Anglican prayer rules?

Paidiske

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As I think I've said elsewhere, I tend to use the daily office, but I am relaxed about it if for some reason it doesn't work that day.

The big thing, for me, is that I struggle to get into a prayerful state. My internal litany is much more like, "Oh, I forgot to do that thing... and I must remember to talk to so-and-so about such-and-such.., I really should follow up about x.... I must get that other thing done today..." and so on. So I've taken to walking the labyrinth (my parish quite a big one; it takes me 20 minutes to walk slowly) as the beginning of my prayer time; and that process lets me hand over all the mental busy-ness for a time and settle into listening to God. At least a bit better than I otherwise do!
 
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Shane R

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The staple of Anglican prayer life is Morning and Evening prayer. In reality, that seldom works out for me. I usually substitute Compline for Evening Prayer after my small children are in bed. I also have an order for Noon prayer which I use quite often if I am out and about. It takes about 6-8 minutes to go through Noon prayer.
 
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archer75

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The big thing, for me, is that I struggle to get into a prayerful state. My internal litany is much more like, "Oh, I forgot to do that thing... and I must remember to talk to so-and-so about such-and-such.., I really should follow up about x.... I must get that other thing done today..." and so on. So I've taken to walking the labyrinth (my parish quite a big one...
Yes. Similar struggle.

Also, what is "walking the labyrinth"?
 
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Arcangl86

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Yes. Similar struggle.

Also, what is "walking the labyrinth"?
It's pretty common in Anglican circles actually. A labyrinth is essentially a 2D maze on the floor. It's meant to be a sort of moving prayer and meditation. You follow the path before you, but it twist and turns. It's supposed to allow you to focus on prayer while still moving which helps some people.
mount-tabor-labyrinthjpg-e374612451d81e8c.jpg
 
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archer75

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Follow-up: in TEC parishes, you can see pamphlets about contemplative prayer, silent prayer, etc. I am not meaning to stir up any kind of hornet's nest, but does anyone on the thread do silent prayer as a regular part of their practice? I suppose the "walking the labyrinth" already mentioned is a version of it.
 
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Paidiske

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For me, personally, no. I do go on retreat for a few days each year, and that's usually at least partly a silent retreat.

But not as a daily thing. If I were to choose a meditation style, my preference would be Ignatian meditation.
 
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Arcangl86

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Follow-up: in TEC parishes, you can see pamphlets about contemplative prayer, silent prayer, etc. I am not meaning to stir up any kind of hornet's nest, but does anyone on the thread do silent prayer as a regular part of their practice? I suppose the "walking the labyrinth" already mentioned is a version of it.
Yeah, no. I try to do silent unguided prayer and I start making a to=do list in my head. I need the structure, which incidentally is why labyrinths aren't part of my practice, though a rosary occasionally is.
 
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everbecoming2007

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What does a personal prayer rule look like? I am sure the practice varies very widely, but for those who see the thread, clergy or laity, would you say anything about your prayer rule, if you even think of it as such?

Thank you!

Until recently I kept morning and evening prayer and sometimes compline, but my new work schedule required keeping it at odd hours. It became stressful and exhausting and therefore not conducive to the fruits of prayer.

I condensed these three offices which I often must shorten even further. I'm still working through the entire psalter as core to the discipline, but at a slower pace. I finish the psalter when I finish. There is no deadline. :)
 
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PloverWing

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I am not meaning to stir up any kind of hornet's nest, but does anyone on the thread do silent prayer as a regular part of their practice?
At my best, I do. It requires carving out a block of time when I'm alone and not rushing off somewhere, and that's not always easy to do. But silent prayer is the richest and best part of my prayer life.
 
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everbecoming2007

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At my best, I do. It requires carving out a block of time when I'm alone and not rushing off somewhere, and that's not always easy to do. But silent prayer is the richest and best part of my prayer life.

I find silent prayer on a regular basis induces too much anxiety in me. I need to be doing and contemplating a theme. But I do sometimes walk my friend's labyrinth as a compromise. Even then I'm usually saying a chaplet I wrote on a rosary.
 
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I recently purchased a kindle copy of the ESV Prayer Bible. It comes with a reading plan in the back and throughout the text is interspersed 400 prayers from Reformers, Anglicans, Methodists, Puritans &tc. You’re meant to read a line or two of scripture and then allow yourself to be moved to prayer by it. As a person who never “prayed the Bible” this proved to be an almost impossible task! But I am sticking with it and am being richly rewarded.

I’m sure you could pray the Office and approach the psalms and readings exactly this way, but I’m just getting comfortable with this.
 
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everbecoming2007

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I recently purchased a kindle copy of the ESV Prayer Bible. It comes with a reading plan in the back and throughout the text is interspersed 400 prayers from Reformers, Anglicans, Methodists, Puritans &tc. You’re meant to read a line or two of scripture and then allow yourself to be moved to prayer by it. As a person who never “prayed the Bible” this proved to be an almost impossible task! But I am sticking with it and am being richly rewarded.

I’m sure you could pray the Office and approach the psalms and readings exactly this way, but I’m just getting comfortable with this.

Wonderful! What is the bible called?
 
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