The goal this week is to look at different types of prayer from the Christian tradition.

As I begin this, I want to remind you that there is no “right way” to pray. Over the years we have all cultivated our own way of praying, we all have our own particular style. What I intend to share with you here are some alternatives, things that you might try when your own journey in prayer may become a little dry or tired. Often when we are feeling a little empty in our prayer life it is helpful to approach God from a different perspective. By this I do not mean to suggest that God responds to one type of prayer more than another but rather, we sometimes need a change in order to connect with God. As children our parents, guardians and or grandparents teach us rote prayers. These prayers offer us strength comfort in those early years but eventually they are replaced by our own prayers of desperation. I am very interested in how we teach our children to pray but that is another topic for another day. 

Scripturally we are encouraged to pray. See:

1.      Luke 11: 11-13

2.      Luke 11: 9-10

But why do we pray? So often growing up in the church we hear the statement that God knows what we need before we even ask. And doesn’t God know what is best in everything? Looking in scripture we know that change is possible. We have stories within scripture that help us to see that humanity is capable of affecting change in the “divine heart” of God.

·        Read about King Hezekiah in Isaiah 38:1-5. This passage displays the idea that we can pray asking for more. We can pray and change the heart of God.

·        Read a portion of the story of Sodom and Gomorrah Gen 18:20-33. Here we read of Abraham praying on behalf of the people of Sodom. Slowly and carefully Abraham is able to talk to God and convince God to with hold judgement.

·        Read a teaching about persistence in prayer: Luke 18:1-8. In this passage we care clearly encouraged to pray constantly, even about one thing in particular. We are told to pray even if we think we are “bothering” God with our petitions.  

v     Scripture repeatedly directs us to be in relationship with God through prayer. How else do we come to know the heart of God? Throughout the history of the Christian tradition we have been told that by spending time in prayer we become closer to God. This has been likened to how we spend time with others to strengthen friendships or spousal bonds. Any and all relationships require time and attention.

But how do or how can we pray?? For many the act of praying is synonymous with talking to God and that is a good prayer practice to have. The psalms help us to realize that God can “hear” all our prayers and handle all our emotions. In any relationship we must be able to be ourselves. Be authentic about ourselves with God showing who we are and sharing what we feel. That being said we must acknowledge that a large part of our prayer practice is to bring our focus or attention to God.

The following is an explanation of three major types of prayers as described by Marcus Borg in his book “The Heart of Christianity” p196 -

There are three major types of Christian prayer – Verbal, Meditation, and Contemplation.

1.      Verbal prayer means we address God with words, whether out loud or silently. There are five categories of verbal prayer:

a.       Adoration/ praise - Here our prayers focus on God’s majesty which takes our breath away. Creation, the book of nature, reveals to us the majesty of God. And so when in nature we are often filled with adoration for God and we find ourselves offering prayers to God acknowledging that majesty. Music can also serve as a pathway to a prayer of adoration, as can poetry, painting, sculpture etc. Words may not be necessary especially with music etc. We find ourselves overwhelmed with a sense of praise and adoration for the wonder and majesty of God. Prayers of adoration humble us – reminds us of our place in the order of things.

b.      Thanksgiving – When we become aware of God’s presence and action in our lives we are filled with gratitude. Meister Eckhart, a fourteenth century mystic said, “if the only prayer we ever say is thank you, that is enough.” Prayers of thanksgiving remind us of who we are in the larger scale of creation and how blessed we are by the many gifts God has given to us. It is an interesting exercise at the close each day, to name 5-10 things for which we are grateful. This can help us change our perspective on the events of the day. We can also offer prayers of thanks throughout our day. Doing this helps us re-orient ourselves back to God, reminding us of God’s goodness and our relationship to that goodness.

c.       Confession – Through our prayers of confession we can look honestly at what we have done or not done that separate us from God. In prayer we can be unflinchingly in the presence of God without trying to be someone else. Margaret Guenther in her book “The Practise of Prayer” writes, “True prayer, whatever outward form it might take, is first and foremost a condition of loving attentiveness to God in which we find ourselves open and receptive to who we are in our deepest selves. As Ann and Barry Ulanov state in their wise book Primary Speech, in prayer we say who in fact we are – not who we should be, nor who we wish we were, but who we are – not who we should be, nor who we wish we were, but who we are.” (p44) This enables us to be able to look at our sins more honestly. This honest reflection and introspection helps us to accept that we are not perfect (nor do we need to be) and so we are better able to face the fact that changes need to be made in our lives. Confession invites us to reflect on how we have been living and how we might be able to change so that we can live closer to the ideals of what Jesus calls us to do and be.

d.      Intercession – Prayers of intercession move us beyond ourselves and into the community. To intercede is to speak on behalf of someone else. Each week when we offer the Prayers of the People within our services or worship, they are in fact prayers of intercession. As a church community we are praying to God on behalf of others. We use this type of prayer most often when we feel helpless or anxious. For example, I cannot stop a friend’s metastasizing cancer but I can at least name him in my prayers. (from a Beginner’s Guide to Prayer by Anthony Bloom)

e.       Petition – Prayers of petition are prayers where we are asking for ourselves. We often forget that it is okay to pray for ourselves (see Luke 11: 5-13). The goal is to truly look at ourselves and our needs. The truth is, however, that we do not always know what we need but we ask God and at the same time we know that we need to leave room for God’s will to be done. Again if we understand prayer to be about focusing on God and strengthening that relationship we need to share with God our needs and desires while recognizing we do not know all the answers nor can we believe that we know what is best in every situation. It is all about being open and trusting in God - no matter what, all will be well.

In talking with others it seems that prayers of intercession and petition cause the most problems. The wish list of prayers does not help us in our relationship with the divine. But we do them as acts of love for others along with the belief that prayer can have an effect. There are people who question whether or not prayers of petition and intercession do have an effect. I think that is normal and a good question to wrestle with from time to time. I really appreciate Marcus Borg’s explanation on this issue. He, as a scholar, questions whether we can have an effect with our prayers. If I read him correctly, I believe he does believe it and he describes it this way. “to refuse to do them [prayer] because I can’t imagine how prayer works would be an act of intellectual pride: If I can’t imagine how something works, then it can’t work. To think thus involves more than a bit of hubris.” (The Heart of Christianity p197)

2.      Meditation is a silent form of prayer. Many people do not realize that within the Christian tradition there is a long history of meditation. This type of prayer involves reflecting on an image or phrase, sitting with it and holding it in your mind, remaining with it. One example of this is type of meditative prayer is Lectio Divna. To try this method of prayer, simply choose a passage from scripture. Let’s try Psalm 23 – “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.” Read the phrase over 2-3 times until it feels familiar to you. Now put the bible down and continue to ponder the phrase. Other thoughts may come to mind, acknowledge them but don’t let them distract you. Accept that they are normal and “witness them” without judgement. You will find that one word or an image or a couple words will stand out for you. Ruminate on the words or image, let it speak to you. Allow it to interact with your inner world of concerns, memories and ideas. Do not be afraid of “distractions.” Memories or thoughts are simply parts of yourself which, when they rise up during lectio divina, are asking to be given to God along with the rest of your inner self. Allow this inner pondering, this rumination, to invite you into dialogue with God.

Then, speak to God. Whether you use words or ideas or images or all three is not important. Interact with God as you would with one who you know loves and accepts you. And give to God what you have discovered in yourself during your experience of meditatio. Experience God using the word or phrase that has been given to you as a means of blessing, of transforming the ideas and memories, which your pondering on God’s word has awakened. Give to God what you have found within your heart.

Finally, simply rest in God's embrace. And when God invites you to return to your pondering of His word or to your inner dialogue with Him, do so. Learn to use words when words are helpful, and to let go of words when they no longer are necessary. Rejoice in the knowledge that God is with you in both words and silence, in spiritual activity and inner receptivity.

It is important to not asses the quality of your time in prayer. The experience is not about performing or doing it right. There is no goal other than being in the presence of God.

3.      Contemplation or centring prayer is all about sitting silently in the presence of God. Using mantras or silent repetition of a word or short phrase. BUT the word or phrase is not focused on rather it is used to give the mind focus so that you can sink into silence. The mind needs something to do. Want to get beneath images words. The following is a good description of how to do centring prayer.

Centering Prayer Guidelines

I.                        Choose a sacred word as the symbol of your intention to consent to God’s presence and action within. (cf. Open Mind, Open Heart, chap. 5)

1. The sacred word expresses our intention to consent to God’s presence and action within.
2. The sacred word is chosen during a brief period of prayer asking the Holy Spirit to inspire us with one that is especially suitable for us.
1. Examples: God, Jesus, Abba, Father, Mother, Mary, Amen.
2. Other possibilities: Love, Peace, Mercy, Listen, Let Go, Silence, Stillness, Faith, Trust, Yes.
3. Instead of a sacred word a simple inward glance toward the Divine Presence or noticing one’s breath may be more suitable for some persons. The same guidelines apply to these symbols as to the sacred word. 
4. The sacred word is sacred not because of its inherent meaning but because of the meaning we give it as the expression of our intention and consent. 
5. Having chosen a sacred word, we do not change it during the prayer period because that would be to start thinking again.

II.                        Sitting comfortably and with eyes closed, settle briefly and silently introduce the sacred word as the symbol of your consent to God’s presence and action within. 

1. “Sitting comfortably” means relatively comfortably so as not to encourage sleep during the time of prayer. 
2. Whatever sitting position we choose, we keep the back straight. 
3. We close our eyes as a symbol of letting go of what is going on around and within us. 
4. We introduce the sacred word inwardly as gently as laying a feather on a piece of absorbent cotton. 
5. Should we fall asleep upon awakening we continue the prayer. 

III.                        When engaged with your thoughts, return ever-so-gently to the sacred word. 

1. “Thoughts” is an umbrella term for every perception, including sense perceptions, feelings, images, memories, plans, reflections, concepts, commentaries, and spiritual experiences. 
2. Thoughts are an inevitable, integral and normal part of Centering Prayer. 
3. By “returning ever-so-gently to the sacred word” a minimum of effort is indicated. This is the only activity we initiate during the time of Centering Prayer. 
4. During the course of Centering Prayer, the sacred word may become vague or disappear. 

IV.                        At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes. 

1. The additional 2 minutes enables us to bring the atmosphere of silence into everyday life. 
2. If this prayer is done in a group, the leader may slowly recite a prayer such as the Lord’s Prayer while the others listen.

Some Practical Points 

1. The minimum time for this prayer is 20 minutes. Two periods are recommended each day, one first thing in the morning and the other in the afternoon or early evening. With practice the time may be extended to 30 minutes or longer. 
2. The end of the prayer period can be indicated by a timer which does not have an audible tick or loud sound when it goes off. 
3. Possible physical symptoms during the prayer: 

a.                   We may notice slight pains, itches, or twitches in various parts of the body or a generalized sense of restlessness. These are usually due to the untying of emotional knots in the body. 

b.                  We may notice heaviness or lightness in our extremities. This is usually due to a deep level of spiritual attentiveness. 

c.                   In all cases we pay no attention and ever- so-gently return to the sacred word. 

                        The principal fruits of the prayer are experienced in daily life and not during the prayer period. 

                        Centering Prayer familiarizes us with God’s first language which is silence. 

Points for Further Development

1. During the prayer period, various kinds of thoughts may arise. 
1. Ordinary wanderings of the imagination or memory. 
2. Thoughts and feelings that give rise to attractions or aversions. 
3. Insights and psychological breakthroughs. 
4. Self-reflections such as, “How am I doing?” or, “This peace is just great!” 
5. Thoughts and feelings that arise from the unloading of the unconscious. 
6. When engaged with any of these thoughts return ever-so-gently to your sacred word. 
2. During this prayer we avoid analyzing our experience, harboring expectations, or aiming at some specific goal such as: 
1. Repeating the sacred word continuously. 
2. Having no thoughts. 
3. Making the mind a blank. 
4. Feeling peaceful or consoled. 
5. Achieving a spiritual experience. (cf. Open Mind, Open Heart, chap. 6-10)

Ways to Deepen Our Relationship with God

1. Practice two 20-30 minute periods of Centering Prayer daily. 
2. Listen to the Word of God in Scripture and study Open Mind, Open Heart. 
3. Select one or two of the specific practices for everyday life as suggested in Open Mind, Open Heart, chap. 12. 
4. Join a weekly Centering Prayer Group. 
1. It encourages the members of the group to persevere in their individual practices. 
2. It provides an opportunity for further input on a regular basis through tapes, readings, and discussion. 
3. It offers an opportunity to support and share the spiritual journey. 

What Centering Prayer Is and Is Not

a.                   It is not a technique but a way of cultivating a relationship with God. 

b.                  It is not a relaxation exercise but it may be refreshing. 

c.                   It is not a form of self-hypnosis but a way to quiet the mind while maintaining its alertness. 

d.                  It is not a charismatic gift but a path of transformation. 

e.                   It is not a para-psychological experience but an exercise of faith, hope and selfless love. 

f.                    It is not limited to the “felt” presence of God but is rather a deepening of faith in God’s abiding presence. 

g.                   It is not reflective or spontaneous prayer, but simply resting in God. 

(from http://www.centeringprayer.com/methodcp.htm)

I encourage you to practice these different types of prayer this week. Try each type of prayer to see which fits your style or present needs, best. Perhaps one type will stand out for you or maybe they will all seem foreign and strange. Give each type of prayer enough practice that you feel comfortable with the process before moving on to the next one.

As with other weeks, share your experiences with someone. Let them know what you liked about each style of prayer, what you found most challenging and what you would like to learn more about. If you are interested in attending a centring prayer group, please call the church office.

I pray that your time in prayer will be nurturing and help you to grow ever closer to God.

Blessings,

Mary