Mutual Service in Manual Labor |
Shared Liturgical Prayer |
Meditational Scripture |
Prayer in the Heart |
Mindless repetition of a prayer formula is not only worthless, it is also detrimental. Refuse to say the prayer thoughtlessly. Select a time and determine a duration for saying the prayer. Make it a time when you are alert and refreshed, yet quiet and tranquil. Usually a period in the early morning, before the workday begins is best. Decide to spend 15 minutes, half-an-hour, or even a full hour exclusively engaged in saying the prayer. Decide the length of time by your grace and inclination. Do not strain at it. Consult your spiritual father.
The place too, should be carefully chosen. Let it be a quiet and solitary place. There should be no strong sense stimulations there. It should be a peaceful place.
Then you will attend to your posture. It is desirable for many people to sit quiet and very still. Sit upright. You may lean back but do not slouch. Hands lightly clasped, the back of one hand resting gently in the palm of the other. Your feet set solidly flat on the floor. Your back fairly straight. You may close you eyes, or you can pick out some non-distracting object to gaze at indifferently such as a stone in the wall or floor in front of you. Some like to incline the head and gaze at a crucifix resting in the hands or on the floor in front of them. Do as you like. In principle, our posture should be restful, alert, quiet and contemplative. It should be dignified and reverent. There are very many postures that can be used, including the "lotus position" and sitting back on the heels from a kneeling position.