HOW CAN WE BECOME MORE AWARE of the TRUE SELF in THIS POST-MODERN ERA?
A Study on Thomas Keating's Understanding of the Centering Prayer
Omega Life and Faith Series

By H. Sanden, Master of Divinity and Theology

From the author:

Because of the growing awakening for more authenticity in our culture today, and because of my own experience on Centering Prayer, I want to discuss if Centering Prayer is a way for the Postmodern human being to find his own narrative and his own true self. I will do it from the angle of the contemplative tradition, whose roots come from the cradle of Christianity.

But since the contemplative tradition is such a huge topic, I will only use it as a background. From the contemplative background I want to single out a contemporary theologian, Thomas Keating, who over the last 25 years has been one of the key figures and one of the founders of a way that seems to fit very well into our time of Postmodernism.

The way comes in a new suit, but is rooted in the old contemplative tradition. It might be a "gift" to ordinary people who live a busy life outside of monasteries.

I want to do a literature study on Thomas Keating's writings on the topic "Centering Prayer", asking: The true and false self Mystical Theology Keating - How can Centering Prayer according to Thomas Keating be a way for the human being to find an identity of a true self, and how can this concept be evaluated in our time?

Obvious subquestions will be: *Why is it important to find our true self?*How is Keating defining true and false self? Has this insight any support from the science of psychology and theology? *Is Centering Prayer really prayer? What connections and differences are there between Centering Prayer and other meditation techniques in the world today?*How is the Postmodern time a crucial time to offer this kind of practice?

Keywords: TRUE SELF POST-MODERN ERA Bible Christian mysticism