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.