Practising Prayer

Prayer is a “practice” – something we do within a tradition and shaped by the learning and reflections of those who have prayed before us.
And it is also something we learn, and need “practice” in. Praying does not come naturally to most of us, and we are all beginners, strugglers and novices. On this page, we explore some ideas and insights available in the Christian tradition.

Through Lent this year, we will follow the same journey as our Twitter feed is taking. (If you want to follow, see “bloomsburypraye – yes, that is how it is spelled)

This week, we are considering listening well.

Set aside time this week to be quiet and still.

Take your notebook, and set yourself 20 minutes. Settle with some deep breaths.

Invite the Spirit to lead you into truth.

Read Mark 4;9.

As you sit, listen very carefully to what is around you. Try to identify all the different sounds.

Pray for what you hear outside – the people, the events, the natural sounds that you hear. Pray for what these noises represent; need, hope, activity.

Now listen very carefully to what you hear within you – to the moods, ideas, memories and plans. Notice what you can hear, and the impact it has on you.

Make a note of what you can hear.

Pray for the situations that are the first things you “hear”.

Write a prayer offering yourself to hear carefully.

Comments welcomed

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