Mental prayer and intuitions

[tshark1]

Hello! I have a question regarding mental prayer and intuitions. I will try to make this as clear as possible.

When I enter into mental prayer i first choose a subject, then I dive into that subject from different sides. Sometimes i get alot of inspirations,intuitions(?), which I understand are not from myself but from god. For ex, I got an inspiration that god is like a father and he is holding my hand and is teaching me about life and virtue and is then showing me my brothers and sisters(the other children) and he is telling me that he is giving me alot of consolation to spread it to other children too and not to get selfish with it. When this happens I understand it very clearly that this image,inspiration was from God. It happens in alot of other meditations too… I want to know if this kind of mental prayer has some name and if I can get some tips how to use it in the best way? It feels so strange sometimes becuase its like I just know he is listening to me right now in this moment and he is giving me alot of inspirations. It feels strange but Im really happy about it, I just want to know how to use this kind of prayer in the best way and if theres any dangers assosiated with this kind of prayer. Thanks!

 

[Vico]

Catechism of the Catholic Church

2713 … Contemplative prayer is a covenant relationship established by God within our hearts.9 …

2716 Contemplative prayer is hearing the Word of God. Far from being passive, such attentiveness is the obedience of faith, the unconditional acceptance of a servant, and the loving commitment of a child. It participates in the “Yes” of the Son become servant and the Fiat of God’s lowly handmaid.

 

[tshark1]

Thank you for your reply ,Vico!
I am pretty sure that this is not contemplative prayer…that’s pretty far off. As I understand a contemplative soul does not have the “power” to contemplate but it’s gods work. What I am going through is more like I have control over the situation, I know where I am etc. Its nothing mystical in that sense, it’s really hard to explain…I can meditate about a beautiful flower plant and one of them is really humble and lets god do his job and the other is that greedy prideful one that wants to grow in an instance. I myself started the meditation about one flower, then I got intuitions,inspirations about two flowers where one is humble and the other greedy…its really hard to explain, it feels like i can get all the knowledge that i need through meditation and not spiritual reading…maybe its better not to know and stay humble.

 

[Vico]

Thank you for your reply ,Vico!
I am pretty sure that this is not contemplative prayer…that’s pretty far off. As I understand a contemplative soul does not have the “power” to contemplate but it’s gods work. What I am going through is more like I have control over the situation, I know where I am etc. Its nothing mystical in that sense, it’s really hard to explain…I can meditate about a beautiful flower plant and one of them is really humble and lets god do his job and the other is that greedy prideful one that wants to grow in an instance. I myself started the meditation about one flower, then I got intuitions,inspirations about two flowers where one is humble and the other greedy…its really hard to explain, it feels like i can get all the knowledge that i need through meditation and not spiritual reading…maybe its better not to know and stay humble.

The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are given in Modern Catholic Dictionary:

The seven forms of supernatural initiative conferred with the reception of sanctifying grace. They are in the nature of supernatural reflexes, or reactive instincts, that spontaneously answer to the divine impulses of grace almost without reflection but always with full consent. The gifts are wisdom ( sapientia ), understanding ( intellectus ), knowledge ( scientia ), fortitude or courage ( fortitudo ), counsel ( consilium ), piety or love ( pietas ), and fear of the Lord ( timor Domini ).

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Mental Prayer, as St Teresa of Avila taught it, is having the awareness of being in God’s presence when we pray. It doesn’t matter the method of prayer being used.

Contemplative Prayer, is opening ourselves to Contemplation, which comes from God alone.

A spiritual advisor would tell you to let go the experiences you may have received from God. If they are from God, you have received everything he wants to give you.

The problem according to Fr Keating is, when we receive consolation or an experience from God, we received everything God wanted us to receive at that moment. When we begin to dwell on the experience we also start to provide our own commentary and we end up distorting the message God was giving us. So Fr Keating’s advice is, let it go and thank God for the experience and don’t dwell on it.

Also, the ego will try to grasp the experience in order to build up a false sense of piety. Spiritual pride can be dangerous and lead a soul into sin.

In all, you had an experience from God. Thank God and move on.

As the author of the Cloud of Unknowing wrote, “God can not be grasped, except through love.” In other words, whatever we receive or give to God, is through love, nothing else.

 

[tshark1]

This. This sounds very reasonable. “when we receive consolation or an experience from God, we received everything God wanted us to receive at that moment” I’ll have to dwell on that for a while. It’s so true. It’s over in that moment, He gave we recieved its done, its over.
I really appreciate this and all replies! This was exactly what i needed to hear! Thanks!