I used an exercise from this book in Sunday's Refugio - but actually, the whole thing is so useful that I wanted to share it with you.
What is it?
It's a book that does what it says on the tin, as they say - here are fifty different methods of prayer. Grouped according to theme - prayers using the body, lectios, discernment processes, and so on - there's a real mix in here. Some are very straightforward; some are more challenging.
Piety, study, or action?
Primarily piety, although there are some methods, such as the lectio divinas and the reflections on media, that would help with study too.
Where did you find it?
Originally, in Guildford library - so that makes it rather more than a decade ago. But I liked it so much that I bought my own copy.
Why was it useful for you?
The sheer variety of practices is reassuring in itself - if you're someone who finds themself wondering whether they're doing prayer wrong, the subtext here is: no, you're not - and here are some new approaches if what you've been doing so far hasn't been working for you. I haven't tried all of them by any means, but, for those I have, I've consistently found that they're explained clearly and approachably. There's also a leader's guide at the back so you can use them with groups.
- Kathleen, Ely 34 (Lay Director)
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