Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Taize and Teresa ... Praying with Prayer Beads

Since ancient times, people have been praying in some way with prayers beads ... they may not have been strung together, they may have just been used as a symbol for counting prayers.  Desert Mothers and Fathers are said to have carried pebbles in their pockets.  Roman Catholics pray with the Rosary and many, if not all, religions have their own style of prayers beads.  I been drawn to Anglican Prayer beads, I really like their rhythm.  It has become a prayer practice for me to make prayer beads for others and for myself.  It is creative, contemplative, and calming.  Here is the set of beads I am using this week as I am immersed in the writings of Teresa of Avila and am contemplating the Interior Castle within. 

If you want to know more about formal praying with beads, you can google Anglican Prayer beads and find all the information that you want.  I don't always use the formal words that are used to describe the set of prayer beads, I use words that work for me.  

My invitation is to read just until you are full. Buy a book on Praying with Prayer Beads if you must.  Here is a good book: A Bead and a Prayer.  They also have a simple website.  Here is their "basics" page:  http://abeadnaprayer.com/prayer-bead-basics/

And then ... just pray and allow your prayer to form you.  As your prayers form you, you will form your prayers.  Here is my prayer for now ...


Cross: Prayer of Teresa
Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.

Bead of Invitation (to prayer) Psalm 46:10
Be still and know that I am God

Cruciform:  2 Corinthians 12:9
My Grace is sufficient for you.

Beads: a Taize chant (spoken or sung)
Holy Spirit, Come to us


Repeat Cruciform prayer and 7 beads 3 more times or continue around the beads as many times as you want and can ... before you emerge up from prayer and out into the world.  The refrain I am using "Holy Spirit, Come to us," is the chanting refrain that is sung underneath Veni Sanctu Spiritu, which means "Come Holy Spirit."

Prayer of Gathering of the Bead of Invitation (to the world) Psalm 46:10
Be still and know that I am God

Cross:  Prayer of Teresa
Let nothing disturb you,
Let nothing frighten you,
All things are passing away:
God never changes.
Patience obtains all things
Whoever has God lacks nothing;
God alone suffices.  Amen.

So ... this is my process.  May God bless you as your own process unfolds in your prayer practice. 

Your own way of praying with prayer beads will unfold over time.   Here I have shared the way I have taken praying with beads and made it my own practice, one that fits me and my lifestyle as a praying person.  

Sometimes ... I will take prayer beads with me and simply use the refrain (what I'm praying on the bead prayer) while holding them ... suddenly I realize that I am not praying the prayer, the prayer is praying me.  

Holy Spirit, Come to Us

Holy Spirit, Come to Us is a short Taize refrain that is chanted or sung underneath solos or longer refrains.   If you take this clip you will hear the way I hear when I am praying, except at a much slower pace in my prayers:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2ZFlmzWcws

You will hear much the same music in the more popular Come, Holy Spirit which in Latin is Veni, Sancte Spiritus.  Take this clip to hear it beautifully done, the icons are stunning as well:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WmxXwAgkhWQ

So ... I hear the words in my prayers to the music and style and pace of Come, Holy Spirit :)

Sunday, January 4, 2015

a silent stroll on the beach ...

O God, you are my God! I long for you!
My soul thirsts for you, my flesh yearns for you,
in a dry and parched land where there is no water.
Psalm 63:1 (NET)*

I spent Saturday afternoon with a community of women in prison alongside a group of my Kairos sisters.  As I meditated on what kind of encouragement I could share with the ladies, I repeated these words from the Psalms as I allowed them to soak into my mind.  

Suddenly into the "dry and parched land where there is no water" the image of waves along the beach in Galveston, Texas rolled into my consciousness.
This photo was taken as I was taking a silent soul stroll by myself along the beach in July 2010.  As I was pondering life, I remember thinking how like God's love those waves were.  

O God, you are my God! I long for you!

The waves relentlessly rolled in and caressed each grain of sand, the gentle rhythm invited stillness and peace.  There was simply nothing you could do to stop those waves.  Just like there is nothing you can do that would ever stop God from loving you!

O God, you are my God! I long for you!

The sand, the stones, the seaweed, the tiny gulf creatures, the seagulls, the children playing ... none did anything to deserve the water that drenched them.  


O God, you are my God! I long for you!

Sometimes ... I forget how much God loves me, usually when I am not feeling that loving toward myself.  Sometime, I strive to earn God's love, usually when I am feeling rather useless.  Do you ever forget like I do or maybe you forget in your own way?  

I think it is good for everyone to meditate and marinate in God's love occasionally at least, every day is helpful too!  

 O God, you are my God! I long for you!

Perhaps you might close your eyes and allow your longing for God to engulf you like waves on the beach.  Repeat quietly these words and let them lead you into a gentle healing silence: 
O God, you are my God! I long for you!  (pause)
O God, you are my God! I long for you!  (pause)
O God, you are my God!  (pause)
O God, you are my God!  (pause)
 O God ... (pause)
O God 
 (pause ... and drift into silence for as long as seems right to you) Amen.

Remember that no matter where you are or what you are doing, you can always pause, close your eyes, and walk on the beach ... with Jesus or the seagulls if you want to.  Repeat these beautiful words from Psalm 63 as a calming mantra in your mind to find a moment of peace in your whirlwind life.    

Final words to pray before moving on ...
God of Stillness, drop your still dews of quietness until all my strivings cease; take from my soul the strain and stress, and let my ordered life confess the beauty of your peace.  Breathe through the heat of my desire your coolness and your balm; let my senses be silent, let my flesh retire; speak through the earthquake, wind, and fire, 0 still small voice of calm! Amen.
~John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892)
  
Prayer found and adapted from Lyn Klug's All Will Be Well: A Gathering of Healing Prayers 
*Scripture quoted by permission. (NET) from the NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C.  All rights reserved.