounter: ordinary wanderings, attractive thoughts, disturbing thoughts, insights and consolations, and deeper psychological material. The instruction for all five is identical: return to the sacred word gently, without preference. The non-preferential release dismantles the habit of grasping pleasant states and pushing away unpleasant ones, which is the same mechanism underlying non-judgmental awareness in mindfulness-based interventions.

How to do it

1. When you notice any thought arising — any content, any emotional tone — use the sacred word and release it.
2. Do not distinguish between "good" spiritual thoughts and "bad" distracting ones; the instruction applies equally.
3. Do not analyze why a particular thought keeps recurring during the sit; note it, release it, and return.
4. Expect significant interior noise, especially in early practice; this is normal, not failure.

Evidence

Non-preferential, non-judgmental release of thoughts is a mechanism studied extensively in mindfulness research, where it is associated with reduced rumination and emotional reactivity. A meta-analysis of mediation studies (Gu et al., 2015) found that reduced rumination and worry is one of the mechanisms through which mindfulness practice improves mental health, supporting the non-preferential release at the heart of this practice. Centering Prayer applies this mechanism within a theological frame of consent to God. (mechanistic)

The non-reactive release mechanism is well-supported; whether Centering Prayer produces the same outcomes as secular mindfulness protocols has not been studied in controlled comparisons.

Sources

• Hölzel et al. (2011), "How does mindfulness meditation work?", Perspectives on Psychological Science — identifies non-reactive monitoring as a core mechanism
• Hölzel, B. K., Lazar, S. W., Gard, T., Schuman-Olivier, Z., Vago, D. R., & Ott, U. (2011). How does mindfulness meditation work? Proposing mechanisms of action from a conceptual and neural perspective. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 6(6), 537–559.
• Gu, J., Strauss, C., Bond, R., & Cavanagh, K. (2015). How do mindfulness-based cognitive therapy and mindfulness-based stress reduction improve mental health and wellbeing? A systematic review and meta-analysis of mediation studies. Clinical Psychology Review, 37, 1–12.

Common mistake

Treating the appearance of many thoughts as evidence that the practice is failing, and attempting to achieve a thought-free state — which is both unrealistic and counter to the method.