Models for Prayer - historical and new

How do you pray?  Do you have a set place or places in which you pray?  Do you have a set time or two each day that you pray?  Do you use a specified form for your prayers, or do you pray what's on your heart and mind at the moment, or do you use some combination of the two?

There are a multitude of models for prayer.  Some of these are:

1.     The monastic model - Monks and nuns observe eight traditional "hours" (periods) of prayer during the day when they gather together.

2.     William Law - An 18th century English clergyperson, Law adapted the monastic model for individual use, suggesting that times of prayer each day should focus on different things:

a.     praise and thanksgiving

b.     humility

c.     intercession

d.     grace for resignation to God's will

e.     self-examination (confession)

f.      meditation upon death

3.     Dietrich Bonhoeffer - This 20th century German theologian suggested that we spend time each day in meditation upon a portion of Scripture and its meaning for us in that moment, prayer for strength and guidance and spiritual growth, and prayers for others.

4.     The Jesus Prayer - Used mainly in the Eastern Orthodox tradition of the Church, the Jesus Prayer is a model for trying to attain St. Paul's injunction to "be constant in prayer." (Rom. 12:12)  It consists of a constant repetition in the heart of the simple prayer, "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner."

5.     Silence - In the 46th Psalm, we read the words, "Be still, and know that I am God."  The early Desert Fathers and Mothers -- those spiritual leaders of the Church during the early centuries of the Christian Era -- valued being silent before God above most everything else.  One of those leaders, Abba Arsenius, once said, "I have often repented of having spoken, but seldom of having remained silent."

6.     Spiritual Direction - The art of spiritual direction is an ancient discipline of spirituality in the Church.  It is the practice of putting yourself under the direction of someone more experienced in the Faith, more experienced in prayer, more experienced in life in the Spirit.

7.     Use of Prayer Books or other Devotional Books - Sometimes it helps to have words to guide and inspire our prayers, because sometimes we simply have no words to pray, and sometimes such guides remind us of other things and people for which to pray.

In the last couple of weeks, I've experienced yet another way to pray... a kind of prayer only possible with 21st century social media and technology.  Two different groups have invited people to join on Twitter for a time of prayer together.  The host sends a tweet that opens the time in prayer, and then suggests in a new tweet a subject around which to gather our prayers, and people may either pray on their own or reply with a tweet of something for which they'd like those gathered in cyberspace to pray.  After a set amount of time, the host tweets a closing prayer.  I don't know how to explain it, and I know it sounds pretty "out there," and I didn't think I would like it, but it works.  I wouldn't want that to be my only discipline of prayer, but it was a new, refreshing way to be with others in prayer in a very real and intentional way.

So, back to the beginning... How do you pray?  Do you join regularly during the week with others to pray?  Do you follow a particular form for your prayers?  I'd love to hear something of the spiritual discipline that you follow, and, with your permission, I'd love to share some of your responses.