Silent prayer has been important in the lives of the faithful across the centuries. It is not unique to Christian practice and crosses many religious traditions. Silent prayer is more than just being quiet. It is a way of the heart. It is an intentional act of communing with God. In silent prayer we set aside our thoughts, our reflections, our feelings, and our agendas to be still in the presence of God who is always present.
It can be a challenging form of prayer because our minds are unaccustomed to being quiet. That does not mean we should give up. Prayer is time spent with God in faith that God is present with us. Even if we struggle to stay focused, we trust that God remains focused on us. If your mind wanders away into thought, wander back to the silence. Try short periods of time at first and work up to a period of time that suits you best.
I have provided a brief video below to help us enter into a time of silence. Just as Lectio and Visio divina can end up in a time of silent contemplation, focusing in on a candle, a sound or even a video can bring our attention to the moment and into silence. At the end of the video I invite you to close your computer and remain in silence for however long you wish.
Some tips: Prepare yourself by finding a quiet place devoid of distractions. Sit in a comfortable but alert position. Close your computer once the video is over. The video is two minutes long. There is white noise in the background, you may choose to turn off the volume of your computer if you would rather not have the sound. (Please note that this website uses a link to youtube.com to provide video)
You may also choose to light a candle in your prayer space, or use a cross or a meaningful object of your choice as a point of focus or simply close your eyes.
When thoughts come to mind imagine yourself setting them aside to consider later. If a thought persists perhaps have a note pad close by to write it down. This may help you let it go for a time. Another option if thoughts invade your silence, offer them in a brief prayer to God and then return to your silence.
Another practice is the use of the "Jesus Prayer." The Dessert Mothers and Fathers used this simple prayer to calm their restless minds in times of silent prayer. The Jesus prayer has taken many forms, one of which is "Lord, Jesus Christ, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me a sinner." As you enter a time of silent prayer you may wish to repeat the Jesus prayer to focus your attention on God. If in your silence your mind begins to wander, return to repeating the prayer for a while to regain your focus.
Above all - Be gentle with yourself. It takes time to develop this practice. Your efforts in silent prayer are themselves a prayer to God.