FIND WHAT WORKS
Customized Practices
“Whether we realize it or not, prayer is the encounter of God’s thirst and ours.”
— St. Augustine
You are not alone
Find what works.
Tired of wandering around trying to get serious with your spiritual life?
Are you perhaps stuck in a rut and could use some additional guidance when it comes to your prayer repertoire?
You are not alone! It takes time, honesty, energy, and effort to really find a prayer routine that works for you. A holy hour a week might be perfect for some and a daily lectio divina might be best for others.
Utilize this page to take a few things into consideration. Don’t hesitate to contact me or book an appointment* if you would like even further support. We are here to help!
*APPOINTMENTS COMING SPRING 2023
Prayer is deeply personal.
It is not a “one size fits all.” Different people go through different seasons and not all forms of prayer will “click” at every stage of life. Just like we adjust our shoes and clothing according to our growth and size — so too should our spiritual life reflect a routine of prayer that fits and leaves healthy room to grow.
Finding “what works” for a Catholic means developing a healthy spiritual life that allows the soul to enter more deeply into conversation with God. It creates an environment for the Sacred and allows the Holy Spirit to move and speak freely.
Important note:
Developing a customized practice does not and should not negate the rich spiritual practices of the Catholic faith, but rather, aims to utilize them in a way that makes the most sense for you.
Developing a personal prayer life does not take the place of traditional and necessary forms of prayer (i.e., the mass, the rosary, morning offering, etc.).
Customizing a practice means finding ways of going deeper in your own spiritual life depending on your season and where God is calling you right now.
Customized Options
Option 1
Move
Try to pray while moving your body. Pray on a walk or a hike. Bring your heart and prayer to God’s creation and soak in the wonders of His works. Utilize forms of stretching that incorporate scripture or prayerful meditation. Engage the body to activate the heart.
Option 2
Meditate
Bring your thoughts to the Mind of an all knowing Creator who desires your joy.
Spiritual Fruits
Knowing What Works
One way of knowing if a prayer life is “working” or is a good fit is by seeing what fruits or effects that routine is bringing about in your life. Effects that would indicate it is a good fit would be: increase of peace and mental clarity, greater joy (different than the emotion of happiness), greater sense of stability or internal security, and increase of the virtues especially faith, hope, and charity.
What Doesn’t Work
Similarly, you can analyze the “fruits” or effects of a prayer routine to see if it is not a good fit for you. This would include: an increase of anxiety or distress, an increase of hopelessness directly related to prayer, distraction from responsibilities of life, a sense of “burn out,” overall restlessness or confusion, and anything that would cause a distaste towards the Sacraments or a life of holiness.
You are not alone
Still not sure what makes sense for you?
Definitely reach out and I’d be happy to try and help! Contact me or book an appointment* for us to chat in more detail. I will do my best to hear your needs, brainstorm ideas with you, and create solutions to take the next step forward.
*APPOINTMENTS COMING SPRING 2023
Spiritual Obstacles
It’s worth noting that good prayer will not always come with “happy feelings,” similar to how an excellent workout will not necessarily come with immediate joy. It takes time.
It’s important to distinguish the difference between what is good in the spiritual life and what is not. Also be aware that it is not uncommon for an excellent prayer life to come with an increase of spiritual warfare — meaning, spiritual obstacles that God allows to further strengthen or purify you.
Similar to strength training, spiritual warfare is when the “weights” are put on, so to speak, and it will not feel good in the moment — yet it does not necessarily mean to stop what we’re doing. In fact, obstacles can actually be a sure sign that we are doing exactly what we’re supposed to be doing!
The key here is to very carefully discern the fruits of prayer vs. obstacles being felt as a result of good prayer. The best resource to discern and navigate spiritual warfare with you in a personal way would be to contact a trusted priest or trained spiritual director (or ideally a spiritual director who is also a priest!).
Recommended Books
By Daniel Burke
Navigating the Interior Life
Spiritual Direction and the Journey to God (Sophia Institute Spiritual Direction)
By Timothy M. Gallagher
The Discernment of Spirits
An Ignatian Guide for Everyday Living
