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Let’s explore contemplative prayer practices. A meaningful way to deepen your faith.
Do you ever find it hard to sit still and focus during prayer? Maybe your mind wanders, or your body just isn’t made for quiet corners and folded hands. If that’s you, you’re not alone. You might want to try something more physical, like a prayer labyrinth. This ancient practice offers a way to pray … Read more
The examen prayer is a beautiful, introspective practice rooted in Ignatian spirituality. It’s designed to help you reflect on your day, notice where God has been present, and discern areas of growth or gratitude. It’s simple but meaningful. Let’s explore this practice together and think about incorporating it into our daily routine. It all began … Read more
Have you heard of imaginative contemplation? Also known as Ignatian contemplation, it’s a contemplative prayer practice where you use your imagination to place yourself in a scene from the Bible and use that as a basis for your prayer time. St. Ignatius developed this practice primarily for gospel passages in an effort to know Jesus … Read more
Visio divina, meaning “divine seeing,” is a spiritual practice that invites us to encounter the sacred through visual imagery. It is related to lectio divina, an ancient approach to scripture that involves slow, intentional reading, meditation, and prayer—allowing certain words or phrases to resonate deeply. In contrast, visio divina also encourages reflection, but on images … Read more
I’ve written about several types of contemplative prayer, like breath prayer, lectio divina, imaginative contemplation, visio divina, the examen, a prayer labyrinth, and welcoming prayer. I’ve also shared about using prayer beads in a contemplative prayer practice. Centering prayer is the one technique I’ve tried but haven’t mentioned (before now). Perhaps that’s because I find … Read more
Welcoming prayer is one of several different types of contemplative prayer practices. It focuses on intentionally accepting–welcoming–your experiences and turning them over to God. Let’s dive into this contentment-building practice and see what it’s all about! What is welcoming prayer? Some contemplative prayer practices have been around a really long time, but welcoming prayer began … Read more
A breath prayer is a short, simple prayer you say in a single breath. It helps focus the mind, and it cultivates a deeper connection with God. Breath prayers should be easy to remember, making them ideal for quick meditative moments throughout the day. They key advantage to breath prayers is how easy it is … Read more
Prayer beads can be a meaningful part of your prayer life. I’d like to share my personal approach to using them as part of a contemplative prayer practice. Prayer beads are for anyone. Prayer beads have been around for thousands of years. Many people associate them with the Catholic rosary, but believers from many traditions … Read more
The term lectio divina means divine reading. It’s a contemplative prayer practice based on short Bible passages. The goal is not to study but rather to experience. Read on for an overview of lectio divina and a step-by-step guide. Overview of lectio divina: Lectio divina is an ancient practice. I’ve seen it presented using “the … Read more