GUIDED PRAYER
My Guided Prayer aims at deepening our personal practice, experience of and life in, prayer, so deepening our relationship with God. I use the principles and practice of St Ignatius of Loyola.
As a Prayer Guide I offer to accompany an individual in their daily life over a period of days (you may be new to Christian faith or you may have been in prayer for years). The accompaniment takes the form of a series of meetings together (approx 45 mins), in person or online. The meeting can review the latest experience in prayer, agree what aspect of prayer we may want to work on & an exercise may be set. These are some of the things that could be worked on:
A rhythm of prayer,
Stilling our being,
A prayer structure,
God’s image,
Listening with the heart,
God in all things,
Engaging imagination,
Deepening desire,
Talking with God.
If an individual sets apart some days away from daily life, guided prayer can be offered as an Individual Guided Retreat
Comments from people I guided individually in daily life over 7 days during Advent 2017;-
“I recently started praying through my physical work and with my guide and encouragement I have developed it more.”
“Encountered God in many ways but especially the times I was able to spend in silence, and in my sessions with my guide.”
“Listening, supporting, encouraging, guiding, explaining, thoughts into actions, opening my mind, my eyes, my heart to find God in my daily life. By slowing down taking time to prepare food can become a prayer. Giving thanks for miracle of germination, seed growth, farmer cultivates, God’s earth grows a vegetable, picked, prepared, cooked and eaten by my family ... transformed from a chore to a labour of love.”
“Can’t see how there could be more help. Mark lets the Lord use him in a very special way and I feel privileged to have met him and be guided to the lord by his help.”
“Enabled me to see more closely what will bring me nearer to the Lord in my daily life and do what God wants me to do.”
“Far exceeded expectations. I can’t believe I am so blessed by God. During the week so many questions were answered in my prayers. I was in a dark place and He sent me Mark.”
“I wish I could have devoted more time to it. A valuable experience”
