What is "deep prayer"?

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lizaanne

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I’ve heard this mentioned a few times on this site in the past, and everyone seems to know what it is or what it means. My DH and I pray together every night, but what is the difference between prayer and “deep prayer” when praying with someone?

~Liza
 
Hi Lizaanne,

I have the sense that when people use this wording, it means a sort of interior travail or groaning, with such intense fervor that one calls it “deep.” Generally, prayers we lift to God are not of that special intensity, except when there is a great need that causes us to “groan in spirit.” I’m not sure if this explanation is helpful, but this is difficult to put into words. I have read that some people do not cease to travail until the matter is “prayed through” and the Holy Spirit gives their hearts a release from the intensity. This might come in the form of a deep peace or assurance and/or insight that God has “heard” their petition.
 
I searched but could not find the conversation - there was a young girl who was talking about engaging in “deep prayer” with her boyfriend, and was it an appropriate activity for them given that they were not married. The response from everyone was that “deep prayer” was a level of intimacy that they should not be engaging in because they were not married. But it was ok for them to just generally pray together. So - therein lies my confusion. What’s the difference and why is one form of prayer considered more intimate than another.

I’m sorry I can’t find the discussion. 😊

~Liza
 
:confused:

Wow. I want to know what kind of prayer this is now. Sounds, um, like its something I am not sure is Catholic tradition if you cant do it outside of marriage… I could be wrong…
🤷

Its news to me.
I thought you were talking about prayers like those in the Psalms.:o
To me, thats deep prayer.
 
The response from everyone was that “deep prayer” was a level of intimacy that they should not be engaging in because they were not married. But it was ok for them to just generally pray together.
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Maybe you should find out what the responders think deep prayer is. Prayer is spiritual, and not physical, so I can’t see why it would imply intimacy with each other and be wrong to practice it.

On another note, “deep prayer” is something wrought by the Holy Spirit. None of us can say, I think I will do deep prayer today and just enter into it. With deep prayer that God initiates for special causes, it really causes us to hug our gut, in a manner of speaking. Very much an activity that extends acutely to the body.

The picture I’m getting is that they might be practicing some sort of centering (esoterical) practice that could be dangerous, depending on how they engage in it. It can remove the person from sensual awareness, and may be given the name “deep” for lack of better synonym.
 
I am more confused than ever now. I find incense sensual. I light it up in prayer every other day in my house.

Now, I am really confused.
 
MySaviorMyGod said:
So do I… I think its fine.😉
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🙂

isn’t it a wonderful sacramental?

If the couple in question was using insence, I think its fine. 👍

but- if it was some kind of physical contact - then it sounds new agey- unless someone here can give me some examples of what this is all about?
 
Joysong said:
It can remove the person from sensual awareness.
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For a discussion of the need to be removed from the senses – the “night of the senses” as opposed to the “night of the soul” – see St. John of the Cross.
 
Deep prayer is no longer a prayer I may direct, deep prayer is a prayer that the Lord leads us in in His own Ways. This prayer is a road that few travel, because it necessitates the courage to leave the road we are travelling on and to be converted yet deeper in faith and thus prayer becomes a recreation for the soul where often it is purged and often it finds the cross and often it finds sweet delights, but moreover the soul finds that prayer becomes life and life becomes prayer and the two are inseperable and so the soul is recreated in Living Prayer in Jesus.

Be sure to have courage; I ask God that you all have the courage to follow Him in His Ways rather than your own way as His Way is surer still though it may be all the harder.
 
blessedstar said:
Deep prayer is no longer a prayer I may direct, deep prayer is a prayer that the Lord leads us in in His own Ways. This prayer is a road that few travel, because it necessitates the courage to leave the road we are travelling on and to be converted yet deeper in faith and thus prayer becomes a recreation for the soul where often it is purged and often it finds the cross and often it finds sweet delights, but moreover the soul finds that prayer becomes life and life becomes prayer and the two are inseperable and so the soul is recreated in Living Prayer in Jesus.

Be sure to have courage; I ask God that you all have the courage to follow Him in His Ways rather than your own way as His Way is surer still though it may be all the harder.
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I am in awe. Thank you. I will print this now.🙂
 
blessedstar said:
Deep prayer is no longer a prayer I may direct, deep prayer is a prayer that the Lord leads us in in His own Ways. This prayer is a road that few travel, because it necessitates the courage to leave the road we are travelling on and to be converted yet deeper in faith and thus prayer becomes a recreation for the soul where often it is purged and often it finds the cross and often it finds sweet delights, but moreover the soul finds that prayer becomes life and life becomes prayer and the two are inseperable and so the soul is recreated in Living Prayer in Jesus.

Be sure to have courage; I ask God that you all have the courage to follow Him in His Ways rather than your own way as His Way is surer still though it may be all the harder.
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I think this is what I was asking. I can see that some might feel that to enter into this level of prayer with someone of the opposite sex whom you are not married to might be a level of intimacy which is inapprorpiate. Reaching this level of spirituality together with another person could be quite intimate indeed.

blessedstar - your post is beautiful! Thank you for that!

~Liza
 
lizaanne said:
I think this is what I was asking. I can see that some might feel that to enter into this level of prayer with someone of the opposite sex whom you are not married to might be a level of intimacy which is inapprorpiate. Reaching this level of spirituality together with another person could be quite intimate indeed.

blessedstar - your post is beautiful! Thank you for that!

~Liza
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Liza, Spiritual Love far exceeds any love upon earth. I have a spiritual love for a few and God has blessed me with those whom I love very deeply in a pure and spiritual way, as Spiritual Love is far beyond any other love and it does not matter which sex the person is because this kind of love does not have any relevance to sex.

I have some women some whom are Sisters with whom I share this spiritual love and they too love me the same way spiritually. I also have this spiritual love with some men and some of whom are Priests. I tell them I love them often and they too tell me they love me likewise. This is the love of Jesus between peoples, it is the purest kind of love.

You must not be afraid to love in this way as this is what is so lacking in the world. Love between people in Jesus is severely lacking and you must never be afraid to love in this way and to say to those you love this way that you love them and to assure them that you love them.

Pray with whomever you will and love freely ; never being ashamed to love in the Name of Jesus. The greatest Living Prayer of Life is to love.
 
deep prayer could be understood just as a layman’s way of saying “very intimate prayer”
i would think, when done with a person of the opposite sex, you open up your soul deeper and might say things during prayer you would never say otherwise. to open your soul to someone in such a way that doesnt need to be done might be inappropriate, however, i know 2 individuals who have done this, one catholic one protestant, and it has probably caused very bad problems for them. not being together for too long, convinced they want to marry eachother, being very attached to the other, perhaps are very “needy” people.
very holy indeed, but spiritually intimate with eachother i suspect. only for marriage? i dont know. but i think that one’s prayer should not be abused and used in order to draw you closer to someone, but only to draw you closer to God (in the stages before marriage) and the closer you come to God, the closer you both come to eachother.

just my thoughts.
then again, praying deeply is being honest. might be easy to get carried away though.
pray for discernment on what to pray for and how to pray
 
Mordocai said:
deep prayer could be understood just as a layman’s way of saying “very intimate prayer”
i would think, when done with a person of the opposite sex, you open up your soul deeper and might say things during prayer you would never say otherwise. to open your soul to someone in such a way that doesnt need to be done might be inappropriate…
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I agree with you.

Deep prayer between an individual and God is very intimate between the soul and the Divine Mercy. If one has no clue what it is like, St. Faustina’s Diary gives us good pictures and concrete examples.

Deep prayer between two people toward God involves the total openness to each other and vulnerability. Though prayer is purely spiritual and not sensual, I would be very cautious to pray with an opposite sex outside marriage. For example, I would never engage in such a prayer with my girl friend’s husband alone, even if we are in the same Bible study group.

Keep in mind we are weak human beings. We always have to pay attention to proper boundary even in the spiritual things. God sets up boundaries for our protection.
 
Thank you everyone - this was very informative! I think I have a better understanding now of what this is and why it was suggested that it not be practiced between a couple outside of marriage.

~Liza
 
blessedstar said:
Deep prayer is no longer a prayer I may direct, deep prayer is a prayer that the Lord leads us in in His own Ways. This prayer is a road that few travel, because it necessitates the courage to leave the road we are travelling on and to be converted yet deeper in faith and thus prayer becomes a recreation for the soul where often it is purged and often it finds the cross and often it finds sweet delights, but moreover the soul finds that prayer becomes life and life becomes prayer and the two are inseperable and so the soul is recreated in Living Prayer in Jesus.

Be sure to have courage; I ask God that you all have the courage to follow Him in His Ways rather than your own way as His Way is surer still though it may be all the harder.
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Sweet!👍
 
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