The. Resource Book. of Documents. for. A Week of Guided Prayer. For Prayer Guides

Transcription

1 The Resource Book of Documents for A Week of Guided Prayer For Prayer Guides Please note that the contents of all of these documents have been collected from different sources and edited liberally. Their sources are now unknown but most originate from Ignatian Retreats. 1

2 I N D E X For Prayer Guides: Page First Task of a Prayer Guide 4 A Prayer Guide s Role IS.. 5 A Prayer Guide s Role is NOT. 6 Reminders for Guides of Some Basic Principles 7 General Points of Reminder 10 Checklist for the Guide s Initial Meeting with Participant 11 Some Suggested Scripture Passages A Quick Reference for Guides Praying the Scriptures Preparing for Daily Supervision Schedule of Guides Availability for Week of Guided Prayer For Participants: On seeing the whole of each day as an essential part of the Week of Accompanied Prayer 19 The First Day in the Week of Accompanied Prayer The First Day in the Week of Accompanied Prayer (short version)

3 For the Prayer Guides 3

4 FIRST TASK of a prayer guide In approaching Another person Another people, another culture, another religion Is to take off our shoes For the place we are approaching is HOLY Else we might find ourselves treading on another s dream More serious still, we may forget That GOD Was there before our arrival 4

5 PRAYER GUIDE S ROLE IS TO: Encourage Listen Accept Enable Pray with and for..be a companion Accompany Be oneself Love Discern 5

6 ROLE OF PRAYER GUIDE IS NOT To teach or preach Knock into shape Be responsible for another s life Offer one s own wisdom and holiness To correct Remove problems or pain To threaten To counsel Put on the spot Put down 6

7 REMINDERS FOR GUIDES OF SOME BASIC PRINCIPLES Often helpful to image the Person before meeting... they are held by God Keep them on the track of their own experience and feelings If they seek answers from you Gently encourage them to trust their own exploration Listen for the warm spots in the participant s experience. What seems life giving? Note body language as well as words.. Listen too for the deadening kind of comments lack of energy or withdrawal Can the participant affirm that what they are describing are real experiences and if appropriate, can you offer ways of discerning what might be presenting itself for choice. If nothing much is happening in the pilgrim s prayer Are they able to become still? Do they need help to develop imagination, e.g. the use of nature, visualising scripture, using music and art? What about some non-dominant hand drawing playing with shapes and colour (many find that where imagination is blocked this, rather than words, can be most helpful.) Imagination doesn t have to be visual it can be sensing/feeling imagination feeling warm/cold, smelling smoke, etc. Where and when are they praying? Getting a place where they are undisturbed may be difficult for some. Explore possibilities. Some might be trying to pray at the end of a full working day what about different times in their day? Are they being unrealistic or striving too hard? If they are trying to squeeze a prayer time into a very tight schedule the participant may need help teasing this out. Bear in mind as 7

8 Guides the need to be flexible and understanding according to where the participant is on their inner journey and what they are able to do. Is there an engagement with God in a two-way sense? Are they expressing their feelings in their prayer/s? What if pilgrims are staying in the head or in the Bible Study mode? Can you offer ways of prayer which take them deeper and open them up to the presence of God within? A walk in creation experiencing the awe of God is usually helpful. Sometimes the participants might spend their whole prayer time reviewing their experiences of the previous day in a type of Examen. This would be leaving Scripture, normal prayers and intercessory prayers on one side to concentrate instead on letting life experience unfold for discernment. What if a person seems to be hooked on a problem area of their life? Do be careful to remember that your role is as a Prayer Guide, not a counsellor or a therapist. This might be the first opportunity that the participant has had to talk, and it is important that they feel safe to do so, however, the danger is that the Prayer Guide can be drawn in to giving advice or the sessions turning into a therapeutic out-pouring without ever taking the matter into prayer. Obviously enormous sensitivity is needed in these situations especially when a person might be opening up hitherto unexplored or unacknowledged areas of pain. Loving listening may in itself do much to heal. Anger and pain may be projected onto God or the Prayer Guide or both The Prayer Guide often has to let expressions of anger, frustration wash over them in these instances. Often after that it s possible to gently guide the person into an appropriate prayer passage or exercise Sometimes the following exercise can help the Participant: Imagine yourself with the person who is the cause of anger, pain, hurt, resentment.. See them.. in a situation which would be familiar.. Say everything you want to say to that person no censoring or feelings or language.. Go on until you have said all that you want to. Only when you have said all that you want to.listen to anything the other person might say to you Let Jesus come in.. talk to him.. about what you are feeling listen to him as he speak to you.the other person see him with them..speak to him from the heart..stay with this in a way that feels helpful. 8

9 You may also wish to offer a healing story from Scripture either as a background reading or for prayer on the following day. NB In some instances you might feel it important at THE END OF THE WEEK, to explore whether a person has someone with whom they could chat to someone in the weeks following the retreat. They might want to be referred to a Spiritual Director, but it may also be necessary to encourage them to seek further assistance from a counsellor a doctor. 9

10 General Points of Reminder These points have been drafted to help you because the nature of a week of guided prayer differs slightly from a normal spiritual direction session; it is quite intensive for the Participant and quite demanding for the Prayer Guide. While they were talking and discussing together, Jesus himself drew near and went with them (Luke 24:15) Retreatants set off on a journey in the desire of deepening their relationship with God. The journey this week is not a journey across external ground, but a journey across an internal landscape. Most people will not have done a journey like this before. It s not that they haven t prayed, but few will have had the opportunity to speak about their experience of prayer, and some will need help in recognising the moments of prayer in their life. Some will probably be nervous. Put the retreatants at their ease and keep the focus gently on them. Remember the emphasis is on exploring rather than direct intrusive questioning or information giving. It might be useful to know what kind of prayer they normally find helpful the experience of reflecting on a passage of scripture may be new to them. The first meeting is very much about affirmation of the person and developing a rapport between you. Remember that this is the retreatant s journey and God will reveal Himself as they explore their feelings and thoughts, in the context of being truly listened to and affirmed by you in all that is life-giving. The first meeting also gently creates a pattern for your meetings during the whole week. The focus will be on the retreatant being listened to as they explore their experiences of prayer and their reflections on the experience, and become aware of God who is revealing himself in the whole process. People may need a lot of help initially to know what to share about their prayer. They may need a lot of encouragement to take notice of the feelings they experience in their prayer time: Feelings of consolation (warm spots) when they felt close to God Feelings of desolation a feeling of distance from God They may need encouragement, not to ignore these feelings but to actually take these feelings back into their prayer with God. God speaks to us through scripture, but also constantly through other people, through our circumstances, through nature, through our body and its senses, through art and imagination and dreams, and.. It may be that they need to be helped to stay creatively with any less comfortable yet important feelings and insights. It may be that they need to follow-up/respond to anything that God might be revealing to them. 10

11 Checklist for the Guide s Initial Meeting with Participant Straight After the Opening Service, at the Meeting with your individual Participants, Check you have exchanged correct names and mobile numbers with your Participant; and also that you are both clear about the venue and timings of your meetings for the rest of the week. What has drawn them to the week? What are they looking for from the week: hopes, expectations, deepest desires? How are they feeling about this daily meeting? Go over the importance of being there for the daily 30 minute meeting with Guide, confirming the time and place. Check feasibility of daily 30 minute time for personal prayer: suitable time/place. Explore with them the focus for the next prayer time either using the material from the opening session or offering alternative material, possibly from the list of Scripture Passages provided for each Guide. Using the Praying With Scripture booklet provided, suggest to the Participant: o An initial reading of a passage a couple of times. o Quietening/centering being conscious of God s loving presence around and within even closer than they are to themselves. o Asking God to bring to the prayer time what he wants. o Not doing all the talking but letting God speak to them in a rich variety of ways. o Taking time at the end to reflect on their time of prayer by noting feelings (hoping, wondering, worried, anxious, despairing, hurting, loving, confused, desiring, etc). o Ending time of prayer in appropriate way. o It might be helpful to make a few notes before the prayer feelings and thoughts start to evaporate. It could also be useful to note the context (i.e. significant accompanying life events/dreams/circumstances). 11

12 Some Suggested Scripture Passages Quick Reference for Guides Foundations God s Love Luke 11:1-13 Lord teach us to pray Psalm 139:1-18 You search me and know me Isaiah 55:1-3 Come to the water Isaiah 43:1-7 You are precious in my eyes Romans 8:31-39 With God on our side, who can be against us? Deuteronomy 1:29-32 Do not be afraid God carries you Psalm 131 Like a weaned child on its mother s breast Isaiah 49:14-16 I will never forget you Hosea 11:1-9 When Israel was a child, I loved him Psalm 145 God acts only out of love John 1:35-39 What do you want? Trust Psalm 46 God is our shelter, our strength Matthew 6:24-34 Do not worry Matthew 14:22-33 Walking on the water Mark 4:35-41 Calming of the storm Luke 1:26-38 Annunciation Luke 21:1-4 The widow s mite John 15:1-8 Apart from me you can do nothing Jeremiah 18:1-7 The Potter Ezekiel 34:11-16 I will look after my sheep myself Philippians 4:8-13 I can do all things through Him who strengthens me Psalm 27 God is my light and my salvation Psalm 71 In your I take shelter Healing, Forgiveness Ezekiel 36:25-29 I shall pour clean water over you Mark 10:46-52 The blind man Luke 5:12-16 Cure of the leper Wisdom 11:22 12:2 You love all that exists Mark 2:1-2 Cure of the paralytic Mark 5:21-24, Jairus s daughter Mark 5:35-34 Woman with the haemorrhage Luke 15:11-32 Lost son and loving father John 5:1-9 The man at the pool of Bethesda 1 Kings 19:1-8 Elijah Take my life I am no better than my ancestors 12

13 Intimacy with Christ Luke 1:26-38 Annunciation Luke 1:39-45 Visitation Luke 2:1-20 Birth Luke 2:22-38 Presentation Luke 2:39,40,51,52 Hidden life Luke 2:41-50 Finding in the Temple Matthew 3:13-17 Jesus leaves home - Baptism Isaiah 40, 42:1-9, 61 Ephesians 1:3-14, Romans 6:1-11 Colossians 1:14-20 Matthew 4:1-11 Temptations Luke 4:14-30 Return to Nazareth Luke 5:1-11 Call of the disciples John 2:1-12 Cana Miracle John 4:1-42 Woman at the Well Matthew 14:22-25 Jesus prays alone Luke 10:38-42 Jesus with Martha and Mary John 11:1-45 Raising of Lazarus Matthew 21:1-17 Jesus enters Jerusalem Matthew 26:6-10 Supper at Bethany and the anointing of Jesus John 13:1-16 Last Super and washing of the feet Luke 22:39-46 Agony in the garden Ephesians 6:10-20 Put on God s armour John 19:17-30 Crucifixion Resurrection Mark 6:1-8 Jesus appears to the women at the tomb John 20:11-18 Jesus meets Mary Magdalen Luke 24:13-35 The road to Emmaus John 20:19-22 Peace be with you John 21:1-19 Sea of Tiberias Philippians 1:3-11 I thank my God whenever I think of you Philippians 4:4-9 I want you to be happy 13

14 After the Reflection Time Reviewing the Prayer Become aware of the striking moods and feelings of the prayer time don t judge or analyse just notice Note down where the energy seems to be warm feelings or feelings of possibility, hope, comfort, etc. PRAYING THE SCRIPTURES Page 4 of 4 A bigger story meets our own Note down any feelings which were less comfortable any boredom or feeling of distance from yourself. Deepening This Experience Don t be in a hurry to move on to another passage or new content for prayer For your next period of reflection return to the key areas of feelings and insights which you noted in your review Begin by staying with, enjoying and relishing what was most life giving in the previous prayer time let it be deepened in you let the essence of it settle in you affirming you and building you up It may be then that you return to anything which you noted as less comforting, distancing asking to be shown if staying with this reveals something which is being opened up for owning, befriending and choice. God reveals the story of relationship between the Creator and the created in many ways it is a revelation which is ongoing. The Bible is a very particular record of how human beings have met the God of life in their own life experiences. The Christian believes that Jesus shows us in human form what God is like and through the Spirit continues to reveal to us eternal truths about who we are and who we are called to become In Scripture we have one way of reflecting on these truths about our human beingness and a God-with-us. 14

15 Page 1 of 4 Whatever passage you are reflecting on take time to relax, and to trust that whatever your present mood or feeling it is OK to come as you are this is the you that God wants to relate to so say it as it is. Ask for what you need how would you like God to be for you how do you want to relate to God? Take time to read the passage let its mood meet you don t try to work at it or strive for meanings be with it, open and generous to what God might want to touch in you.when you have read the passage maybe a few times, put it to one side and wait on God to pray in you in the way God knows will open you responsively. Page 2 of 4 At the end of the reflection time take a few minutes to be with Jesus, God, the Spirit as one good friend is with another name feelings, striking thoughts, images letting conversation develop given how you were feeling at the beginning of the prayer, what you asked for, how do you feel now? say it as it is.. there is no place you should have arrived at, whatever s happened will reveal something to you of how God is touching your story. Page 3 of 4 Sometimes it may be a word or phrase which seems to capture your attention don t feel you have to rush on stay with it rock it and hold it deep within you it may lead to images, pictures from your own life experience or just simple stillness with its mystery. Sometimes you may find yourself entering a scene or story as if you were really there. Trust the Spirit which is leading your imagination - you may see the place, the people, he events you might sense yourself there not so much through pictorial image as through feelings and awareness Let yourself wander in the scene feeling how you feel, relating to people there, allowing your own life experience to mingle.. 15

16 Preparing for Daily Supervision It is good practice to reflect on your time with each pilgrim, to help you increase your awareness of the process of the encounter, and to discover more about the impact of the meeting on your own feelings and responses. There is a time limit to supervision, so it is important that some of this reflection is done in advance. You may want to write notes as you reflect, or in supervision. Confidentiality is important, so do not identify your pilgrim by name, and think about where you are going to keep these notes. Destroy them at the end of the week. IN YOUR REFLECTION TIME Focus on each encounter in turn Let your time with your pilgrim replay, focusing NOT on the pilgrim but on what was going on for you. What were you feeling at the beginning of the session?,,,, What triggered these feelings? How did you feel at the end of the session? TAKE TO SUPERVISION 1. Your own stuff that you are becoming aware has influenced your presence with the pilgrim, that you need to own and get other perspectives on in order to be freer in your next meeting with your pilgrim. 2. Help with practical resources scripture references handouts, etc 3. All those I m not sure abouts!! 4. An awesome moment you would like to share to encourage others. Come and be supported and encouraged! 16

17 Name For Example Schedule of Guides Availability for Week of Guided Prayer [to help planning an example is given below] No of Clients Times 17 Availability 3-4 maximum Prefers morning but also willing to work 2pm onwards Morning all, but must be gone by 12 noon on Wednesday Afternoons all except Wednesday Evenings available. 2-3 Mornings x1 or 2 retreatant immediately before lunch Afternoons x1 retreatant immediately after lunch Prefers to see retreatants close together each day 3 Mornings all, but starting 9.30 at the earliest Afternoons all Evenings all Prefers appointments close together Flexible, willing to work with retreatants who can only do 2-3 days. Willing to work as late as necessary Mornings all. Available from onwards Afternoons every day except Tuesday Mornings every day but only one retreatant in morning and one in evening Afternoons not available Evenings 3 max Mornings all, but starting 9.30 at the earliest Afternoons all Evenings willing to do one evening but not Tuesday 3 max Mornings all Afternoons All except Thursday + Friday when needs to leave at 12.15pm 3 Mornings all Afternoons all Evenings not available

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19 For the Participants 19

20 On seeing the whole of each day as an essential part of the Week of Accompanied Prayer It may seem obvious but I want to make a few comments about seeing the WHOLE of each day as being part of the week of accompanied prayer. This is not an exercise in escaping, but in enriching our whole life in being more fully alive. We tend to drift into a pattern of how we spend our time and tend to have a fairly fixed view about the different elements of our life. While we may sometimes feel dissatisfied with things, in general it s safer and more comfortable to stick with the status quo! This week of accompanied prayer, though, is an opportunity to pause, stand back and reflect with God on how things are, how they might change, and how we might view them differently. But we need to create space for this to happen. It s not just a question of committing to the time and finding a physical space, but also to an attitude of living in the present moment. It is being willing to listen in every telephone call/ , every task, every activity, every conversation, every moment s quiet, every shade of feeling or fleeting thought..waiting to see/hear/feel God speaking with us. Asking what is happening between me and God right NOW? We need especially to focus on the elements in our life which we feel are restrictive or which we resent as chores maybe relationships in home or neighbourhood or work; or particular jobs or tasks. For example, Mums busy with young children and home chores such as the kitchen sink, might find the Benedictine rule of stability helpful: - A willing acceptance of the circumstances - A commitment to working with the Holy Spirit in improving loving relationships with the people in our families and communities, however difficult it may be. - This is true for any situation where we feel constrained or confined. We tend to have a dominant mode of praying in the way we think about God, and expressing our thoughts and feelings. We each have different personality types so there is no single way of using the time or seeing the week. But for this week we want to suggest that you be aware of your dominant side and try to stay open to the shadow side be willing to experiment with perhaps music, clay, drawing, pictures, dreams, imagination..go with the flow. If you get an impulse, go with it risk being silly! This is especially important for those of us who tend to be rational and cerebral we can easily block God out when he tries to get around that! 20

21 We need to become acutely aware of the oughts / shoulds that we each carry around with us which keep nagging us that we should be doing this or should be doing that (our inner parrot!). There is no right or wrong way of praying this week, so we need to kick into touch the voices that rubbish new ideas or tell us that we will be like the village idiot if we try this or that. There needs to be no success/failure tape running, e.g. I will have failed if God hasn t spoken to me in a new way, or if I don t feel more spiritual or whatever. Success is being real, being ruthlessly honest with myself and God sticking with whatever is going on, even if that seems to be nothing. We need to be fully self aware: listen to what is being said and, just as important, what is not being said, in our mind, in our emotions, in our intuition, in our body, in our spirit as a whole person. We suggest that you set to one side your ordinary prayer discipline for this week your daily quiet time, Bible reading notes, daily office, rota of intercessions or whatever. Leave that with God just for one week. See this week as a gift from God as an opportunity to have the freedom and space to be different. The one practical thing we do suggest though is some sort of brief review at the end of each day, where you register your reflections about the day as a whole while these are fresh in your awareness. Keeping this very simple perhaps asking some questions and noting: On the positive side what has encouraged me today? What am I most thankful for? When have I felt closest to God? On the less positive side what has discouraged me today? What have I resented most? When have I felt furthest from God? This is not to add any additional stress to your day. It is simply a way to capture the gist of what it has been like, and keep in touch with how it is going. If you wish, share your reflections with your prayer guide at the next session. This is not a question of hunting around for things but asking God s Spirit to being them to your notice as you wait on him. 21

22 The First Day in the Week of Accompanied Prayer For this first day, simply aim to become a little more still and a little more aware. Try to slow down and be peaceful (when it s possible!), perhaps when you re walking to the bus, waiting in a queue or having a solitary meal. Take time to be a little more aware of the things around you, of your breathing, of the taste of your food. You may be short of time, but try to be aware of and appreciate the present, rather than thinking ahead to what happens next. (Worrying about the check-out queue doesn t get you out of the supermarket any faster. Try to see the waiting time as a gift and use it to be a little more still and a little more aware.) As you enter the week, prepare for it by working out when and where you think you might be able to pray without interruptions. St Ignatius recommends a special prayer place. Do you have one already? If not, have you a sense of where it might be this week? (It might take a few experiments before you get it right, but stick with one place for each prayer time before you decide on your special place.) In your prayer time before you first meet with your guide, try to take stock of where you are at this time. Begin your prayer by asking God to be with you and asking for the grace to become aware of what God wants you to hear. Then just sit with the following questions or some like them: - How are you feeling? (About the retreat, about things in general.) - Is there anything in particular concerning you at the moment? - How is your relationship with God? - What gift are you asking for from the Lord during this week of prayer? Allow yourself to be surprised by your reflections, which may lead you to think of a picture, poem or scripture which sums it up. However, don t be disappointed if you don t come up with clear or wonderful replies to these questions! End your prayer by talking to God about it all. After your prayer, you may like to make notes for yourself which will help you when you see your prayer companion for the first time. Notice how easy or hard it was to stick with the prayer for the time you had decided. Notice how you felt during the prayer time and whether your feelings changed as you reflected on different questions. When you come to see your companion, bring any notes you had made, and in particular do what gift or grace you are asking for. This can be very important during a week like this. Happy Praying! 22

23 The First Day in the Week of Accompanied Prayer (short version) For this first day, simply aim to become a little more still and a little more aware. Try to slow down and be peaceful (when it s possible!). Take time to be a little more aware of the things around you, of your breathing, of the taste of your food. You may be short of time, but try to be aware of and appreciate the present, rather than thinking ahead to what happens next. Prepare for the week by working out where you think you might be able to pray without interruptions. In your prayer time before you first meet with your guide, with God try to think about where you are at this time. The following questions may be helpful: - How are you feeling? (About the retreat, about things in general.) - Is there anything in particular concerning you at the moment?how is your relationship with God? - What gift are you asking for from the Lord during this week of prayer? End your prayer by talking to God about it all. If you want to, make notes for yourself which will help you when you see your prayer companion for the first time. Please don t make this difficult or wary about it, just do what you can or what you want to do. When you come to see your companion, bring any notes you had made, and in particular what you would like from this week. Happy Praying! 23