All of us pray in different ways at different stages in our lives. Sometimes our way of praying changes as we grow in our relationship with God. Silence as a discipline is at the heart of all prayer. It plays an essential part in the process and development of spiritual growth throughout the history of the Church. In the 3rd and 4th centuries, the Desert Fathers and Mothers went out to the desert to find silence and solitude and later the discipline of silence and solitude became an essential part of the daily routine in the monastic life. Today, many retreat houses offer people a place where they can explore and experience the value of solitude and silence. It is, however, important to remember that silence and solitude in this context are not ends in themselves but a means to building and deepening our relationship with God. Book suggestions Listening to God in silence and stillness God of stillness and creative action help me to find space for quietness today that I may discover Laird, Martin (2006) Into a Silent Land – The Practice of Contemplation. Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd. O‘Rourke, Benigmus (2010) Finding your Hidden Treasure – The Way of Silent Prayer. Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd. Retreat Association Leaflets Number 3, Time to be, and 17 Finding Silence and Stillness. Downloadable from the Retreat Association website. the inner meaning of silence Skinner, John (2004) Sounding the Silence, Gracewing Publishers. and hear your still, small voice Websites www.retreats.org.uk Front cover image: www.Pixabay.com and K Dixon through Christ, in the love of the Spirit The Prayer Pack

Listening in Silence and Stillness - · PDF fileAll of us pray in different ways at different Listening to God in silence andstages in our lives. Sometimes our way of praying changes

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Page 1: Listening in Silence and Stillness - · PDF fileAll of us pray in different ways at different Listening to God in silence andstages in our lives. Sometimes our way of praying changes

Allofusprayindifferentwaysatdifferentstagesinourlives.SometimesourwayofprayingchangesaswegrowinourrelationshipwithGod.

Silence as a discipline is at the heart of all prayer. It plays an essential part inthe process and development of spiritual growth throughout the history of theChurch. In the3rdand4th centuries, theDesert Fathers andMothers went outto the desert to find silence and solitude and later the discipline of silence andsolitudebecameanessential partofthedailyroutine inthemonastic life.Today, many retreat houses offer people a place where they can explore andexperience the value of solitude and silence. It is, however, important toremember that silence and solitude in this context are not ends in themselvesbutameanstobuildinganddeepeningourrelationshipwithGod.

Booksuggestions

ListeningtoGodinsilenceandstillness

GodofstillnessandcreativeactionhelpmetofindspaceforquietnesstodaythatImaydiscover

Laird,Martin (2006) IntoaSilentLand–ThePracticeofContemplation. Darton,Longman&ToddLtd.

O‘Rourke,Benigmus(2010)FindingyourHiddenTreasure–TheWayofSilent Prayer.Darton,Longman&ToddLtd.

RetreatAssociationLeafletsNumber3,Timetobe,and17FindingSilenceand Stillness.DownloadablefromtheRetreatAssociationwebsite. theinnermeaningofsilenceSkinner,John(2004)SoundingtheSilence,GracewingPublishers. andhearyourstill,smallvoiceWebsites

www.retreats.org.uk

Frontcoverimage:www.Pixabay.comandKDixon

throughChrist,intheloveoftheSpirit

The Prayer Pack

Page 2: Listening in Silence and Stillness - · PDF fileAll of us pray in different ways at different Listening to God in silence andstages in our lives. Sometimes our way of praying changes

Itisinsilenceandstillnessthatwemay‘hear’Godwithinnerears:

“BestillandknowthatIamGod”Psalm46:10

Blockingoutallsoundsandactivityinthisfast-paced,noisyworldcanbeachallenge.Butthefollowingstepscanhelpyoutorelaxandfocusonthatsilencewithin.

Youcandothiswheneverandwhereever-evenifyouonlyhaveafewminutes!Allowyourselftogentlygetintoit,eventuallyspendinglongerperiodsinsilence.

First,getintoacomfortableposition.

RememberGod’spresenceinyou,inyourbodyandinyourfeelings,andrememberthatyouareloved. Becomeawareofyourbreathing,andpayattentiontoeachbreathwithoutalteringit–inandout,inandout.

RememberGod’spresenceinyourbreathing.

Asyoubreathein,acceptGod’sloveandlife;asyoubreatheout,letgoofanythingthatisworryingordistractingyou,placingitinGod’shands.

Inme,OGod,Youliveandmoveandhaveyourbeing.InYou,OGod,Iliveandmoveandhavemybeing.

Focusonyourbody:Startingatthetopofyourhead,workyourwaydown,closingyoureyes,relaxingyourfacialmuscles,yourshoulders,thenyourtorso,yourarms,hands,legsandfeet,rightdowntoyourtoes.

Nowlistentothesoundsaroundyou. Don’ttrytoblockthemout,justacknowledgethem,rememberingGod’spresenceinthem:inthepeopleandactivitiestheystemfrom.