Be Still and Know that I am God: Psalm 46:10

Prayer as encounter

Prayer is a time or place of meeting, when we open ourselves to God, working within us.

Just like any other meeting, the ideal is to be relaxed, aware and attentive.

Pray as you can, not as you can't

Different people have different needs.

You may like to sit or kneel, or lie down to pray. Or you may prefer to be moving - walking perhaps, or knitting, or painting. You may like to pray regularly in the same place, perhaps sitting in a particular chair, or whilst on your way to work or the shops; waiting at the bus stop, on the station platform, in a traffic jam. You may like to light a candle or gaze at a picture, or hold a pebble, or listen to some quiet music.

You may find it helpful to read some words such as a piece of Scripture, a vrse of a hymn, or a poem. Or you may prefer simply to talk informally to God - but make time to listen too. Or you may wish to pray without words, simply waiting in silence in the presence of God.

Thr is no one right way to pray - you need to find out what works for you. Each way of praying may need practice before it seems natural; be patient.

But the Lord was not in the wind;

and after the wind, an earthquake,

but the Lord was not in the earthquake

and after the earthquake, a fire,

but the Lord was not in the fire;

and after the fire, a sound of sheer silence.

1.Kings 19:11

Finding Stillness

Stillness may be a way of preparing for prayer, or a prayer in its own right. Some of thse ways of coming to stillness may be helpful.

• Find a relaxed, comfortable position in which to pray
• Become aware of your body. Beginning with the top of your head, be aware in turn of each part of your body. Pay attention to the feeling in each part. Remember God's presence in you, in your body, and in your feelings; and remember that you are loved.
• Become aware of sounds. Gently notice the sounds around you. Without straining, notice on each in turn. If you are distracted just acknowledge this to your self and go back to listening. Remember God's presence in these sounds, and in the people and activities they present.
• Become aware of your breathing. Don't alter the rate of depth of your breathing; just be aware of it. You may like to give your whole attention to each breath as you inhale and exhale. Remember God's presence in your breathing. As you breathe out, let go of anything that distracts you.

A time of prayer

You may find it helpful to follow a structure such as this:

1. Preparing to pray

• Take a moment to get ready for this time with God
• What feelings are you aware of?
• What do you want to ask from God? Peace? Openness? Forgiveness? Generosity?
• Are there some familiar words that express this for you?

2. Beginning prayer

• Choose a place for prayer
• Make yourself comfortable
• Become still
• Ask the Holy Spirit to help as you pray.

3. Prayer

4. Finishing Prayer: Quietly bring your time of prayer to a close

• Make a simple prayer using words from your heart.
• Finish by saying a prayer such as the Lord's prayer, or making a closing gesture sucha s the sign of the cross.
• Give thanks for this time with God.
• Slowly leave the place where you have been praying.

5. Reviewing your prayer:

Slowly recall your time of prayer, just as you might think back over time with a friend.

• Was it good to be at prayer, or not?
• In what ways?
• How did you feel during the payer?
• Did you feel that God asked anything of you?
• Is there anything you want to return to in your next prayer time

You may like to keep a note of this review

A prayer for stillness

God of stillness and creative action,

Help us find space of quietness today,

that we may live creatively

Discover the inner meaning of silence

and learn the wisdom that heals the world.

Send peace and joy to each quiet place,

to all who are waiting and listening.

May your still small voice be heard

Through Christ in the love of the Spirit Amen.

 

A Quiet Day for Scotland

Relaxation Exercises

Relaxation Exercises
Begin by taking a moment or two to remember why you are here. You are here because you want to be here, but, more importantly, you are here because God wants you to be here. Your desire to be here is God’s prompting, his calling to you to come closer – to explore – to discover him.

In order to do this it helps if we are relaxed, not just physically but also mentally so begin by closing your eyes so that you are no longer conscious of yourself or your surroundings and can relax more freely, maybe just resting your hands in your lap.

It maybe that you have brought along with you today, cares or anxieties, from home, from work, or maybe you are apprehensive about the day. Whatever concerns are uppermost in your mind now I invite you to name them, silently to yourself, and as you name them, place them into God’s hands and ask him to take care of them for you.

Having eased your mind, you can now begin to ease your body by becoming aware of all that your are feeling through your body.

Starting with the top of your head, be aware of your hair…. every strand of it counted by God. – PAUSE -

Your ears … through which you hear the joyful sound of life, a child’s laughter, birdsong, the voice of a loved one. - PAUSE -

Your eyes… which are delighted by God’s gifts of colour and form. – PAUSE –

Your nose … brought to life by all the scents of the seasons, fresh bread, a perfumed bath. – PAUSE –

Your mouth … filled with tiny taste buds through which you experience such a diversity of taste and flavour – PAUSE -

Move on now, slowly down your neck to your shoulders, release the tension held there by tightening them right up … then gently relaxing them, allow them to drop to a comfortable position. – PAUSE –

Be aware of your back … of how you are holding it … feel of it as it rests against the back of the seat. – PAUSE –

Along your arms now … to your hands… feel the warmth of them as they rest in your lap … feel the sensitiveness of your fingertips by gently stroking your thumbs across them, you have experienced so much through your fingertips today. – PAUSE –

Now become conscious of your thighs pressing onto the seat … tense them up tightly …. then gently relax and allow them to rest. – PAUSE -

Your knees … the feel of tights or trousers against them … down to your calf muscles … tense them up tightly, then gently let go and relax. – PAUSE –

And your feet … which have taken over so many surfaces … feel them in your shoes . wiggle your toes around … then let them rest. – PAUSE –

Finally, be aware of your body as a whole …. allowing every muscle to relax. – PAUSE –

Feel the presence of the Holy Spirit dwelling within you stretching down to your toes … spreading out to your fingertips … filling your whole being with His presence – PAUSE –

Acknowledge silently to yourself, that you are a temple of the Holy Spirit. – PAUSE –

‘In me, O God, You life and move and have your being … In you, O God, I live and move and have my being. – ‘Amen’ -