A centering prayer app
The quieter you are the more you can hear
Centering prayer is a method of silent, contemplative prayer rooted in the Christian tradition and the teaching of Jesus. It is not meditation on a passage or a petition — it is resting in God's presence, consenting to the action of the Spirit within. Sacred Pause was built to hold that silence: a simple timer, a gentle gong, and nothing in between to pull you out of prayer.
Whether you are new to the practice or have sat in silence for years, Sacred Pause keeps the container so you can let go of the clock and rest.
How to use Sacred Pause for centering prayer
- 1
Choose your sacred word
Select a word — Love, Peace, Abba, Jesus — that gently anchors your intention to consent to God's presence. Sacred Pause keeps it simple: no distractions, no readings mid-session, just silence.
- 2
Set a timer and begin
Pick 3, 5, or 10 minutes (or a custom length with Premium). A flame breathes gently as you settle. The timer holds the container so you can let go of watching the clock.
- 3
Rest in silence
When thoughts arise — and they will — return ever so gently to your sacred word. The app stays out of the way: no notifications, no pop-ups, nothing to pull you from prayer.
- 4
A gentle gong closes the time
A low Tibetan-style gong sounds softly and fades over several seconds, easing you back without jarring you out of stillness. No alarm, no urgency — just a warm return.
What makes it a contemplative practice
A silent timer that holds the container
Centering prayer asks for twenty minutes of interior stillness. Sacred Pause's timer removes the need to watch the clock — you choose the length, and a single gentle gong brings you home.
Gregorian chant for your session
Some practitioners find that quiet chant helps settle into silence. Sacred Pause can play a passage of Gregorian chant for the exact length of your session, fading in at the start and out before the closing gong.
Scripture and the saints
Each session opens with a verse from Scripture or a few words from the saints — Teresa of Ávila, John of the Cross, Thérèse of Lisieux — a touch of the contemplative tradition before you rest.
A prayer intention for each pause
Before you begin, you can offer your time for someone or something. Your intention appears quietly during the session, a thread of love woven into your silence.
A word from the tradition
“Contemplative prayer is nothing else than a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with the one we know loves us.”
St. Teresa of Ávila