SEEING GOD IN THE ORDINARY MATERIALS: HAZELNUT BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Julian of Norwich was born in 1342 and apparently lived to a ripe old age. She was a hermitess with profound theological insights and supernatural experiences. These events are described by Julian in her writings, Showings. She meditated on her visions for twenty years before recording them. The following selection on the hazelnut comes from this book:

“God showed me something small, no bigger than a hazelnut, lying in the palm of my hand, as it seemed to me, and it was as round as a ball. I looked at it with the eye of my understanding and thought: What can this be? I was amazed that it could last, for I thought that because of its littleness it would suddenly have fallen into nothing. And I was answered in my understanding: It lasts and always will, because God loves it; and thus everything has being through the love of God.

“In this little thing I saw three properties. The first is that God made it, the second is that God loves it, the third is that God preserves it. But what is that to me? It is that God is the Creator and the protector and the lover.” EXPERIENCE: Holding this little hazelnut in the palm of your hand, say to yourself, “God made me. God loves me. God keeps me.” Continue to touch it, feel its shape, see its markings, and cradle it as you repeat those words in your time of silence. RECOMMENDED REFERENCE: Praying with Julian of Norwich – Gloria Durka

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BODY PRAYER

MATERIALS: NONE, JUST YOU! BACKGROUND INFORMATION: We carry a lot of tension in our bodies which can block our openness to God. Our bodies are “a temple of the Holy Spirit… therefore glorify God in your body” (I Cor. 6). We need to pay attention to our bodies that are “fearfully and wonderfully made” (Ps. 139). Relax into God’s presence. EXPERIENCE:

Handout #1: from Spirit Windows, p.25 Handout #2: from Spirit Windows, p.26

From Waymarks by Jim Cotter, p.32 (UK) Here are 6 body movements – up, down, in, out, back, forward – along with 6 praying ‘tones’ to ponder as you do the movements. Reaching up: ‘Adoring’ Yearning, Leaping Reaching down: ‘Contemplating’ Rooting, Deepening Becoming narrow: ‘Recognizing’ Refining, Dying Opening wide: ‘Affirming’ Expanding, Welcoming, Living, Forgiving Reaching backwards: ‘Thanking’ Remembering, Recalling Reaching forwards: ‘Trusting’ Risking, Venturing RECOMMENDED REFERENCE: Prayer-Walking, A Simple Path to Body-and-Soul Fitness – Linus Mundy

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THE EXAMEN

MATERIALS: A CANDLE BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The Examen is a method of reviewing the day (or week, or year, or end of life) either alone or with another. It is especially useful for families since it appeals to all ages. It enables us to examine ways in which we might have been open to God’s presence during the day as well as noticing times when we feel separated from God. The original form of this practice comes from Ignatius Loyola. EXPERIENCE: Alone or together, light a candle to symbolize the light of divine revelation. Sit quietly for a few minutes, then ask God to bring to your heart recollections of the day. Ponder these two questions:

1) For what moment today am I most grateful? Or did I give and receive the most love today? Or was I happiest? Or was a high point?

2) For what moment today am I least grateful? Or did

I give and receive the least love…. Or was the saddest….or was the lowest point?

Do not try to change or fix things; own your feelings.

Then share with each other for about 10-20 minutes on what gave life and what drained life. If alone, write down impressions in a journal or notebook page. Offer a prayer, written or quiet, that includes responses such as thanksgiving, confession, forgiveness or intercessions. RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: Sleeping with Bread, Holding What Gives You Life – Linn

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THE JESUS PRAYER

MATERIALS: THIS ONE-LINE PRAYER - Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The prayer’s origins date back to the 6th century to the monastery of St. Catherine on Mount Sinai. It was brought to Macedonia in the 14th C. and by the 18th C. was part of a book called The Philokalia, or “the love of the beautiful.” It was later translated from Greek into Russian and is best known through the book The Way of a Pilgrim, which was translated into English in the 20th Century. A peasant seeks to find a way in which he can observe the exhortation found in I Thess. 5:17 – “pray without ceasing.” The Jesus Prayer has been called “The Prayer of the Heart” since it does not involve the intellect. The oldest part is “have mercy on me,” an Old Testament cry to God. Benefits from using this prayer have been its ability to silence our egos and help to diminish our preoccupation with thoughts that draw us away from our desire for God. EXPERIENCE: Instructions to the pilgrim were these: “Sit down alone and in silence. Lower your head, shut your eyes, breathe out gently and imagine yourself looking into your own heart. Carry your mind, that is, your thoughts, from your head to your heart. As you breathe out, say, “Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.” Say it moving your lips gently, or simply say it in your mind. Try to put all other thoughts aside. Be calm, be patient, and repeat the phrase very frequently.” RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: The Way of a Pilgrim – Trans. R.M. French The Jesus Prayer – Per-Olof Sjögren (Fortress Press)

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PRAYING WITH OUR HANDS (Prayer Beads)

MATERIALS: A CIRCLE OF 10 BEADS (“FINGER BEADS”) EITHER BOUGHT OR MADE. Can be obtained through Cokesbury, the National Cathedral museum store, and online http://www.holylandmarket.com/html/1874.htm) BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Prayer beads have been used for many centuries. We know that the desert fathers and mothers used pebbles to count their prayers which evolved into a cord with beads on it. The Psalms were originally divided into three parts of 50 psalms each and so the “three fifties” were recited a prescribed number of times. For those who could not read “little psalters” were composed based on the repetition of the Lord’s Prayer and the angel’s salutation. Prayer beads may be made of any gem, metal or wood. A favorite is the olive wood finger beads from the Holy Land which, like most, have a cross attached. The feel of the bead helps to keep the mind from wandering as prayers are counted by moving the finger, not mentally keeping count. EXPERIENCE: Holding the beads (whatever length and kind) in the hand, use this meditation on Psalm 132, moving to the next bead as you repeat the lines. O God, I will not sleep Until I find a place for You A worshiping space within… RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Praying with Sacred Beads – Joan Hutson The Prayer Bead Box (includes beads) – Mascetti Praying with Our Hands – Jon M. Sweeney

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PRAYING WITH A LABYRINTH

MATERIALS: OUTDOOR OR INDOOR LABYRINTH, FINGER LABYRINTH, STYLUS, OR CUTOUT MODEL BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Labyrinths have existed for thousands of years in nearly all the cultures of the world. A labyrinth is a path that winds circuitously in and out, bringing one to the center where one pauses before taking the same return route out, unlike a maze with dead ends or no way in. There were seven cathedrals with labyrinths during the Middle Ages where people might make their pilgrimage, in lieu of the Holy Land - due to the Crusades. A slow meditative walk leads one in and out. As one enters the labyrinth the focus might be on letting go, when arriving at the center one may wish to be open to receive, and when retracing steps may ponder any union, or connection that was sensed. Frequently people pose a question or take a special object with them when anticipating walking the path. It is also possible to use a finger labyrinth to trace the path, using the non-dominant hand and with eyes closed. A small metal labyrinth with a stylus can also be used to trace the path, although it is not as tactile or kinetic, thus may not be as effective. A cutout model of either a seven (Classic and ancient) or eleven circuit pattern (such as the famous one on the floor of Chartres Cathedral, France) could be adapted as well. Children enjoy making labyrinths too! EXPERIENCE: There is no set result from this experience. Some people find it extremely moving; others find it meaningless. One time may yield an “aha!” and five more may seem blah. Nevertheless it is an experience worth trying. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: The Way of the Labyrinth – Helen Curry Praying the Labyrinth – Jill Kimberly Hartwell Geoffrion

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PRAYING WITH ART AND ICONS

MATERIALS: COPIES OF PAINTINGS, ORIGINAL SKETCHES OR ART WORK, AN ICON OR PICTURE OF AN ICON BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Representations of holy scenes or people, works of art that speak to the heart, all beckon us to go deeper. It could even be our own drawing, done haphazardly, but purposefully; and hitherto unknown meaning seeps through. We are God’s work of art (Ephesians 2:10) and our creations are equally so. Icons are not painted; they are “written” and traditionally done with much prayer and fasting. There are certain rules and processes involved as well as symbolism of design and color. They draw us away from our intellectualizing nature, drawing us into silence and toward vulnerability as we allow ourselves to be seen through the eyes of the icon. Scenes of nature may also be windows to our soul, or a scene with people interacting that moves us to tears or action or profound insight. EXPERIENCE: Choose a work of art or an icon to sit with. Offer a prayer that expresses your desire to touch God’s presence through this work. Do this for 10 minutes each day as you absorb all aspects of it. Gaze lightly, letting it speak to you. Note any insights or surprises. Conclude with a prayer of thanks – for the artist, the inspiration, the ‘interior seeing’ that was expressed on canvas, paper or wood. Note which forms of art or which icon seems to help you be most true to yourself. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Behold the Beauty of the Lord, Praying with Icons – Nouwen The Icon, Window on the Kingdom – Michel Quenot Walking on Water, Reflections on Faith & Art – M. L’Engle

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LIST OF PRAYER PRACTICES

1. Breath Prayer 2-3 2. Noticing God in Everything 4 3. The Jesus Prayer 5 4. Seeing God in the Ordinary 6 5. Praying with a Labyrinth 7 6. Praying with Scripture 8-9 7. Praying with Our Hands 10 8. Body Prayer 11 9. The Examen 12 10. Sound and Silence 13 11. Music as a Doorway to Prayer 14-15 12. Praying with Art and Icons 16 13. Centering Prayer 17

This booklet may be reproduced if credit is given. See back page.

NOTICING GOD IN EVERYTHING

MATERIALS: ANY OBJECT FROM NATURE = STONES, SEASHELLS, LEAVES, WOODBARK, MOSS, GRASSES, PEN AND PAPER. VARIATIONS = PHOTOGRAPHS, POEMS, ART & ICONS, POSTERS, NEWSPAPER OR MAGAZINE PICTURES BACKGROUND INFORMATION: This kind of meditation is usually one of the easiest and one of those most preferred since we tend to gravitate toward the uniqueness of natural objects and their expression as God’s handiwork. EXPERIENCE: Select the object that you wish to focus on for the meditation. Begin by offering a prayer of recollection as you remember who God is, who you are, and your intent to be open to whatever this object may reveal to you. After some silence, jot down your responses to these questions: What have we here? Make simple observations: feel, smell, turn it, let it speak to you. Enjoy it! (5 min.) What might this mean? Choose 3 or 4 of your observations that struck you strongly, puzzled you, surprised you, or kept coming to mind. Think how these may relate to human life, not necessarily yours. (5 min.) What might God be saying to ME? Choose the one observation and its meanings that came home to you most strongly or repeatedly and consider what message and possible meaning might be in it for you. (5 min.) How can I remember it? Think of some very small thing that you can do in the next 24 hours to reinforce any insight you may have had, integrating it into your daily awareness. (5 min.) RECOMMENDED RESOURCE (used above): Learning & Teaching Christian Meditation – Avery Brooke

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SOUND AND SILENCE

MATERIALS: ANY OBJECT THAT VIBRATES OR RESONATES TO GIVE A LINGERING SOUND: MEDITATION OR SINGING BOWL, TINGSHAS, ENERGY CHIME, PLUS THEIR RESPECTIVE BEATERS OR STRIKERS. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Every motion in this life is a vibration and a creator of vibrations. We believe that the world was called into being by the Word, and the Word was God. Creation might be called the sound or the vibration of God. Vibration is at the root of our existence and surroundings. Even a door or table is a collection of atoms that vibrate, but are not heard. Sound is actually the particular shaping of silence that includes all sounds. Sound draws us into silence and silence draws us into sound. All is vibration. In the silence we come closer to all sounds and may experience a sense of God as the heart of sound. (from Tilden Edwards) EXPERIENCE: With your object in front of you, sit in a position that allows you to be alert and yet relaxed. Strike the rim very gently, letting the sound resonate until there is silence. Allow an equal amount of time for silence as for sound. Let the sound replace any distractions that may lead your mind elsewhere, helping you to become centered. As your body slows down, let it rest in the Holy Mystery – not trying to force anything, just relaxing into the Source of Love itself. Repeat as often as needed over a 10-15 minute period. The sound can be like a call to worship, a call to open up, or to pay attention with the senses. Close by striking it very softly and giving thanks for its vibrations. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Singing Bowls, A Practical Handbook - Eva Rudy Jansen CDs in lieu of “the real thing” – “Singing Bowl Meditation/1 by Hans de Back and “Seven Metals” by Benjamin Jobst

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PRAYING WITH SCRIPTURE

(Lectio Divina / Divine Reading)

MATERIALS: BIBLE, PERHAPS A DIFFERENT VERSION THAN THE ONE TO WHICH YOU ARE ACCUSTOMED BACKGROUND INFORMATION: A practice going back to monastic days, lectio divina has four stages: Lectio Reading; tasting the Word Meditatio Reflecting; allow it to nourish you Oratio Praying; talk to God honestly Contemplatio Contemplating; melting into God John of the Cross, basing his phrase on Luke 11:9, said: Seek in reading, and you will find in meditation; knock in prayer and it will be opened to you in contemplation. Books with suggested scripture passages are available. The lectionary is another source, especially the Psalms. EXPERIENCE: Use the “Prayer Before Reading” by Macrina Wiederkehr found at the end of this section. Begin to read a passage – slowly, and remembering that quantity is not important. Stop whenever your heart feels touched in even a small way. Focus then on the word or phrase or verse that seemed right. Try to spend five minutes with each of the next steps of lectio, but not giving in to clock watching. With practice you will feel the time and the nudge to move on. At the close of your time with the portion of scripture you chose, offer a prayer of hope that it will remain with you and become a part of your lived life. RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: Too Deep for Words, Rediscovering Lection Divina – T. Hall

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PRAYER BEFORE READING: “All-Seeing One, Above me, around me, within me, Be my seeing as I read these sacred words. Look down upon me Look out from within me Look all around me See through my eyes Hear through my ears Feel through my heart Touch me where I need to be touched; and when my heart is touched, give me the grace to lay down this Holy Book and ask significant questions: Why has my heart been touched? How am I to be changed through this touch? All-Seeing One, I need to change I need to look a little more like You May these sacred words change and transform me.” - Macrina Wiederkehr, A Tree Full of Angels

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BREATH PRAYER

MATERIALS: THIS PAGE PLUS A BIBLE VERSE BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Our breath is a sign of life, of creation, of God’s spirit within. Paying attention to our breath can help us notice our emotions; tense short breaths usually accompany anger and frustration. Watching the breath focuses our attention and calms the mind, helping us to be in touch with our desire to be with God. Anthony deMello once gave these instructions to a friend, “Concentrate on your breathing. The air you breathe is God. You are breathing God in and out. Become aware of that, and stay with that awareness.” The friend discovered that prayer was as simple as breathing in and breathing out. Psalm 150 says “Let everything that breathes praise God!” EXPERIENCE: Get into a comfortable position but also one that is not conducive to sleep. We want to be attentive and alert, ready to listen and receive what might come. • Pay attention to your breath; recognize it as spirit, life. Follow

it… in… and out. Now inhale with the intent of inhaling God’s spirit, all that is God for you………. Exhale what seems not to be of God, or that which stands between you and God. Repeat this for 3 minutes.

• Keep breathing deeply and slowly. In the following scripture

verse inhale on the first part and exhale on the second part. (Psalm 62:1) “For God alone / my soul waits in silence.” Repeat this to yourself another five minutes. After finishing, reflect on the quality of the silence and any insights or feelings you experienced.

RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: Verses from scripture, especially Psalms, and hymn lines

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MUSIC BIBLIOGRAPHY: These selections represent a variety of ages and genres – from sublime to spirited, from classical to contemporary. 1. Slavic sacred choral music - selections from “Holy Radiant Light: The Sacred Song of Russia” by Gloria dei Cantores; also selections from Rachmaninoff’s “Vespers” (All-Night Vigil) 2. Selections from “Earth Mass” (Missa Gaia) by Paul Winter 3. Jazz by Monty Alexander: “The River” (CD title and piece) 4. Chant from Taizé, France (available from www.giamusic.com) 5. The singing bowls of Tibet. Use real ones or one of these CDs: “Singing Bowl Meditation/1” by Hans de Back or “Seven Metals” by Benjamin Jobst 6. “Rosa Mystica” – a medieval piece (and album) with New Age adaptation and background of wind (Therese Shroeder) 7. “Passage 138 B.C.-A.D.1611”; Empire Brass Quintet – explores modal music with guitar, bass, percussion and voice 8. “Hymns Through the Centuries (I & II) – The Cathedral Choral Society, Washington, D.C. Includes carillon and peal bells 9. “Passion” – selections from the movie The Last Temptation of Christ by Peter Gabriel. 10. “Libera” by the group of same name. Boys 7-14; new-age neo-classical sacred music. Sublime! 11. “Feather on the Breath of God”– music of Hildegard of Bingen 12. “Migration” with Peter Kater and Carlos Nakai (Native American flute, sax, etc.) 13. “In This House, On This Morning” – Wynton Marsalis Septet 14. Mahler’s Third Symphony (last part) 15. Aaron Copland’s “Appalatian Spring” (Simple Gifts) 16. Psalm 23 – Gelineau Psalms or Bobby McFerrin (on “Medicine Man” CD, or John Michael Talbot or hymn “Southern Harmony” 17. “The Lark Ascending” by Ralph Vaughan Williams 18. All pieces on album: “Agnus Dei, music of inner harmony” – The Choir of New College, Oxford. Superb renditions 19. “Officium” – Jan Garbarek and the Hilliard Ensemble. Chant, saxophone and more. From 14th C. Exquisite, haunting.

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MUSIC AS A DOORWAY TO PRAYER MATERIALS: A CD OR CASSETTE OF MUSIC, A STEREO RECORDER, EARPHONES (IF DESIRED), A QUIET COMFORTABLE SPACE. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: Music has called us to prayer through the ages: the shofar, psalms, pipes, harp, trumpet, the peal of bells, carillon, symphony, and the sound of human voices. There is the music found in nature that calls us from a gurgling brook, the chirping of katydids or the wind rustling in the trees. We can be touched by sound and vibration in such a way that we feel touched by the holy. Our preferences and responses will likely differ, so we need to be open to the variations of tones and melodies, not just clinging to what we already know and like. We find ourselves moved deeply at times, not always able to explain the swelling of the heart. EXPERIENCE: Choose a piece that you will “be with” for the next 15-20 minutes. Relax as you listen to it for the first time. Allow yourself to be drawn into the music as a whole, as though it were being performed just for your ears. Spend an equal amount of time in silence before playing it again. This time let yourself go until you feel yourself merging with the music, until you feel that you are being played as an instrument too. Let the music give you permission to fall into “the lap of God,” where you know the source of the original sound, a shoot from Creation itself. Again spend an equal amount of time in silence. Finally record any special feelings (positive or negative) or insights that were gained through the sound or the silence. RECOMMENDED RESOURCE: Spirit Windows, A Handbook of Spiritual Growth Resources – Ann Kulp (the section: “Compendium of Resources” with its annotated bibliography) Available through Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation (www.shalem.org)

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PRAYER BEFORE BREATH PRAYER: “Let everything that breathes praise God!” (Ps. 150) Help me, Creator God, to become more aware of your life in me, your breath in me, a gift from creation itself. May I be open to you

through my inhaling of all that you have to give me, and through my exhaling of all that I need to let go of within, that might be resistant to your Spirit. Thank you for your gift of life, manifested unceasingly through my breath. AZK BREATH PRAYER SUGGESTIONS: Be still / and know (Psalm 46:10) I have called you by name / you are mine (Isaiah 43:1) In quietness and trust / shall be my strength (Is. 30:15) Breathe on me / breath of God (hymn) Come to me / I will give you rest (Matt. 11: 28) Come apart / and rest awhile (Mark 6:31) Fear not / for I am with you (Isaiah 41:10)

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CENTERING PRAYER

MATERIALS: A cushion, bench or chair that assists one in being both comfortable and attentive during a 20 minute period of silence. BACKGROUND INFORMATION: The origin of this prayer is The Cloud of Unknowing by an anonymous 14th C. author in England who was a mystic, a theologian and director of souls. This book is a classic in spirituality libraries. In the 20th C. Basil Pennington wrote considerably about this practice and was followed by Thomas Keating whose book Open Heart, Open Mind is a complete guide to the exercise today. Centering prayer has become one of the most popular forms of spiritual practice with an international network of groups that are part of “Contemplative Outreach, Ltd.” There is such a group in the Washington, D.C. area with any number of sites where groups meet on a regular basis. EXPERIENCE: Choose a sacred word that you will use as your symbol for declaring your intention to seek God and experience God’s presence. It is best to settle on a word that you use consistently, not switching about. Settle into the silence (a minimum of 20 minutes) and repeat your word silently until you do not need it to stay focused on your intent. Whenever you find your mind going off elsewhere simply recall your word and gently repeat it as your symbol of renewed intent. At the end of the prayer period, remain in silence with eyes closed for a few minutes. RECOMMENDED RESOURCES: The books named above and any materials from Contemplative Outreach. Website: www.contemplativeoutreach.org

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A PRAYER BEFORE SILENT PRAYER Divine and Hidden Friend, I often feel that I fail at prayer, but I rejoice that your Spirit prays ceaselessly in the cellar of my heart. Grant me the grace to sit still that I may hear the Spirit’s silent song, ever flowing like a river deep within, singing my love for you. Quiet my restless heart, calm my roving, runaway mind, as now, in communion with all the earth and her many-colored children, I enter into the song of love, the prayer of stillness. Amen + Edward Hays, Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim

This booklet has been prepared by Ann Z. Kulp, D.Min., author of SPIRIT WINDOWS: A Handbook of Spiritual Growth Resources for Leaders,

a spiritual director and a member of the Associate Staff at the Shalem Institute for Spiritual Formation, Bethesda, MD.

Duplication is permitted.

Please notify the author at 703-644-3004 or at annkulp@mac.com.

Cover Art

Paul Rischer – WEAVINGS – The Upper Room, Nashville, TN Used by permission

PRAYER PRACTICES Samples to Build On