Tag: tools

The Welcoming Prayer

So shutdown continues, and I keep hearing people trying *not* to say how bad they feel about it. We know it could be so much worse: who are we to feel terrible about being isolated, cooped up, or driven insane by our own beloved children? And what I notice is how much energy and effort it takes to suppress what we are feeling. Today, then, I encourage you to instead use that energy to feel and then let go of your strong emotions, using the pattern of The Welcoming Prayer. There are four simple stages. Continue reading “The Welcoming Prayer” →

Luke | Proclamation, parties and praise!

Our Year of Luke is winding down, and I’m more in love with Luke than ever. Maybe it’s because Luke’s account is written for people like us: educated, professional, cosmopolitan, the sort of people who buy coffees out and who can confidently navigate a big city. The joy of Luke – and there’s a LOT of joy – is found when we allow God to confound our expectations and turn the world on its head. Hospitality is a big deal, and Luke teaches that we experience God’s hospitality when we welcome the stranger. Guests become hosts, outsiders know grace, the poor are blessed, and resurrection life can be experienced in this life now. Continue reading “Luke | Proclamation, parties and praise!” →

Prayer | Walking the neighbourhood

So, walking the neighbourhood. It’s something many of us do every day: but we can add a layer and turn our walks into an opportunities for reflective prayer. This way of praying is not about praying for the neighbourhood, although you can certainly do that. Instead, it is about ‘reading’ the neighbourhood, and seeking the presence of Christ there. For “the Word became flesh and blood, and moved into the neighborhood” (John 1:14, MSG); and so, just as the Word is present in the Scriptures and speaks through them, so too is the Word present in the neighbourhood and, to those with open hearts, speaks through the neighbourhood also. Continue reading “Prayer | Walking the neighbourhood” →

Prayer | Walking the labyrinth

The labyrinth is an ancient spiritual tool. It is found all over the world, in diverse religious and spiritual contexts. It is not a maze or puzzle. Instead, the labyrinth has one path in and out, and following the path is a way of going deeply into what we might call the heart of life. In my experience, walking a prayer labyrinth is always absorbing, always surprising, and often very moving: things deep within me seem to shift, rearrange and reveal themselves as I walk and pray. Continue reading “Prayer | Walking the labyrinth” →

Prayer | Climate march and other prayer walks

As we continue our journey through the season of creation, I’d like to introduce you to another method of prayer. Prayer is a way of deep listening. Yet when our minds are busy and distracted, we cannot listen well; and so we need methods to still our minds. One of these is to go for a walk! The repetitive rhythmic movement, and the regular intake and exhalation of breath, can help us find that still centre: the space where we notice the spirit bubbling up and gently prompting us. Continue reading “Prayer | Climate march and other prayer walks” →

Prayer | The Examen: A daily practice

The Prayer of Examen, also known as the Daily, or Ignatian, Examen, is a classic tool for self-examination. It was formalised by St Ignatius of Loyola (1491-1556). The word ‘Examen’ has its roots in a Latin word meaning ‘to weigh accurately’; and so the Examen is about reviewing each day, and weighing it up through prayerful eyes. You can do it at any time, but in the evening is usual. It usually takes ten to fifteen minutes. Many people find it helpful to journal their experience of the Examen, so they can trace patterns and movement over long periods of time. Many also find it helpful to allocate a quiet corner to the practice, perhaps with a comfortable chair, a candle, the Bible, and their journal at the ready. Continue reading “Prayer | The Examen: A daily practice” →

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