How do you do contemplative prayer?
by April Yamasaki (reprinted with permission)
image courtesy of dan/digitalphotos.net
Prayer can be very wordy. Especially for someone like me who loves words. Especially when prayer is defined as “talking with God.” So I babble on and tell God how my day is going, ask for help for myself or others, pour out my anxieties and fears, pray for peace, and on and on.
But sometimes I run out of words, or can’t seem to find the right ones. Words can be so inadequate! Besides, “talking with God” is just one way of thinking about prayer. Prayer is also listening for God, receiving from God, resting and abiding in God.
That’s where contemplative prayer comes in, where the focus is not so much on putting my thoughts into words as it is:
becoming more aware of God’s presence and word to me.
I’ve found three forms of contemplative prayer to be especially helpful:
On her website April explains each of the following:
(1) Centring Prayer.
(2) Breath prayers.
(3) Lectio Divina.
Please go to her website and read how to do each of these prayers.
Thank you for sharing my post and for your encouragement. This site is a blessing.