Hi Coder -
You raise a good question:thumbsup:
Broadly speaking, all methods of prayer can be thought of as situated on a spectrum between two poles. On the one end, our prayer is entirely “active” and makes use of the very images, forms, ideas, thoughts, words etc you cite in your post. And this is as it should be for, as another poster mentioned, we are human and this is how we are made. So we use our minds and imagination in a variety of ways (for example vocal prayer and meditation) in order to stir our hearts to love . . . love being the only way we find “likeness” or “union” with our God who lies beyond any image or construct of Him we can fashion in our minds. So we do what St. Teresa of Avila says: “do what stirs your heart to love.”
Sometimes, though, we might notice our prayer shifting a bit further down the spectrum, in a manner of speaking. This is called the Prayer of Simplicity . . . when our reliance on images, forms, ideas in prayer is diminished. Why? Because . . . for the moment at least . . . they’ve accomplished their purpose. These are the “I look at Him and He looks at me” times. When we recognize an attraction for interior stillness like this we are best to let go of our vocal prayer and meditation and follow where He is leading. Stop “doing” in order to simply “be.”
Then, perhaps, God will take over from here and lead us even further down the spectrum to a way of prayer that is entirely “passive.” This is called infused contemplation . . . God’s way of praying in us as He really is . . . silence. At such times, our images, forms, ideas and thoughts of Him have no place. In fact they are contrary to the very grace He is trying to give. So God “suspends” the use of our faculties creating an “absorption” in Him. Whenever we see our Saints and Doctors use terms like suspension or absorbtion we know they are talking about infused contemplation.
So in keeping with the theme of this thread, I hope this “image” of the various ways of prayer helps,
Dave
