You may be familiar with praying through words: saying the Rosary, joining the responses at Mass, giving thanks before a meal or speaking to God about something that troubles you. Sitting in silence can feel less familiar. Without words to follow, you may wonder what you are supposed to do.
Contemplative prayer is an opening of the mind and heart to God beyond the words, thoughts and feelings that usually occupy our attention. In the Catholic tradition, it is understood as a gift of God. We can make time for it and prepare ourselves to receive it, but we cannot produce it through a technique or measure it by how peaceful we feel.
Making room for quiet prayer
You do not need to stop saying the prayers you know. Contemplative prayer can sit alongside the Rosary, Scripture, worship and ordinary conversation with God, deepening your attention to them.
What changes is how you spend this particular time. You allow yourself to be in God’s presence without needing to explain everything, work through a question or find the right words.
Thoughts will still come. You may remember an unfinished task or start wondering whether anything is happening. The practice of returning your attention gently helps you remain available to prayer without trying to control the experience.
Its place in the Catholic tradition
The approach to contemplative prayer at Lake House of Prayer draws on the wisdom of the early Desert Christians and the teachers of prayer who followed them. This tradition understands prayer as a relationship with God, with room for both words and silence.
These terms; “centering prayer,” “mediation,” and “contemplative prayer” are often used interchangeably. At the Lake House of Prayer we use the term contemplative prayer or in Swahili Taamuli.
A simple way to begin
A practice of stillness can help prepare you for contemplative prayer. The following describes the method used in the house’s prayer guide.
You may choose to sit in a chair or kneel using a prayer stool. Choose the position most comfortable to you, while enabling you to remain alert. Let your hands rest naturally. You can close your eyes or lower your gaze if that helps you stay attentive. Take a moment to become aware of God’s presence and welcome that presence.
Choose a short prayer word, such as “Jesus” or “mercy”, or a phrase such as “be still”. Repeat it silently as you sit. You are not trying to analyze its meaning or develop a reflection around it. The word gives your attention somewhere to return.
You may find it helpful to let the prayer word follow the natural rhythm of your breathing. When you notice that you have become caught up in a thought, return gently to the word. There is no need to fight the thought or become frustrated with yourself for having it.
Some periods of prayer will feel settled. Others may involve returning from distraction many times. A wandering mind does not prevent you from beginning.
Praying with others at Lake House of Prayer
Sitting in silence with other people can help you make time for a practice that is easily postponed at home. You share the period of prayer while allowing each person room for their own experience.
All retreatants are welcome to join our staff during our noon-time communal prayer. We typically gather in the chapel for 20-30 minutes (based on the experience of the group) of silent contemplative prayer. If retreatants are new to contemplative prayer, an introduction and guidelines are offered to make this experience assessable to all. A gong is used to mark the beginning and the end of the contemplative prayer time.
You can begin without experience
You do not need experience in meditation to explore this way of praying. You can start with a few quiet minutes at home and ask for guidance as questions arise. A retreat offers more time to become familiar with the practice and to discuss what you find difficult.
The purpose is to deepen your relationship with God. You may feel calm, distracted, tired or attentive on different days. None of those feelings, by itself, tells you the worth of the time you have given to prayer. It is not about perfection, rather it is about offering God your time in silence, whatever that may turn out to be. Know that God accepts this offering as it is.
Lake House of Prayer is a Catholic contemplative retreat house on a hill overlooking Lake Victoria in Mwanza, Tanzania. If you would like to explore contemplative prayer during a visit, contact the house on WhatsApp at +255 748 292 215 and ask about the guidance available.