The Prayer Pack
Allofusprayindifferentwaysatdifferentstagesinourlives.SometimesourwayofprayingchangesaswegrowinourrelationshipwithGod.
Silenceasadisciplineisattheheartofallprayer. Itplaysanessentialpart intheprocessanddevelopmentofspiritualgrowththroughoutthehistoryoftheChurch.Inthe3rdand4thcenturies,theDesertFathersandMotherswentouttothedeserttofindsilenceandsolitudeandlaterthedisciplineofsilenceandsolitude became an essential part of the daily routine in the monastic life.Today,manyretreathousesofferpeopleaplacewheretheycanexploreandexperience the value of solitude and silence. It is, however, important torememberthatsilenceandsolitudeinthiscontextarenotendsinthemselvesbutameanstobuildinganddeepeningourrelationshipwithGod.
Booksuggestions
Laird,Martin(2006)IntoaSilentLand–ThePracticeofContemplation.Darton,Longman&ToddLtd.O‘Rourke,Benigmus(2010)FindingyourHiddenTreasure–TheWayofSilentPrayer.Darton,Longman&ToddLtd.RetreatAssociationLeafletsNumber3,Timetobe,and17FindingSilenceandStillness.DownloadablefromtheRetreatAssociationwebsite.Skinner,John(2004)SoundingtheSilence,GracewingPublishers.Websites
www.retreats.org.uk
Frontcoverimage:www.Pixabay.comandKDixon
the inner meaning of silence and hear your still, small
voiceListeningtoGodinsilenceandstillness
GodofstillnessandcreativeactionhelpmetofindspaceforquietnesstodaythatImaydiscover
theinnermeaningofsilenceandhearyourstill,smallvoice
throughChrist,intheloveoftheSpirit
Itisinsilenceandstillnessthatwemay‘hear’Godwithinnerears:
“BestillandknowthatIamGod”Psalm46:10
Blockingoutallsoundsandactivityinthisfast-paced,noisyworldcanbeachallenge.Butthefollowingstepscanhelpyoutorelaxandfocusonthatsilencewithin.
Youcandothiswheneverandwhereever-evenifyouonlyhaveafewminutes!Allowyourselftogentlygetintoit,eventuallyspendinglongerperiodsinsilence.
First,getintoacomfortableposition.
Focusonyourbody:Startingatthetopofyourhead,workyourwaydown,closingyoureyes,relaxingyourfacialmuscles,yourshoulders,thenyourtorso,yourarms,hands,legsandfeet,rightdowntoyourtoes.
Nowlistentothesoundsaroundyou.Don’ttrytoblockthemout,justacknowledgethem,rememberingGod’spresenceinthem:inthepeopleandactivitiestheystemfrom.
RememberGod’spresenceinyou,inyourbodyandinyourfeelings,andrememberthatyouareloved.
Becomeawareofyourbreathing,andpayattentiontoeachbreathwithoutalteringit–inandout,inandout.
RememberGod’spresenceinyourbreathing.
Asyoubreathein,acceptGod’sloveandlife;asyoubreatheout,letgoofanythingthatisworryingordistractingyou,placingitinGod’shands.
Inme,OGod,Youliveandmoveandhaveyourbeing.InYou,OGod,Iliveandmoveandhavemybeing.
