Prayer Practices-Prayer Walk

When I was in seminary I had a Saturday morning ritual that prepared me for a day of studying. Each Saturday morning I would put on my tennis shoes, comfortable clothing and head out into the neighborhood for a prayer walk. I would walk the same route or at least a similar one this way I could focus in my prayer rather than where I was going. My route was perfect because for much of the route I could walk in the boulevard and feel a little more removed from the houses that lined the street. As I walked I would talk out loud to God. In the beginning I was very aware of the fact that someone might think I was a little coo-coo. Yet, the more I walked the more I realized that it didn't really matter what other people thought. This time was my time to talk to God and by golly I was going to to it my way!

I don't recall everything I prayed about. I do however, recall that my prayers were very self centered. They tended to focus on things that were happening in my life and affected me. I am sure they focused on my studies and my relationships with those around me. This self focused prayer time was what I needed at the time. I needed to say out loud what was I thinking and feeling so I could return to campus and hopefully be more effective in my studies.

I often wonder how this ritual might have been different if I had spend more time listening for and to God. I wonder if I might have heard a different calling or been more attuned to my authentic self. I wonder if I might have been less anxious and more grateful. As I write this blog I feel drawn to perhaps reengaging with this prayer walk practice with an emphasis on listening rather than talking. I might even come up with a mantra to use to help me concentrate on this aspect of prayer. Or perhaps I will focus on my yoga breath and the calm and openness this can bring.

As I am challenged to recommit to this practice that has been so life giving, I challenge you to try out this prayer practice. Maybe you want to walk the halls of your work place and say a prayer for your co-workers (and no you don't have to talk out loud). Perhaps you want to take a walk in the woods and listen for God's still small voice in the song's of the birds or the wind as it rustles the leaves. Maybe you take your family for a walk in the neighborhood praying for your neighbors as you walk.

If you do take this challenge please share your stories with me. I would love to hear how God is present in your life through prayer!

Prayer As Intentional Communication with God

Prayer is a funny thing. Some days it seems as natural as breathing. Others days it seems as difficult as learning a new language. Spent many years of my life trying to discover the "right" way to pray. I would "try out" different types of prayer, only to find that after using a specific type of prayer for a while it would loose my interest or would no longer resonate with me. As this cycle continued my frustration grew, until I no longer wanted to pray because I couldn't pray the "right" way.

After sometime I came to realize that there is no "right" way to pray. In fact, when it comes to prayer there are literally hundreds of ways to pray. Prayer is intentional communication with God. It is expressing ones thoughts, feelings, and longings to God as well as listening for God's still small voice or being open to a kick in the pants. With this in mind the ways we express ourself are as varied as each individual.

I admit that I still struggle with the listening aspect of prayer. I struggle to discern if the "voice" I'm hearing is God's or mine. I struggle to quiet my racing thoughts enough to really truly hear what God is saying. There are tools I use to help me in my quest to hear God's voice. The one I turn to most frequently is visualization prayer (I wrote about this type of prayer in a previous post-you can find that post here). This is one area where I want to grow so I can more fully experience God's grace and healing love. I'd love to hear your stories about listening for God voice in your prayer practice.

In future posts I will share with you types of prayer. Are there types of prayer you would like to know more about? What types of prayer are you curious about? Is there a type of prayer you've been wanting to try but feel apprehensive about? What are your favorite ways to pray?