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1. Pray as you can

There are many ways of praying, but it makes sense to pray as you can, not as you can’t. Prayer is about our relationship with God who loves us and calls us to life. Try to trust in God whatever your experience of praying is like at the moment, even if it is dry at times. Julian of Norwich and Teresa of Avila remind us that God delights when we simply show up to be in his presence.  If prayer is hard for you right now, let God know. God continues with you.

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2. Establish a Rhythm of Prayer

Be realistic and resist the temptation to take on more than you can manage. It is better to commit to ten minutes than to give up completely feeling disheartened! It may be that every now and again you set aside a time for longer reflection and prayer, to “come away to some lonely place all by yourselves and rest for a while” (Mk 6:31), or go “off into the hills to pray” (Mk 6:46).

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3. Try this Basic Pattern of Prayer

Remember the helpfulness of letting God look at you, coming to stillness, relaxing the body, acknowledging your desires to God, and having a heart to heart with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit, Mary . . .

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4. How to approach content for prayer

If you want to use scripture, then choose a shorter passage. You might like to use imaginative contemplation or lectio divina. You might simply read and sit with the passage and see where it takes you (the prayer of consideration). Remember the helpfulness of going back to where there was significant movement in the prayer on a previous occasion. Don’t be in a hurry to move on. You might find it helpful to pray the readings your Church will follow through the year. It can help to pray with what others are praying on the same day as part of a global community. Sometimes, though, simply sitting is enough. “Be still and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46)

Be open to the possibility of using art, symbols, movement, poetry, music etc. Stay open to the many ways God captures our attention in and through creation.

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5. Try the Prayer of Discernment

The Examen or Review of the Day is the prayer of discernment – a way of regularly tuning into a God who is always calling us to fuller, deeper life. It is a prayer which engages us in a most natural way – letting the day ‘play back’ and opening ourselves to be shown even the simplest examples of what was life-giving or not, and to hear God speaking through your experience.

• Be still in God’s presence. Ask for God’s light, so that you might notice what God is wanting you to see.

• Let the day, or week, play back in your mind.

• For what do you feel most thankful?  (Where has there been most life, love, energy?)

• For what do you feel least thankful?  (Where has there been least life, love, energy?)

• How is God speaking to you through your inner experience this day? Talk with God about this.

• Give thanks to God for blessings received. Receive God’s love for any sources of sadness. Ask God for the grace you need for the next day or week.  

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Another Examen to try >>

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Lastly, here are some other things to consider:

Learn about different ways of praying. Find a spiritual director. Make a retreat each year (at a retreat centre, or online - we will be adding more online retreats to our programme later this summer). Trying journaling as a way of praying, by keeping notes on what is happening in life and prayer.

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You might like:

Pray As You Go - daily prayer with scripture and music

Imagine - online guided prayer, once a month