Hi all

  Just wondering if anyone on the forum practices contemplative prayer, and if so, who got you started ??

                                  peace and blessings

What is contemplative prayer?  Is it something like meditation?

I practice both prayer and magick and meditation.  I'm actually suprised often to hear pagans say "Oh, no magick can do that, you need to go to a therapist!"  I think it is the first step to getting any of my needs filled, as long as fulfilling my need is crucial to allowing me to maintain a close spiritual relationship with the divine.

I firmly believe in talking to God (as God, sometimes as Lady) and also to the spirits of the ancestors that I have known and that have loved me.

I'll tell ya what happened to me this morning though.  I was sleeping and heard a voice say loud and clear for me to get down on my hands and knees and pray for letting my faith slip.  And I woke up, and I was DOWN on my hands and knees.  I don't remember getting out of bed, so I suppose I was sleeppraying?

THat was a new one for me.

Good morning Beverly J and all

     Contemplative prayer is a practice of silencing your mind (much as in meditating) and looking deep within to open your mind and heart to the presence of God/Allah. Probobly the main difference  between contemplative prayer and meditation (both relaxation meditation and insight meditation) is the consistant refocusing your attention and intention as to opening to God's divine presence. There are many wonderful writers explaining contemplative prayer much better than I can, such as, Fr Thomas Keating in his book "open mind, open heart" or quite a few by Fr Thomas Merton, a fantastic Trappist monk who spoke very highly of it. Regardless of my personal path, I find contemplative prayer an incredible way to open up to and connect with the Divine.

                                             peace and blessings

                                                           bill