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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Books Spiritual Disciplines Handbook Adele Ahlberg Calhoun An Alter in the World Barbara Brown Tayor The Spirit of the Disciplines Dallas Willard The Divine Hours Phyllis Tickle Celebration of Discipline Richard Foster Interior Castle Teresa of Avila PRAYER OF EXAMEN PRAYING THE PSALMS WALKING PRAYER SOAKING PRAYER Smartphone Apps LECTIO DIVINA Examen Prayer by Michael Denk Centering Prayer by Contemplative Outreach BLESSING PRAYER Websites Contemplativeoutreach org Gravitycenter com PRAYER POSTURES CENTERING PRAYER FIXED HOUR PRAYER Descriptions adapted from The Upper Room Living Prayer Center Contemplative Outreach Gravity Center

PRAYER OF EXAMEN Ignatius of Loyola 1491 1556 was a Spanish priest theologian and founder the Jesuit Order He encouraged everyone to learn the prayer of Examen In fact he taught if you had to drop every other prayer in your day this one should be dropped last He believed it was that important Dawn Prayer Lauds Sunrise 5 00am So what is examen Examen is a reflection done in the presence of God on the events of your day and your responses to them Its purpose is to notice God s steadfast presence throughout our day and to discern His direction for us Examen teaches that our responses to daily events fall into two categories Early Morning Prayer Prime First hour 6 00am Mid Morning Prayer Terce Third house 9 00am Consolations things that connect us with God Desolations things that disconnect us from God Midday Prayer Sext Sixth hour 12 00pm Examen helps us become aware of seemingly insignificant moments that can ultimately give keen spiritual direction The prayer of examen also forms our hearts in the practice of gratitude PRACTICE IT Examen should take about fifteen minutes enough time to reflect listen and discern well and involves three basic parts Before you begin find a place you can relax and be comfortable Mid Afternoon Prayer Nones Ninth hour 3 00pm Evening Prayer Vespers Sunset 6 00pm Night Prayer Compline At Bedtime 9 00pm

FIXED HOUR PRAYER Fixed hour prayer is the oldest form of Christian spiritual discipline and has its roots in the Judaism out of which Christianity came Fixed hour prayer is also commonly referred to as the divine offices or the liturgy of the hours When the Psalmist says Seven times a day do I praise You he is referring to fixed hour prayer as it existed in ancient Judaism We do not know the hours that were appointed in the Psalmist s time for those prayers But eventually Christians began to follow fixed hour prayers by the Roman work day six in the morning mid morning break at nine the noon meal the mid afternoon break at three and the close of the business day at six With the addition of evening prayers and early prayers upon arising the structure of fixed hour prayer was established in a form that is very close to that which Christians still use today TRY IT The major purpose of fixed hour prayer is remembrance or remembering God hold all things despite the rigor and busyness of our schedules We are often addicted to finishing and unable to stop If you practice the hours or some of them be prepared to stop in the middle of whatever you are doing to simply be with God and acknowledge remember he is sovereign over your life and over all the earth 1 TRANSITION Still yourself and become aware of God s presence Move yourself to a quiet place free from distractions Take a deep breath become aware of God s love for you 2 GRATITUDE Reflect on and thank God for each blessing of the day from waking until this moment Make your gratitude specific based on your experiences of the day If your heart spent this entire prayer in gratitude it would be enough 3 PETITION Ask God for the grace to see whatever He wants you to see in the next step Knock and the door will be opened to you Matthew 7 7 3 DISCERNMENT Review the day with the Father and ask him to help you see 1 when you were with Him consolations and 2 when you were moving away from Him desolations 3 FORGIVENESS Ask and receive forgiveness for moments you walked separate from God Be as specific as possible Receive his grace freely 3 RESOLUTION With God make some concrete resolutions for tomorrow

CENTERING PRAYER PRAYING THE PSALMS Psalms has been called the prayer book of the Bible in both Jewish and Christian traditions Because the psalms range so widely in emotional expression from the heights of adoration and praise to the depths of vengeful curses against the enemy they have special relevance to our prayer life They teach us to hide nothing from God but to bring all that is real into the only relationship that can bless the best in us and heal the worst in us No matter what we are feeling distress trust anger or delight we find the words of the psalms accompany us into God s presence These prayers give us words to glorify confess hope ask and doubt In so doing they give us permission to share our whole being with God Some examples of Psalms to pray in the midst of different feelings and experiences Centering Prayer is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of God s presence within us It is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer Rather it adds depth of meaning to all prayer Centering Prayer offers a way to grow in intimacy with God moving beyond conversation towards communion TRY IT 1 Sit in an upright attentive posture in a way that allows for a straight spine Place hands in your lap 2 Choose a simple word that reflects a characteristic of God or name for God Love Christ Peace 3 Gently close your eyes and bring to mind your word as your symbol to consent to the presence and action of God within you Your word should be the same every time you pray It helps to ground you in the present moment allowing you to give your undivided loving attention to God 4 Silently with eyes closed recall your word to begin your prayer As you notice your thoughts gently return to your sacred word Do this however many times you notice your thoughts As you settle you will begin to notice God s presence more and more 5 When your prayer period is over transition slowly from your prayer practice to your active life It is recommended to pray in this fashion for a minimum of 20 minutes two times a day Start out slowly with initial prayer periods of five to ten minutes working up to the desired length of time

PRAYER POSTURES In the Biblical accounts of prayer many postures are described Abraham fell upon his face before God Genesis 17 3 17 Moses prayed with his hands outstretched Exodus 9 27 29 King Solomon knelt in prayer I Kings 8 54 Jesus prayed looking up into heaven Mark 6 41 John 11 41 and 17 1 Communication with God does not require a certain physical position but postures do give expression to the attitudes of our hearts Here are eight postures of prayer you may use at different times when you pray TRY IT Lying Prostrate Before God humility inadequacy Kneeling Before God appeal confession Bowing Before the Lord honor gratitude Standing Before the Lord confidence readiness ANXIOUS AFRAID Psalm 70 ENVIOUS Psalm 73 DESPAIRING Psalm 77 SICK AND TIRED Psalm 6 GRATEFUL Psalm 9 CONTENTED Psalm 23 WRONGLY ACCUSED Psalm 17 AWED BY GOD Psalm 29 Sitting Before the Lord authority seated with the Father Looking Up to Heaven vulnerability trust Arms Raised appeal or praise Leaping for Joy as David danced naked before God

WALKING PRAYER Walking prayer or walking meditation is useful for a number of reasons It can help us concentrate on our prayers When we are tired or sluggish walking can reengaged our minds Walking prayer can be especially helpful after a meal early in the morning or late at night or after a long period of sitting When we are distressed walking prayer may be more relaxing than sitting TRY IT Set a length of time for the prayer at least fifteen minutes is optimum Begin by asking God to guide your steps and direct your prayers Remember that God s heart is filled with deep love and intimate knowledge of each person or circumstance you will pray for Start walking slowly listening for God with your whole being as you move Pay attention to your breath your body your heart and mind Whenever a person or situation comes to mind hold that person or situation in your heart for a moment before releasing them to God s loving care At the end of the prayer give thanks to God 3 Pray for someone for whom you do not have strong feelings This may be an acquaintance or someone you do not know well Bless them God with your love Bless them with your healing Bless them with your peace Take a moment to breathe do not rush 4 Pray for someone you dislike an enemy Imagine this person in God s loving hands Try to hold them gently in your heart Release to God any anger or tension that may arise in you Let these feelings go by setting them free to God s care Bless them God with your love Bless them with your healing Bless them with your peace Take a moment to breathe do not rush 5 Finally pray for all four people together yourself a friend an acquaintance and an enemy Extend God s blessing further to everyone around you to everyone in your neighborhood to those in your town and eventually to all people everywhere Bless all people everywhere with your love Bless all people with your healing Bless all people with your peace Take a moment to breathe do not rush

SOAKING PRAYER BLESSING PRAYER Blessing Prayer is asking for God to surround a particular person or situation with love healing and peace Begin by finding a comfortable and quiet place to pray the blessing prayer Take several slow deep breaths before you begin A Soaking Prayer allows us to simply rest in God s love When practicing Soaking Prayer it is not a time for intensive wordladen prayer or reading Save that for another day Simply find a place to rest and relax a comfortable chair hammock a bed or on the ground TRY IT TRY IT 1 Pray for yourself Focus on the light of God s love as it surrounds you Rest in that light Bless me God with your love Bless me with your healing Bless me with your peace Take a moment to breathe do not rush 2 Pray for a good friend Bring this friend to mind as vividly as you are able In this image hold them in your heart and extend love and grace to them Now imagine them in God s gentle loving hands Allow them to rest there in God s hands for a moment Repeat the prayer replacing me with them Bless them God with your love Bless them with your healing Bless them with your peace Take a moment to breathe do not rush Be aware of God s love surrounding you Imagine yourself in a refreshing pool of water or lying on the beach with ocean waves washing over you Another image you may want to use is of a tree gently swaying in the breeze You may allow yourself to slowly rock from side to side as if you were being cradled Or you may lie still and let God s light seep gently into every part of your body as water soaks into a sponge This may seem odd if you have learned that God only interacts with us through our mind But in fact Jesus teaches that our mind heart soul and body are all wired to give and receive God s love Recognize that it is God s presence that fills your entire being Experiencing God s presence helps us to love the Lord with all our heart mind and soul Soaking prayer can last as long as you need If you are feeling exhausted or ill let this be your only form of prayer for a while

LECTIO DIVINA PRAYING THE SCRIPTURES One of the most central and ancient practices of Christian prayer is Praying the Scriptures lectio divina or divine reading Lectio Divina was handed down to us by St Benedict of Nursia in the 400s A D When we practice Lectio we limit our focus to one or two verses We read unhurriedly so that we can listen for the message God has for us within We stay alert to connections the Spirit may reveal between the passages and what is going on in our lives Above all we simply ask What are you saying to me today Lord The basic rhythm of divine reading is 1 2 3 4 Reading Reflecting Responding Resting TRY IT Pick a scripture no more than a few verses and make some time for quiet Read the verse three times listening for a different thing each time 1 As you read the scripture this first time listen for the word or phrase that leaps out at you What word or phrase calls to you or sticks in your memory As you hear the word gently take it into your heart and silently recite or ponder the word during the silence 2 As you read the text this second time meditate on the word or phrase that speaks to you Let it interact with your thoughts your hopes your memories Consider how the word or phrase is touching your life today 3 As you read the text this last time consider how God is calling you forth into doing or being Allow God to use these words to touch you shape you in your life today Before you return to your activities spend a few more moments in prayer and meditation If you keep a journal you may choose to keep notes about these times

LECTIO DIVINA PRAYING THE SCRIPTURES One of the most central and ancient practices of Christian prayer is Praying the Scriptures lectio divina or divine reading Lectio Divina was handed down to us by St Benedict of Nursia in the 400s A D When we practice Lectio we limit our focus to one or two verses We read unhurriedly so that we can listen for the message God has for us within We stay alert to connections the Spirit may reveal between the passages and what is going on in our lives Above all we simply ask What are you saying to me today Lord The basic rhythm of divine reading is 1 2 3 4 Reading Reflecting Responding Resting TRY IT Pick a scripture no more than a few verses and make some time for quiet Read the verse three times listening for a different thing each time 1 As you read the scripture this first time listen for the word or phrase that leaps out at you What word or phrase calls to you or sticks in your memory As you hear the word gently take it into your heart and silently recite or ponder the word during the silence 2 As you read the text this second time meditate on the word or phrase that speaks to you Let it interact with your thoughts your hopes your memories Consider how the word or phrase is touching your life today 3 As you read the text this last time consider how God is calling you forth into doing or being Allow God to use these words to touch you shape you in your life today Before you return to your activities spend a few more moments in prayer and meditation If you keep a journal you may choose to keep notes about these times

SOAKING PRAYER BLESSING PRAYER Blessing Prayer is asking for God to surround a particular person or situation with love healing and peace Begin by finding a comfortable and quiet place to pray the blessing prayer Take several slow deep breaths before you begin A Soaking Prayer allows us to simply rest in God s love When practicing Soaking Prayer it is not a time for intensive wordladen prayer or reading Save that for another day Simply find a place to rest and relax a comfortable chair hammock a bed or on the ground TRY IT TRY IT 1 Pray for yourself Focus on the light of God s love as it surrounds you Rest in that light Bless me God with your love Bless me with your healing Bless me with your peace Take a moment to breathe do not rush 2 Pray for a good friend Bring this friend to mind as vividly as you are able In this image hold them in your heart and extend love and grace to them Now imagine them in God s gentle loving hands Allow them to rest there in God s hands for a moment Repeat the prayer replacing me with them Bless them God with your love Bless them with your healing Bless them with your peace Take a moment to breathe do not rush Be aware of God s love surrounding you Imagine yourself in a refreshing pool of water or lying on the beach with ocean waves washing over you Another image you may want to use is of a tree gently swaying in the breeze You may allow yourself to slowly rock from side to side as if you were being cradled Or you may lie still and let God s light seep gently into every part of your body as water soaks into a sponge This may seem odd if you have learned that God only interacts with us through our mind But in fact Jesus teaches that our mind heart soul and body are all wired to give and receive God s love Recognize that it is God s presence that fills your entire being Experiencing God s presence helps us to love the Lord with all our heart mind and soul Soaking prayer can last as long as you need If you are feeling exhausted or ill let this be your only form of prayer for a while

WALKING PRAYER Walking prayer or walking meditation is useful for a number of reasons It can help us concentrate on our prayers When we are tired or sluggish walking can reengaged our minds Walking prayer can be especially helpful after a meal early in the morning or late at night or after a long period of sitting When we are distressed walking prayer may be more relaxing than sitting TRY IT Set a length of time for the prayer at least fifteen minutes is optimum Begin by asking God to guide your steps and direct your prayers Remember that God s heart is filled with deep love and intimate knowledge of each person or circumstance you will pray for Start walking slowly listening for God with your whole being as you move Pay attention to your breath your body your heart and mind Whenever a person or situation comes to mind hold that person or situation in your heart for a moment before releasing them to God s loving care At the end of the prayer give thanks to God 3 Pray for someone for whom you do not have strong feelings This may be an acquaintance or someone you do not know well Bless them God with your love Bless them with your healing Bless them with your peace Take a moment to breathe do not rush 4 Pray for someone you dislike an enemy Imagine this person in God s loving hands Try to hold them gently in your heart Release to God any anger or tension that may arise in you Let these feelings go by setting them free to God s care Bless them God with your love Bless them with your healing Bless them with your peace Take a moment to breathe do not rush 5 Finally pray for all four people together yourself a friend an acquaintance and an enemy Extend God s blessing further to everyone around you to everyone in your neighborhood to those in your town and eventually to all people everywhere Bless all people everywhere with your love Bless all people with your healing Bless all people with your peace Take a moment to breathe do not rush

PRAYER POSTURES In the Biblical accounts of prayer many postures are described Abraham fell upon his face before God Genesis 17 3 17 Moses prayed with his hands outstretched Exodus 9 27 29 King Solomon knelt in prayer I Kings 8 54 Jesus prayed looking up into heaven Mark 6 41 John 11 41 and 17 1 Communication with God does not require a certain physical position but postures do give expression to the attitudes of our hearts Here are eight postures of prayer you may use at different times when you pray TRY IT Lying Prostrate Before God humility inadequacy Kneeling Before God appeal confession Bowing Before the Lord honor gratitude Standing Before the Lord confidence readiness ANXIOUS AFRAID Psalm 70 ENVIOUS Psalm 73 DESPAIRING Psalm 77 SICK AND TIRED Psalm 6 GRATEFUL Psalm 9 CONTENTED Psalm 23 WRONGLY ACCUSED Psalm 17 AWED BY GOD Psalm 29 Sitting Before the Lord authority seated with the Father Looking Up to Heaven vulnerability trust Arms Raised appeal or praise Leaping for Joy as David danced naked before God

CENTERING PRAYER PRAYING THE PSALMS Psalms has been called the prayer book of the Bible in both Jewish and Christian traditions Because the psalms range so widely in emotional expression from the heights of adoration and praise to the depths of vengeful curses against the enemy they have special relevance to our prayer life They teach us to hide nothing from God but to bring all that is real into the only relationship that can bless the best in us and heal the worst in us No matter what we are feeling distress trust anger or delight we find the words of the psalms accompany us into God s presence These prayers give us words to glorify confess hope ask and doubt In so doing they give us permission to share our whole being with God Some examples of Psalms to pray in the midst of different feelings and experiences Centering Prayer is a method of silent prayer that prepares us to receive the gift of God s presence within us It is not meant to replace other kinds of prayer Rather it adds depth of meaning to all prayer Centering Prayer offers a way to grow in intimacy with God moving beyond conversation towards communion TRY IT 1 Sit in an upright attentive posture in a way that allows for a straight spine Place hands in your lap 2 Choose a simple word that reflects a characteristic of God or name for God Love Christ Peace 3 Gently close your eyes and bring to mind your word as your symbol to consent to the presence and action of God within you Your word should be the same every time you pray It helps to ground you in the present moment allowing you to give your undivided loving attention to God 4 Silently with eyes closed recall your word to begin your prayer As you notice your thoughts gently return to your sacred word Do this however many times you notice your thoughts As you settle you will begin to notice God s presence more and more 5 When your prayer period is over transition slowly from your prayer practice to your active life It is recommended to pray in this fashion for a minimum of 20 minutes two times a day Start out slowly with initial prayer periods of five to ten minutes working up to the desired length of time

FIXED HOUR PRAYER Fixed hour prayer is the oldest form of Christian spiritual discipline and has its roots in the Judaism out of which Christianity came Fixed hour prayer is also commonly referred to as the divine offices or the liturgy of the hours When the Psalmist says Seven times a day do I praise You he is referring to fixed hour prayer as it existed in ancient Judaism We do not know the hours that were appointed in the Psalmist s time for those prayers But eventually Christians began to follow fixed hour prayers by the Roman work day six in the morning mid morning break at nine the noon meal the mid afternoon break at three and the close of the business day at six With the addition of evening prayers and early prayers upon arising the structure of fixed hour prayer was established in a form that is very close to that which Christians still use today TRY IT The major purpose of fixed hour prayer is remembrance or remembering God hold all things despite the rigor and busyness of our schedules We are often addicted to finishing and unable to stop If you practice the hours or some of them be prepared to stop in the middle of whatever you are doing to simply be with God and acknowledge remember he is sovereign over your life and over all the earth 1 TRANSITION Still yourself and become aware of God s presence Move yourself to a quiet place free from distractions Take a deep breath become aware of God s love for you 2 GRATITUDE Reflect on and thank God for each blessing of the day from waking until this moment Make your gratitude specific based on your experiences of the day If your heart spent this entire prayer in gratitude it would be enough 3 PETITION Ask God for the grace to see whatever He wants you to see in the next step Knock and the door will be opened to you Matthew 7 7 3 DISCERNMENT Review the day with the Father and ask him to help you see 1 when you were with Him consolations and 2 when you were moving away from Him desolations 3 FORGIVENESS Ask and receive forgiveness for moments you walked separate from God Be as specific as possible Receive his grace freely 3 RESOLUTION With God make some concrete resolutions for tomorrow

PRAYER OF EXAMEN Ignatius of Loyola 1491 1556 was a Spanish priest theologian and founder the Jesuit Order He encouraged everyone to learn the prayer of Examen In fact he taught if you had to drop every other prayer in your day this one should be dropped last He believed it was that important Dawn Prayer Lauds Sunrise 5 00am So what is examen Examen is a reflection done in the presence of God on the events of your day and your responses to them Its purpose is to notice God s steadfast presence throughout our day and to discern His direction for us Examen teaches that our responses to daily events fall into two categories Early Morning Prayer Prime First hour 6 00am Mid Morning Prayer Terce Third house 9 00am Consolations things that connect us with God Desolations things that disconnect us from God Midday Prayer Sext Sixth hour 12 00pm Examen helps us become aware of seemingly insignificant moments that can ultimately give keen spiritual direction The prayer of examen also forms our hearts in the practice of gratitude PRACTICE IT Examen should take about fifteen minutes enough time to reflect listen and discern well and involves three basic parts Before you begin find a place you can relax and be comfortable Mid Afternoon Prayer Nones Ninth hour 3 00pm Evening Prayer Vespers Sunset 6 00pm Night Prayer Compline At Bedtime 9 00pm

ADDITIONAL RESOURCES Books Spiritual Disciplines Handbook Adele Ahlberg Calhoun An Alter in the World Barbara Brown Tayor The Spirit of the Disciplines Dallas Willard The Divine Hours Phyllis Tickle Celebration of Discipline Richard Foster Interior Castle Teresa of Avila PRAYER OF EXAMEN PRAYING THE PSALMS WALKING PRAYER SOAKING PRAYER Smartphone Apps LECTIO DIVINA Examen Prayer by Michael Denk Centering Prayer by Contemplative Outreach BLESSING PRAYER Websites Contemplativeoutreach org Gravitycenter com PRAYER POSTURES CENTERING PRAYER FIXED HOUR PRAYER Descriptions adapted from The Upper Room Living Prayer Center Contemplative Outreach Gravity Center