How To Gather Thoughts?

[Byzantine]

How does one gather one's thoughts for prayer?

What I've read in the [i]Sayings of the [Desert] Fathers[/i] is mostly about staying in one place, but that's not really doable for me...

[MaryJJD]

I think Cassian wrote about how whatever we put into our mind, we think about and that we can choose what we think about in that sense-he used a millstone metaphor-our mind will always be 'grinding' away at something, just we can choose if its darnel or wheat, so we can read scripture or something before prayer, etc.

I find that I am more distracted in prayer if I haven't had some sort of preparation (or gap) time between 'the world' and my prayer time itself, so I've started to give myself a bit of a buffer to slow down, where I can begin to let go of the other stuff, so as to be able to bring my thoughts more to God in prayer

I am interpreting that gathering thoughts for prayer means to bring them together to spend time focusing on God, rather than other things

God bless

[Byzantine]

[quote name='MaryJJD' timestamp='1326417226' post='2368018']

I am interpreting that gathering thoughts for prayer means to bring them together to spend time focusing on God, rather than other things

[/quote]

That is what I meant. Thanks!

[BarbTherese]

[quote name='MaryJJD' timestamp='1326417226' post='2368018']
I think Cassian wrote about how whatever we put into our mind, we think about and that we can choose what we think about in that sense-he used a millstone metaphor-our mind will always be 'grinding' away at something, just we can choose if its darnel or wheat, so we can read scripture or something before prayer, etc.

I find that I am more distracted in prayer if I haven't had some sort of preparation (or gap) time between 'the world' and my prayer time itself, so I've started to give myself a bit of a buffer to slow down, where I can begin to let go of the other stuff, so as to be able to bring my thoughts more to God in prayer

I am interpreting that gathering thoughts for prayer means to bring them together to spend time focusing on God, rather than other things

God bless
[/quote]


I need a few minutes to settle down quietly before prayer too. I tend to go with the flow. If my mind is just too busy on anything but prayer during my prayer time, I will read something suitable and always have a book or text handy. Sometimes prayer can be very dry and then I continually remind myself that I am in the Presence of The Lord and most often will speak with Him and perhaps about my dryness and my Faith that I am indeed in His Presence asking Him to increase and strengthen my Faith. I have an image of Jesus in my place of prayer and sometimes I may address it reflecting on the image itself and why I like it so much if I am having problems during prayer. Most of the time, I dont have difficulties and am very thankful for this.

[hope&memory]

The Desert Fathers are talking about praying without ceasing, the Prayer of the Heart. So you get your chotki or your rosary, say the introductory prayers (like [url="http://www.rosaryandchaplets.com/chaplets/byzantine_prayer.html"]this[/url]) then say the Jesus Prayer 33, 100, however many times your Spiritual Father has assigned. Focus on the words of the prayer and moving your fingers along the beads. If a distracting though comes, push it away. Your mind is like a river: thoughts come up and you just let them float by. Concentrate on the name of Jesus and that is all. The beautiful name of Jesus. Don't think about His life, His death, his Incarnation, but just his Holy Name. Don't think about school or how razzle dazzle it's going to be when you're a priest or those things those people on Phatmass said. You are training your mind to pray without ceasing. Then one day, after a lot of sincere practice, the prayer will move from your mind to your heart. Then when you are confused, disturbed, distracted, overwhelmed, you can say the Jesus Prayer and it will bring peace to your heart, and so it becomes praying without ceasing.

This is all beautifully explained in The Way of the Pilgrim.

[Byzantine]

[quote name='hope&memory' timestamp='1326554561' post='2368862']
The Desert Fathers are talking about praying without ceasing, the Prayer of the Heart. So you get your chotki or your rosary, say the introductory prayers (like [url="http://www.rosaryandchaplets.com/chaplets/byzantine_prayer.html"]this[/url]) then say the Jesus Prayer 33, 100, however many times your Spiritual Father has assigned. Focus on the words of the prayer and moving your fingers along the beads. If a distracting though comes, push it away. Your mind is like a river: thoughts come up and you just let them float by. Concentrate on the name of Jesus and that is all. The beautiful name of Jesus. Don't think about His life, His death, his Incarnation, but just his Holy Name. Don't think about school or how razzle dazzle it's going to be when you're a priest or those things those people on Phatmass said. You are training your mind to pray without ceasing. Then one day, after a lot of sincere practice, the prayer will move from your mind to your heart. Then when you are confused, disturbed, distracted, overwhelmed, you can say the Jesus Prayer and it will bring peace to your heart, and so it becomes praying without ceasing.
[/quote]

Thanks!

[quote name='hope&memory' timestamp='1326554561' post='2368862']
This is all beautifully explained in The Way of the Pilgrim.
[/quote]

One of the best books I've ever read. I should probably go back and re-read it, paying more attention this time.

[elizabeth09]

Sometimes, writing them down, and then burning them, I feel calmer then before.