Today is Ash Wednesday and the beginning of the Lenten season. If you are looking to refresh your prayer practices, here are 10 different ways to pray and meditate. Try out each one and play around with whatever works best for you on any given day.
Walk a Labyrinth
This weaving deeper into an inner circle and then back out again mimics weaving through our inner and outer selves. Movement alone has been proven to trigger creative parts of our brain. And if you can’t walk a labyrinth, you can always try the meditation with a finger labyrinth. Learn more about labyrinths in my blog post.
Try music
I like going to Taize services, where there is a mix of singing a repetitive phrase together, sitting in silence, and listening to a reading. But music does not have to be hymns, monastic chants, or praise music to lead you to prayer. It can be any music that you listen to or sing along with with the intention to connect to God and your spirituality. For example, a contemporary love song might help you to get in touch with the love in your heart. Another song might have a beat that stirs something deep inside, that makes you dance and feel more connected to the earth and your body and the life force inside of you. Still other music may teach you compassion for another or that you are not alone in your experience–this gives a sense of oneness. You may even want to attend a sound healing with Tibetan singing bowls, flutes, hangdrums, or other vibrational instruments. Allow music to heal you, uplift you, and unite you with others.
Intuitive Journaling
Intuitive journaling can look like writing a letter to God and then writing God’s answer back to you, or it can look like a messy art project. It could even just be doodling like in the art of Zentangling. There are so many forms of journaling with writing prompts and other exercises. No matter what way you like to journal, this is a creative tool to get in touch with the wisdom deep inside of you.
Contemplative Reading
Lectio Divina– Try reading a poem, piece of scripture, or another holy text 3 times in a row. The first time just see if any words or phrases stand out. The second and third time see what feelings or memories surface. Are there any questions that come up? What invitations or messages might God be giving you through this text? Then take some time to meditate and talk to God about what arose for you. Finally, rest in God’s presence and listen to your heart.
Imagination with Scriptures or other holy texts. All you have to do is read a passage and then close your eyes and imagine you are there. Draw upon your five senses to center yourself into the environment (what is the weather like? what do you smell and hear? etc). Decide which character in the story you want to be. Now how would you feel and respond to the actions that happen in the story or to the words you hear someone speaking. You may be surprised with what insights surface when you enter into scripture in this way.
Awe and Wonder
Get out into nature! Whether it is venturing on a hike some place new or just sitting in your garden, you can discover new creations every day. Or you may choose to watch a video on youtube about the universe and slowly blow your mind. Or maybe it is watching videos or reading stories about humans who have accomplished amazing things. Whatever ignites your curiosity or leads you to a feeling of awe (such as viewing something beautiful or that reminds you of your littleness), you can connect to God there.
The Daily Examen
If you want a more structured prayer experience, try this 5 step method for reflecting on your day that you can practice on your lunch break, your commute home, or before going to bed at night. It consists of beginning with noticing God’s presence, expressing gratitude, looking back to see what feelings or memories rise to the top, asking for God’s guidance, and then listening to God’s answer.
A Simple Breath Prayer
This type of prayer can be completed in less than a minute and is easy to remember. It involves saying a simple phrase as you breath in and out. It grounds you in your body in the present moment, helps to clear your mind, and can recenter you in your heart. You can choose just one word that you want to breathe in such as love and then breathe out another word such as peace. Or you can choose any meaningful mantra, psalm, or phrase. Check out my blog post for a few guided examples.
Pray with Beads
Prayer beads can be a rosary, knots on a string, or even a bracelet. They can even incorporate seeds or gemstones. Many religions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, and Islam, practice meditation with prayer beads. Using something tangible that you can hold in your hands can help to ground you when you are anxiety. And the repetition of a rote prayer, mantra, chant, or phrase said over and over can calm the nervous system.
Prayer with movement
Yoga– Explore different types of yoga to see which body practice aids you the most in quieting your mind. I like to practice a Vinyasa flow, using my breath to move through each pose, warming my body up, and then ending in a cool down. After I have thoroughly moved my full body, I can now lay still and open myself up to listen. At other times I prefer a Yin Yoga or Restorative Yoga class that moves at a slower pace and helps me to release the tensions that I have been holding onto both physically and mentally.
Walking meditation– You can walk a trail in nature or simply walk out your front door. As you walk, choose an intention. At times you may focus on what you are grateful for, while other times you may have a question that you are seeking an answer to or individuals in your life who you would like to pray for. The Pray As You Go app has some great walking meditations that you can listen to as a guide while you walk. My favorite part of these walks is the surprising messages that appear on my path. It might be something I see in nature, a person who I interact with, or a song blaring from someone’s car radio. You never know what will happen when you go for a walk!
Pray with technology
Try these prayer and meditation apps. The beauty of apps is that you can take them almost anywhere with you. In those little pockets of unexpected time that show up each day, you could pull out your phone and try one of these apps to recenter and reconnect.
Prayer is any way that you get in touch with love and wisdom in your life. The hope is that it guides you to a greater connection with yourself, others, and the spiritual world. What other methods did I leave off of this list? If you have a favorite way of praying or meditating that I didn’t mention, please share in the comments. I would love to hear from you!
About the Author: Julie Glaser is a healer who creates sacred spaces for others to share, release, and grow. She’s in the habit of being in awe and wonder and writes to share her own experiences with other inquisitive souls in the process of transforming.
Spiritual Direction and Healing Touch Energy Therapy 