Prayer Time

Prayer is a game changer and a respite. A few moments of effective prayer can shift your consciousness from one of fear and worry to one of gratitude and love.

Making time and space for prayer can enhance the quality of your whole day.

Stick to a regular time of day. If you can pick only one or two times of the day, aim for morning and evening, known as the "hinges" of the day. In the morning, imagine an infinite energy of LOVE within and around you. Ask for the help you imagine you’ll need throughout the day. At night, be willing to do a prayer of gratitude listing specific things that went well throughout the day. These two prayers cultivate the consciousness of receptivity and gratitude - powerful vibrations to radiate.

Pray short prayers – anytime, anywhere. As the day unfolds, remember you can pray anywhere at any time: at a red light, waiting for an appointment, at your desk or during a TV commercial. Take a few seconds for one conscious breath and a one-line prayer.

Trust your inner guidance. There is no right or wrong way to connect to the Infinite. The perfect prayer for me may not feel authentic to you. The most important thing is to trust your own spiritual instincts. Whether you choose to say a prayer, read a prayer, sit in silence, or dance your prayer, when you turn your heart and mind to the Infinite, you’ve already begun to invoke an awareness of love.

Be flexible. Different times of life may require different types of prayer. If one prayer practice doesn't suit you now, keep it on the back burner and try again when prayer feels stale or when you feel like you need to push beyond your spiritual comfort zone. You can try traditional prayers, silent prayers, spontaneous conversational prayer, prayer journaling or prayer groups. Find a prayer practice that suits your personality, lifestyle and spiritual needs.

Incorporate prayer into your daily activities. Prayer can be incorporated into your "thought life” as you move through your day. Begin with one simple activity and see how it feels to add prayer into the mix. Instead of listening to music on your morning jog, focus on your breath, on the natural world around you, and on the whisper of the Spirit in the silence of your heart and mind.

Turn chores into moving prayer meditations. Washing dishes, brushing your teeth, paying bills, folding laundry are all transformed into acts of love when we do them with attention and intention...praying for our spouse, children, friends, co-workers, neighbors, or even strangers. "Ora et labora," St. Benedict preached: "Pray and work."

Prayer postures. Prayer can be done in a wide assortment of postures: sitting, kneeling, standing, lying down, eyes opened, eyes closed, hands folded or clasped, hands upraised, and holding hands with others. Prayers can be recited from memory, read from a book and spontaneously composed. The key is to pray in a way that gives you the deepest connection to your inner light and universal love.

Don’t give up. In her book Everyday Divine, Mary DeTurris Poust says not to get discouraged. It’s normal to experience times when your prayer feels "dry," like you're just not making the connection. Even the great saints experienced "dark nights." Like any skill or practice – and prayer is both – your "performance" will be affected by your mood, the environment, whether you got a good night's sleep, and more.

Like Zen masters tell us, be willing to be a beginner. Being a praying soul has such riches and gifts. As we allow more moments of prayerfulness, the transformative energy of prayer organically moves through us.