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PRAYER - Imaginative Contemplation

The Examen - Lectio Divina - Prayer on Life - Other Prayer from the Spiritual Exercises

Sometimes known as Ignatian Contemplation and suggested by St Ignatius Loyola as a method to use for Gospel stories.

This is a way of entering into the Scriptures, particularly the Gospels. Use a story from scripture that allows you be part of the action. As in dreams, you might find interesting and unexpected things come up.

• Choose a passage and familiarise yourself with the story.

• You are in the presence of God, acknowledge this.
  Offer yourself, your time and your imagination to God.

• Ask God for what you need today, what you desire.
  This could be to for a greater understanding of Jesus, in words such as:
  Jesus, may I know you clearly, love you more dearly and follow you more nearly. On the other hand it could be something quite different such as 'grant me more patience'.

• Set the scene from your scripture passage. Take your time, see all that is around, hear, feel, taste, smell.
  What is the setting of the story in your imagination?
  Become a character in the story. Who are you? It may be a central character or someone on the sidelines.

• Let the scene unfold naturally. You may imagine it in the present day, or 2000 years ago. You may find it includes people you know. The story might depart from the gospel scene and take on a life of its own. That’s fine, trust God, everything human is appropriate material for prayer.
  Let the scene unfold naturally - what feels right.

• When the story has ended you may want to talk in your own words to Jesus or another of the characters.

• End the prayer with a formal prayer like the ‘Our Father’.

• When you have finished, look back over the prayer.
  See how you reacted and felt.
  Is this saying anything about you, the way you see others or God.
  Did anything surprise you?
  Is there anything that needs healing?
  Is there anything you need to pray about in future?