At our last H&H gathering when I spoke about the practice of prayer I mentioned that there is no one way to pray, that we need to pray as we can not as we can’t, and that we need to be careful not to violate the very spirit of prayer by suggesting a “best” way to pray.

“Why must people kneel down to pray? If I really wanted to pray I’ll tell you what I’d do. I’d go out into a great big field all alone or in the deep, deep woods and I’d look up into the sky—up—up—up—into that lovely blue sky that looks as if there was no end to its blueness. And then I’d just feel a prayer.”
― L.M. Montgomery, Anne of Green Gables

My guess is that by the time any conscious or unconscious elitism has crept in to our prayer the divine has most likely already crept out. I also seemed to speak music to the ears of some extroverts and some kinesthetic types when I said that just because Centering Prayer doesn’t seem to be your cup of tea doesn’t mean you are a spiritual failure or that you will be held back a grade. That being said, even shakers and groovers and movers would benefit from some contemplative practice, even if it is sitting for a cup of tea.

In the end, the way to pray – is pray. Amen.