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

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.