Praying should be as natural as breathing, and can be.

When I was growing up, I was taught prayers that depended on words, some of them beautiful words, but nothing but words. Years later, I learned ways of praying that do not depend on words, and these have become my preferred way of praying. I invite you to try them.

I gathered some of these prayers in a booklet, "Personal Prayer Exercises, Prayers with Few Words" based on prayer exercises used in home groups arranged by Esquimalt United Church when I was one of the ministers there. You are invited to try these ways of praying, finding those that are most helpful to you, and perhaps coming up with some others that work for you.

There is no right way to pray. These prayers suggest the use of more than just words: breath, imagination, physical movements, and silence. May you find yourself praying often, sensing that you are not alone, and finding strength and insight to help you be the person God is inviting you to be.

You can find the prayers Here:

• Opening to God, Breath Prayer, Breathing with words
• Breathing for others, Embrace Prayer, Pondering your blessings
• Come and rest, Have some fun, Ask a good question
• Picture and pray, Talk to God about…
• Create your special prayer, Arrow prayers, Dreaming the ideal
• Ponder a picture, Meditate a Scripture, Centering
• In God’s loving hands, Saying thanks with your body
• Cupped and released, Prayerful gestures