Information on contemplative prayer 

• Contemplative practices 
• Links 

Contemplative practices

The prayerful reading of scripture, done alone and in solitude, or in a group using a sort of liturgy of lectio. There are many ways to do lectio; they all involve a repetition of a scripture passage until the words have gone beyond intellectual understanding and passed into the spirit. 

This explanation by Luke Dysinger OSB is an excellent primer. Here's another from New Mellary Abbey. And here's a whole listing of weblinks. At St. Francis, we do a variation. 

Centering prayer, as taught by Basil Pennington and Thomas Keating, and "Christian Meditation," as taught by Laurence Freeman, apply eastern meditative techniques in a Christian context. They take the practitioner to a meditative state in complete silence. They are practiced alone or in a group; many groups meet once or twice weekly to reinforce each other's practice. Here's an article: St. Paul Pioneer Press, 15 Aug 93: Meditation revolutionizes mainstream church prayer 

Many Lutheran churches use Taizé chants, which were developed by the Taizé community of Protestant monastics in France, in their standard liturgies, or develop entire services of Taizé chant. They are simple, repetitious musical prayers well suited for contemplation, since they are easily memorized and can be prayed by heart. Also included in this category are any musical prayers which are memorized and sung prayerfully.

Stations of the Cross is a very traditional method of reliving the passion of Christ in scripture and prayer while walking a symbolic Via Dolorosa. Many churches, including St. Francis, have a series of plaques making the 14 stations. 

Labyrinths for walking meditation have existed for hundreds of years, and are making a comeback thanks in part to the Veriditas ministry at Grace Cathedral in San Francisco. Once a month, a Taizé service is sung by the laybyrinth there. 

For those of us who have a hard time sitting still, any combination of walking and prayer can be meditative. 

The "Jesus Prayer" is the simple repetition, over and over, of: "Lord Jesus Christ, son of the living God, have mercy on me, a sinner." Many people use a shorter version such as "Lord Jesus, have mercy on me." The words may also be sung. In any case, the repetition of this, or any simple prayer, can bring the practitioner to a meditative state. 

Thomas Keating teaches a method that is similar to the Jesus prayer, in which a single phrase, usually from scripture, is repeated to oneself throughout the day, for weeks or months at a time. The phrase is supposed to take up residence in one's subconscious. Keating offers several examples in a web page devoted to this practice.

Links 

A short history of the contemplative tradition in Christianity 
Thomas Merton and the "holistic approach to prayer" from a Lutheran perspective 
Christian Asceticism website 
Order of St. Benedict (be sure to check the What's New page) 
Cistercian orders (Trappists etc.) 
Contemplative Outreach 
World Community for Christian Meditation 
An "online monastery" with links to many monastery websites