Engagement In Prayer

[Wm777]

What do you find helps you to become most engaged with a prayer you are saying?

I’ve been going through a time of aridity and
Trying to think of ways to gain some traction going…

 

[Shakuhachi]

Art and music.

 

[Lee1]

I quieten my mind if I can first. Then if I use a formal prayer I think about what the words mean as I pray them, sometimes I forget and then I feel as though it was a pointless rendition.

The most engaged I feel is when I simply talk, those words are mine and I mean them and have no trouble about sincerity etc.

 

[0Scarlett_nidiyilii]

Peace and quiet.

But sometimes that doesn’t work, and our brains go off on tangents, but if you make the sincere effort, God knows it’s so.

 

[Edward_H]

For remembering why I should pray and why I shouldn’t.

I try to remember that I should pray to please God, to praise Him, to “relieve” Jesus of some pain in carrying His Cross.

I try to remmber that I should NOT pray for a feeling of consolation, for favors, etc.

Those may happen, but they’re incidental to why I pray.

 

[Wm777]

This may sound a little strange, but what about work?

I’ve been thinking of the old Benedictine saying, “Ora et Labora”.

There’s different forms of work, though.

Maybe journaling is one solution?

In any case, I am enjoying the suggestions so far, so thank you all for sharing!

 

[Rayne2Step]

The Benedictine monastery near home has 2 stained glass windows with Ora/Labora on them. Journaling is always a wonderful way of prayer especially when you can refer back over time and see how your spiritual life has progressed. Peace be with you