Problem with mental prayer

[ANGELIC_PEACE]

…how can you pray them in your mind with out your lips moving? …when i think thoughts in my mind or read a book then my thoughts run smoothly and my lips don’t move…but as soon as i try to say a prayer in my head then the train of thought in my head seems to break down and i have to focus on each word…and i end up mouthing the words to the prayer…how can i stop doing this…if i can think thoughts without moving my lips…then why does it happen EVERYTIME i try to pray… …any advice on what i could do because i don’t want people to think i’m weird… or worse…that i’m talking to myself …it reminds me of if you have a puppet and you try to talk with out moving your lips and the words come out sounding weird…thats what it sounds like in my head if i don’t move my lips…but i can think normal thoughts withou it doing this…

maybe i am focusing too much on it and making the whole problem worse

has anyone mastered how to do this?..if so can you share your tips with us

ANGELIC PEACE

 

[blessedstar]

As you say this does not happen to you in your daily thoughts then make Jesus part of your daily thoughts.

When you are about to do something say in your mind to Jesus ‘I am going to start to clean’ then talk to Him in your mind as you do whatever you are doing. This is prayer. This is part of Living Prayer. Repeatedly doing this forms a good habit of mental prayer and will also keep you mindful of God’s constant Presence which in turn will lead you on the road to perfection which is the goal of all prayer, to be made Christ like.

In time, introduce your vocal prayers into mental prayer in this same way, say to Jesus in your mind, now I am going to pray the ‘Our Father’ in my mind, ask for His help, and the help of the Holy Spirit, talk to Him a little and then pray the Our Father in your mind . Do it quickly the first time you do it. Slow it down gradually over time until you can meditate upon each line of the Our Father in your mind.

It is difficult to break the cycle of internal dialogue wth the self and to replace it with the proper dialogue that should take place between the soul and God.

Don’t rush it and don’t be hard on yourself.

Try it, see if it helps.

In the Living prayer of my life

 

[Coreopisis]

…how can you pray them in your mind with out your lips moving? …when i think thoughts in my mind or read a book then my thoughts run smoothly and my lips don’t move…but as soon as i try to say a prayer in my head then the train of thought in my head seems to break down and i have to focus on each word…and i end up mouthing the words to the prayer…how can i stop doing this…if i can think thoughts without moving my lips…then why does it happen EVERYTIME i try to pray… …any advice on what i could do because i don’t want people to think i’m weird… or worse…that i’m talking to myself …it reminds me of if you have a puppet and you try to talk with out moving your lips and the words come out sounding weird…thats what it sounds like in my head if i don’t move my lips…but i can think normal thoughts withou it doing this…

maybe i am focusing too much on it and making the whole problem worse

has anyone mastered how to do this?..if so can you share your tips with us

ANGELIC PEACE

Try praying without words and see if that helps. Visualize Jesus on the cross and just hold that image for awhile. Visualize Mary at the foot of the cross. Visualize the angels rejoicing in heaven. This is prayer too.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Practice the Presence of God.

That is, many words are not needed to turn toward God, who dwells within you, and to just be with Him.

Its one of the reasons why people find the Jesus Prayer so helpful.

Another prayer that an OCDS member taught our group is, say the words “Be still and know I am God.” Repeat this prayer, as you are drawn toward your center, where you are able to rest in God, then say nothing and rest in His presence. When you find you are distracted, repeat the prayer, only this time leave off the last word. Every time you find yourself distracted, return to the prayer, but leave off the last word. So it would go like this;

“Be still and know I am God.”
“Be still and know I am”
“Be still”

The purpose of the prayer, isn’t the words, but rather, to return you to the intention of your will, which is resting in the presence of God.

In Christ Jesus
Jim

 

[DebChris]

Practice the Presence of God.

That is, many words are not needed to turn toward God, who dwells within you, and to just be with Him.

Its one of the reasons why people find the Jesus Prayer so helpful.

Another prayer that an OCDS member taught our group is, say the words “Be still and know I am God.” Repeat this prayer, as you are drawn toward your center, where you are able to rest in God, then say nothing and rest in His presence. When you find you are distracted, repeat the prayer, only this time leave off the last word. Every time you find yourself distracted, return to the prayer, but leave off the last word. So it would go like this;

“Be still and know I am God.”
“Be still and know I am”
“Be still”

The purpose of the prayer, isn’t the words, but rather, to return you to the intention of your will, which is resting in the presence of God.

In Christ Jesus
Jim

Good advice. Distractions in prayer are normal. They are like flies buzzing around and we need to swat them away with a quick flick. With prayer the swat can be a simple word or phrase.

 

[MarcoPolo]

I don’t think you have to not move your lips, but if you really want different ideas, try visualizing the words you are thinking, as if you were typing them in front of your mind’s eye.

 

[blessedstar]

I would say there is a progression in prayer and rather than take anyone’s advice it would be better to follow the Holy Spirit’s promptings in the soul.

In the Living Prayer of my life

 

[DebChris]

I don’t think you have to not move your lips, but if you really want different ideas, try visualizing the words you are thinking, as if you were typing them in front of your mind’s eye.

I move my lips. Even so there are times when I have been walking and asked directions while praying the rosary, etc. I have even be “hit on” while praying the Divine Mercy. People are not as aware as we might think they are.

 

[Coreopisis]

I would say there is a progression in prayer and rather than take anyone’s advice it would be better to follow the Holy Spirit’s promptings in the soul.

In the Living Prayer of my life

I agree with you totally, however I think it takes a certain amount of practice to get to the point where one recognizes the Holy Spirits promptings of the soul. My guess is that the person asking this question isn’t there yet.

It is beautiful to watch all these people post about how they pray and come closer to God. It warms my heart. Not only is everyone on here praying but they are also trying to help others pray. This is wonderful!

 

[baltobetsy]

As others have said, there’s no requirement to not move one’s lips during prayer. If you are praying in a church, no one will think you’re weird. If you’re praying in a public place, there might be a little more concern about your appearance, however. Even then, I don’t think anyone will cart you off to the loony bin for it!

I did want to help you clear up your terminology. The term, mental prayer, refers to the conversations you have with God in your own words or no words at all - your meditation. What you are asking about is vocal prayer, done silently. Vocal prayer is saying composed prayers like the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be, the Rosary, the Divine Mercy chaplet, the acts of faith, hope, love and contrition, prayers written by saints, etc. These are vocal prayers whether or not you use your voice to say them.

It is good to include both mental prayer and vocal prayer in your daily prayer routine.

To answer your question, maybe you could press your lips together when you say your vocal prayers for a while and see if that helps you break the lip-moving habit…

Betsy