Contemplative prayer begins with “ centering prayer,” a meditative practice where the practitioner focuses on a word and repeats that word over and over for the duration of the exercise. HOW TO “DO” CENTERING PRAYER: • Find a quiet space where you are unlikely to be disturbed.
*2. Subscribe to Blog via Email. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a couple of minutes. Primary Sidebar. I’ve found three forms of contemplative prayer to be especially helpful: (1) Centring Prayer. For me, contemplative prayer is one of the most difficult spiritual disciplines; however, it can be one of the most rewarding. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. St. Teresa answers: “Contemplative prayer [oración mental] in my opinion is nothing else than a close sharing between friends; it means taking time frequently to be alone with him who we know loves us.”– Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) 2709. According to the Catechism, “Contemplative prayer is the simple expression of the mystery of prayer. Then I experienced true salvation when the Spirit of God entered from without.
Contemplative prayer is nothing other than coming into consciousness of what is already there (emphasis by author). One practical way to live out a life of contemplation is to set aside some time (even just a few minutes) first thing in the morning and right before bed. 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. Plan to devote 10-30 minutes to the practice. Answers are to be sought outside of contemplative prayer.
Picture: Scotland’s Heritage Parks. Prayer is more than saying, reading, and reciting supplications to God even though they are all good. To receive the full benefits of contemplative prayer, it is recommended that you practice for 10-30 minutes each morning and in the afternoon. • Is carried out in an environment of complete silence.
How to Do Contemplative Prayer – Contemplative Prayer Practice Find a quiet place that will be free from noise or interruption. This is contemplative prayer this is why we set the stage in solitude and stillness.
An analogy might help clarify what contemplative prayer is about. The purpose is to clear one’s mind of outside concerns so that God’s voice may be more easily heard. 4. It’s called 40 Days to Pray , and every Wednesday on the blog I’m sharing background information on a type of contemplative prayer as well as steps to practice and resources to go further. Somewhere the church lost the understanding that the purpose of prayer is to grow in intimacy with the Creator of the universe. But unlike meditation, the mind is at a resting place — resting in the presence of God — and this resting allows us to soak in God’s love. Sit in a comfortable position. Meditation serves as a foundation on which the contemplative life stands, the practice by which someone begins the state of contemplation.