| T.R | Title | User | Personal
Name | Date | Lines |
|---|
| 63.1 | | BTOVT::BEST_G | you are living in eternal mind | Fri Oct 12 1990 16:57 | 10 |
|
imo,
Prayer = meditation
and
all of your life is a level of meditation.
guy
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| 63.2 | | CARTUN::BERGGREN | Please, don't squeeze the shaman... | Fri Oct 12 1990 17:07 | 13 |
| Nanci,
My thoughts are similar to Guy's. To pray without ceasing to me means
cultivating a reverence for all creation in one's being and living it
every moment of the day.
How successful am I at this?
Well, more successful some days than others, :-) and I've made a
definite improvement over the years, yet I still have a loooong way
to go. But I thank God for each step that has been made along the way.
Karen
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| 63.3 | | CSC32::J_CHRISTIE | A Higher Calling | Fri Oct 12 1990 17:10 | 4 |
| I would like to make my life a prayer. I'm not there yet.
Peace,
Richard
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| 63.4 | further thoughts... | BSS::VANFLEET | Noting in tongues | Fri Oct 12 1990 17:14 | 11 |
| I tend to agree with both of you. In terms of meditation, I think of
meditation as a tool to get me into alignment with the divine within
all things. When I feel like I'm being successful at praying without
ceasing is when I can go through the day conciously acknowledging and
affirming the divine presence within everyone and everything I have
contact with. As with Karen, some days I do it better than others.
One thing I've noticed about myself is that some days it's easy to do
this as far as *other* people are concerned but it's harder to see it in
relation to myself. Does anybody else have trouble with this?
Nanci
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| 63.5 | The compassionate life is a prayerful life | CARTUN::BERGGREN | Please, don't squeeze the shaman... | Fri Oct 12 1990 18:04 | 12 |
| > Does anybody else have trouble with this?
Who me? ...yup. In the final analysis, most of the time it's much
more difficult for me to treat myself compassionately than it is to
treat others compassionately. But as a dear friend and teacher once
asked me when I was contemplating this subject:
"Which has the greater effect in your life?
My compassion for you, or your compassion
for yourself?"
Karen
|
| 63.6 | | CSC32::M_VALENZA | I noted at Woodstock. | Fri Oct 12 1990 18:10 | 7 |
| Karen, I like your view of what it means to "pray without ceasing".
This implies a broader definition of prayer, by the way--one that
includes a reverential attitude, and a way of living. Perhaps Rabbi
Kushner's definition fits; he defined prayer as experiencing the
presence of God.
-- Mike
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| 63.7 | being in the presence of God ... consciously | CARTUN::BERGGREN | Please, don't squeeze the shaman... | Fri Oct 12 1990 18:29 | 10 |
| Yes Mike, Rabbi Kushner's definition does fit for me:
"Prayer is not a matter of coming to God with our
wish list and pleading with Him to give us what we
ask for. Prayer is first and foremost the experience
of being in the presence of God."
(from the manuscript of a book a friend of mine has been working on)
Karen
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| 63.8 | | CSC32::M_VALENZA | I noted at Woodstock. | Fri Oct 12 1990 19:02 | 3 |
| Oh, so you have a friend who is working on a book? :-)
-- Mike
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| 63.9 | missing the point...intentionally :-) | CARTUN::BERGGREN | Please, don't squeeze the shaman... | Sat Oct 13 1990 19:11 | 5 |
| -1
Yes, a good friend, last time I checked.
Kb.:-)
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| 63.11 | Rev. Llyod Tupper... | BSS::VANFLEET | Noting in tongues | Mon Oct 15 1990 16:47 | 7 |
| I liked the way our guest minister referred to this very subject...
Praying without ceasing is "stirring up the gift of God within you".
Nanci
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| 63.12 | | CSC32::LECOMPTE | The lost are always IN_SEASON | Thu Oct 18 1990 05:32 | 14 |
|
imho: Prayer .nes. meditation
Prayer is conscious conversation between Man & God which involves both
talking and listening.
Meditation is focusing your thoughts on something (not necessarily
God).
So what does prayer without ceasing mean?
It is a lifestyle of communion with God. Or as one author put it
Practicing the Presence of God. Knowing that He is always there
willing to listen and be a part of your life.
|
| 63.13 | Reminded | XLIB::JACKSON | Collis Jackson | Thu Oct 18 1990 14:45 | 5 |
| I *like* that, Ed.
I have heard it before, but I had forgotten. Thanks.
Collis
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| 63.14 | JUST PRACTICAL RELIGION | RAVEN1::WATKINS | | Sun Oct 28 1990 02:20 | 11 |
| I think that it means to keep on praying. Not that we are to pray
every single second of each day. We set aside a prayer time each day.
Then what happens, we are too tired because we worked over time or we
get behind in some work at home and before we know it we are not
praying at all. This is my type of problem. So to me that is why
I am being told to pray without ceasing. Just practical religion.
Marshall
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| 63.15 | Brother Lawrence | OACK::SMITH | Passionate committment/reasoned faith | Mon Oct 29 1990 10:20 | 12 |
| RE: .6
>Perhaps Rabbi
>Kushner's definition fits; he defined prayer as experiencing the
>presence of God.
Or, as Brother Lawrence put it in the middle ages, "practicing the
presence of God." He wrote a book(let) about it. Brother Lawrence
was a monk assigned to wash dishes; yet he went about his work with
so much calmness and serenity that others noticed.
|
| 63.16 | | COOKIE::JANORDBY | The government got in again | Mon Oct 29 1990 13:40 | 5 |
|
I think it means to pray all the time.
Jamey
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| 63.17 | The Prayer Of The Heart Is The Answer | PCCAD::RICHARDJ | I Shoulda Been A Cowboy | Fri May 28 1993 18:56 | 21 |
| An Excellent book on how to pray without ceasing is "The Way of The
Pilgrim." It is the story of an anonymous person who wanders through
19th century Russia, seeking to learn how to pray unceasingly.
He learns about the "Prayer of the Heart," and how to obtain this
method through the "Jesus Prayer." "Lord Jesus Christ Son of God, have
mercy on me a sinner." The prayer is used like a mantra while bringing
your mind to the center of your soul which is in your heart and where
the Holy Spirit dwells. The books was a blessing to me from God, because
I have been practicing centering prayer for the past thirteen years and
I needed some new enrichment on it. I prayed for it and received it.
Anyway, all I can do is recommend that you read the book if you get a
chance.
"The Way Of The Pilgrim and The Pilgrim Continues His Way."
Translated by Helen Bacovcin
Forward by Walter Ciszek S.J.
Published by Doubleday
ISBN 0-385-46814-8
Jim
|
| 63.18 | | CSC32::J_CHRISTIE | We will rise! | Fri May 28 1993 19:03 | 4 |
| Sweet Jesus! It's been a *long* time, Jim! Good to "see" you!
Richard
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| 63.19 | imagine the Lord next to you | LGP30::FLEISCHER | without vision the people perish (381-0899 ZKO2-2/T63) | Sat May 29 1993 07:49 | 16 |
| re Note 63.17 by PCCAD::RICHARDJ:
Perhaps a mantra-like repetitious "background" prayer helps
some, but I have found it surprisingly easy to have a mental
state of communication with the Lord over almost any subject
that comes to mind, as if the Lord were sitting next to me.
There are so many things happening in this world, this
nation, this company, and even in my family about which it is
so comforting to discuss it with God.
(The biggest problem I have is in hearing the "still small
voice" in return -- the noise in the world, and the noise in
my head, are usually much too loud.)
Bob
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| 63.20 | | PCCAD::RICHARDJ | I Shoulda Been A Cowboy | Tue Jun 01 1993 09:50 | 14 |
| RE:19
Forgive me if I've misunderstood what you said, but the spiritual Fathers
warn against creating images, even of God while in centering prayer.
It's to easy for our nature to create a false image of God and we can end
up with a god that does not exist. It is also easy for the evil one to
help create an image of god that would lead us to ruin. We are to
concentrate on the pray word, and pass over any image or thoughts that
come. Empty your cup so that God can fill it. God will reveal Himself to
you in your heart and the images and thoughts will not be yours, but
Him. You will know it is the Holy Spirit that has revealed Himself and not
something that your own nature has created.
Peace
Jim
|
| 63.21 | huh? | LGP30::FLEISCHER | without vision the people perish (381-0899 ZKO2-2/T63) | Tue Jun 01 1993 12:52 | 25 |
| re Note 63.20 by PCCAD::RICHARDJ:
> RE:19
> Forgive me if I've misunderstood what you said, but the spiritual Fathers
> warn against creating images, even of God while in centering prayer.
Where'd you get that out of what I wrote?
I never said anything about "images" (although I did use the
word "imagine" -- not quite the same thing, actually).
Actually, I can't believe that the "spiritual Fathers" (if
they are Christian) literally said what you say, since I
can't imagine (there's that word again!) a person praying
"Our Father..." without having an image of some sort.
Christ's teachings are filled with images.
> We are to
> concentrate on the pray word, and pass over any image or thoughts that
> come.
A word without image or thought associated with it is just
noise!
Bob
|
| 63.22 | | PCCAD::RICHARDJ | I Shoulda Been A Cowboy | Tue Jun 01 1993 14:10 | 7 |
| RE:21
All I can say Bob, is that if you are successful in practice the prayer
of the heart, you won't need to imagine God because you will experience
His real presence. The imagination is incapable of creating what God
really is.
Jim
|
| 63.23 | | THOLIN::TBAKER | DOS with Honor! | Tue Jun 01 1993 15:51 | 3 |
| RE: .22
Fer sure fer sure!
|
| 63.24 | double huh?? | LGP30::FLEISCHER | without vision the people perish (381-0899 ZKO2-2/T63) | Tue Jun 01 1993 16:20 | 14 |
| re Note 63.22 by PCCAD::RICHARDJ:
> All I can say Bob, is that if you are successful in practice the prayer
> of the heart, you won't need to imagine God because you will experience
> His real presence. The imagination is incapable of creating what God
> really is.
Now you have me confused -- I thought that the "real
presence" was in the Eucharist.
(Are you serious, Jim: "pray without ceasing" has become
"pray without thinking" for you??)
Bob
|
| 63.25 | | PCCAD::RICHARDJ | I Shoulda Been A Cowboy | Tue Jun 01 1993 16:32 | 5 |
|
The real presence of the body and blood of Jesus Christ is in the
Eucharist. The real presence of the Spirit if God is within our hearts.
Jim
|