The invitation offered by Centering prayer to use a word, object, song, etc. “when engaged with thoughts” in order to reaffirm openness to God is NOT meant to direct us not to think – this would be impossible! When you settle into a Centering Prayer period, thoughts will come, and in many cases, are vessels of grace, even as we don’t engage them. Recognizing that we are unable to give our attention to God as fully as God’s attention is given to us is a path to humility in the face of God. Also, consider that every thought brings with it an opportunity for conversion: an actual opportunity to turn around from these thoughts and toward the Ultimate Reality of God. If thoughts sometimes seem to come upon us like a storm, then learning to welcome but not cling to them becomes our “practice arena” for staying anchored to God amidst all the storms of life. Furthermore, opening to God’s presence and action in the midst of our thoughts allows us to distinguish between the two: though thoughts may be gifts from God, they are distinctly not God, and therefore not part of the eternal communion with God to which we are all called. Eternal life with God finds its source and fulfillment beyond all thinking!