We are exploring types of prayer in July and August here on Healthy Spirituality and today I am excited to discuss one of my "go-to" kinds of prayer – one that brings me closer to God and has transformed me spiritually. The Prayer of Examen What is the prayer of examen? This prayer is a prayerful reflection on the events of the day in order to detect God’s presence and discern his direction. With this prayer we clearly discover God's blessing in our ordinary life. The Examen is an ancient practice in the Church that can help us see God’s hand at work in our whole experience. It originated with St. Ignatius. The simple steps of this prayer are: Quiet yourself. And allow yourself to relax into God’s loving arms. Some people imagine sitting on the sofa with God. Ask God to be present with you. Reflect on the past 24 hours, asking yourself several questions. My favorite questions to ask are: What am I most grateful for? What am I least grateful for? When did I … [Read more...]
Tips for Using Breath Prayers
This summer Healthy Spirituality has been and will continue to explore different approaches to prayer. With 2018 being the year of prayer here on this blog and in my faith community it is the perfect time to try a new way of praying and opening our heart to God. One of my favorite ways to quiet my soul to hear God is through the use of breath prayers. What are Breath Prayers? The Bibles teaches us to “Pray without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 5:17) How do we do this? A breath prayer is a very short prayer that can be said in one breath and repeated throughout the day. It is an ancient form of prayer, found in writings as early as the second century. The prayer communicates a sense of nearness with trust and dependency on God. Perhaps the best-known breath prayer is called the Jesus Prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” This prayer had its origin within the Christian tradition of the East and can be traced back to the sixth century. At the … [Read more...]
Imagination and Prayer
Do imagination and prayer work together? God has given us the gift of imagination. Seeing beyond what is tangible. Leaping into a world of potential opportunity. Crossing back through time seeing events like we are there or transforming ourselves into bible characters and witnesses to bible stories. Dreams, plans, hopes all begin with imagination – we ask in wonder: what could be? What if? How would living this way appear in my life? Imagination is freedom to see beyond our ordinary moments into grand possibilities. “Think left and think right and think low and think high. Oh, the things you can think up if only you try!” Dr. Seuss Imagination cultivates ideas and dreams. I had a powerful experience of this right after we moved to the small town that is still home today. As a nurse, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do next in my career. I attended a nursing seminar where one of the activities was writing out in great detail what my ideal job would be. I had fun dreaming and … [Read more...]
Prayer: What Should We Pray For?
Prayer: what should we pray for? Ever stop to consider what you pray for? In prayer we can ask God for anything and all things. The list is amazing and quite lengthy once you pay attention and name all the ways. As we journey together in this summer pilgrimage of prayer, knowing the landmarks and the privileges of prayer inspires us in dark times and brings us joy when we dance in the light. I explored how we pray last year with this post. Prayer: What Should We Pray For A great book on prayer written by Philip Yancey is called Prayer: Does It Make Any Difference? In this book he has a chapter on what should we pray for. Here are some of his ideas: Our Heart's Desire – "God invites us to ask plainly for what we need." I know often people don't know how to pray or what to ask God for until they wrestle with the words to name their deepest desire. Identifying our core wants, needs, and dreams we can approach God with honesty, authenticity, and assurance. God already knows … [Read more...]
Pilgrimage with Prayer
What do you think when you hear the words - Pilgrimage with Prayer? Pilgrimage with prayer is the theme for this summer here on Healthy Spirituality. We are all on a journey in life – and I am literally taking several trips this summer and hope to take you as a reader on the path through various prayer practices in this season. “If we truly want to know the secret of soulful travel, we need to believe that there is something sacred waiting to be discovered in virtually every journey.” Phil Cousineau What is a Pilgrimage? A pilgrimage is an outward journey that transforms our inner journey. To me a pilgrimage is to look at ourselves and what surrounds us with new eyes, to be changed whether we travel around the world or into our own backyards. Some pilgrimages are to well-known sacred places. Others could be more personal – a trip to Ground Zero or to a parent’s grave. A writer may visit a famous author’s home and see where they wrote their words. To live each moment … [Read more...]
Digital Prayer Tools – What Digital Gadgets and Apps Draw You Closer to God?
The last few weeks we've been exploring various tools for your prayer tool box. I shared a list of analog tools ideas and methods last Thursday and today let's dive into the digital world. This month on Healthy Spirituality as we honor 2018 being the Year of Prayer we are looking at different tools we can use in prayer. Each month this year on the Tending the Holy Thursdays there will be a focus on an aspect of prayer. On my Thursday posts, I pick one theme (or person of faith) to explore deeper. I call this series Tending the Holy Thursdays. What digital methods help to slow you down and enter God's presence? Digital Prayer Tools To compile this list, I checked my phone and computer first for the apps I use on a regular basis. Here are some of my favorites plus ones I discovered while researching this topic. By the way, many of the link below connect to the I-Tunes store since I am an apple user, but most of the list the apps are also available for Android. Echo - On my … [Read more...]
Analog Prayer Tools – What Non-Digital Methods Draw You Closer to God?
What type of analog or non-digital prayer tools do you use? This month on Healthy Spirituality as we honor 2018 being the Year of Prayer we are exploring different tools we can use in prayer. Last week I introduced the image of a prayer tool box. This week ideas that are more analog based will be shared and next week we will dig into some digital ones. Each month this year on the Tending the Holy Thursdays there will be a focus on an aspect of prayer. On my Thursday posts, I pick one theme (or person of faith) to explore deeper. I call this series Tending the Holy Thursdays. What non-digital methods help to slow you down and enter God's presence? Analog Prayer Tools We live in a world full of beeps, chirps, and apps. "There's an app for that" is quite a true statement. While I love the convenience of digital tools and I will next week share some I have discovered and use in prayer, I find a balance of tactile and unhurried approaches is also necessary. Analog prayer … [Read more...]
What is in Your Prayer Tool Box?
With 2018 being the year of prayer here on Healthy Spirituality and spring cleaning fever attaining high pitch at least in my house and heart, digging into my prayer tool box seems like a great image to explore. Each month this year on the Tending the Holy Thursdays there will be a focus on an aspect of prayer. On my Thursday posts, I pick one theme (or person of faith) to explore deeper. I call this series Tending the Holy Thursdays. Prayer Tool Box I like the image of a tool box. This is a treasure chest of prayer practices you have used, continue to use, or have been curious enough to know at least a little about. We all have them – the go-to tried and true ways we come to God and those little someday I may try that ideas. I do believe God is with us all the time and there is nothing we can really “do” to evoke his presence. He is the pursuer of our hearts and surrounds us and lives within no matter what we do. As Annie Dillard wisely wrote, "I cannot cause the light. … [Read more...]