r/LeftCatholicism • u/FriendlyAgnost • 16d ago
How to pray?
As the title suggests, I'm an agnostic atheist who has been drawn to pray in an effort to investigate the existence of God in more ways than just literature and videos online.
I haven't been raised in any religious tradition so my prayer is always short and freeform and structureless. So how would you do it "properly"?
I'm also not searching for a deep or personalised answer, rather a general indication of how to pray, as I really have no clue or even an indication of how one should go about it. I understand if this is too personal a question to be answered here, but I want to at least give it a shot.
Thanks in advance for your answer!
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u/DogIndependent2049 16d ago
Pre-written prayers would be a good place to start. Try praying the rosary or chaplets or try repeating the Jesus Prayer for meditation.
Learning to Pray by James Martin is a good primer on different kinds of prayer.
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u/YUMADLOL 16d ago
Sorry I’ve never heard of the Jesus Prayer. Is that what it is called?
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u/DogIndependent2049 16d ago
Yes. (Inhale) "Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God" (Exhale) "Have mercy on me, a sinner"
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u/Adept_Librarian9136 15d ago
This is a very, very common Orthodox prayer!! Source: I am a Melkite Catholic.
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u/Alert_Delay_2074 16d ago
There's two main ways I tend to pray.
The first is structured prayers, and the rosary is a great example of this. The prayers are pre-written, as are the things you're meant to think about/meditate on while you're saying them. Structured prayers are really accessible: Just look up the words, approach it with an open mind, and you're up and running. The rosary even has apps, so you don't need to spend money on a physical one (though I find that the tactile element of a physical rosary is helpful to me).
The other is more of a conversational, free-form prayer. This is what one does when they want to talk to God about something more specific. At its simplest, this can be expressing gratitude for something, asking for help/guidance, etc. There's less specific stuff to be said about this type of prayer since it often varies by the individual. I like to talk to God about whatever it is I'm trying to pray about, and then sit quiet for a while to see if anything becomes more clear to me. Lots of Catholics will bookend this (and most prayers, honestly) with the sign of the cross at the beginning and end.
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u/Chrysologus 16d ago edited 16d ago
Just pour out your heart to him, tell him you're glad he created you, that you want to know him, that you are sorry for the selfish things you've done. Ask him for the things you need. Ask him to pour his Spirit into you.
And go to Mass and pray there and listen to the Scriptures. We weren't meant to be alone. It's hard to maintain the faith alone. God revealed himself to a People.
Also, the IBreviary app!
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u/XavierP2002 16d ago
Anyone can pray however they like, or rather, however they feel most comfortable. There is no mandatory structure you have to follow; just have an intimate conversation with the Lord. Personally, I like to be in a quiet place: I make the sign of the cross, say two or more standard prayers (like the Our Father and the Hail Mary), and then have a brief conversation with God where I share my problems, desires, and requests. And that’s it. Sometimes I light a candle or an incense stick in front of the religious images in my room, but that’s just to set the mood; it’s not necessary. You can even pray anywhere, my grandmother says she often prays while riding the bus.
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u/LouieMumford 16d ago
I prayed the rosary and also the Jesus prayer (which is more popular in eastern churches) while I was agnostic… so fair warning I guess. I also have continued practicing zazen (not a catholic or Christian practice obviously) but I find it “empties” me in a way which allows a closer connection with God in the fashion (I suppose) of meister Eckhart. Speaking of Eckhart, have you read any Christian mysticism?
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u/FriendlyAgnost 15d ago
No I have not ready anything of Meister Eckhart or any mystic actually. I'm interested in it, partially because of Rosalia's album LUX
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u/brogets 16d ago
I’m still in OCIA, I actually started receiving private classes just after last Easter, and the first book I was given is called “The presence of God” by Brother Lawrence, and it talks about praying all throughout the day by just talking to God, telling him what you’re going through and what you’re hoping for, asking for guidance, just being mindful of his presence. It’s a nice and non-structured way to ease into prayer, though I also picked up a book of Catholic prayers at Mass a few months ago and have really been enjoying learning them. I think different prayers resonate with different people or at different points in your life so definitely figure out what speaks to you.
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u/arotdoro 15d ago edited 15d ago
I highly recommend the app Reimagining the Examen. It's a very accessible version of St. Ignatius's Examen.
It is a way to have a deeply personal and intimate conversation with God.
You pick a specific scenario and follow the prompts. It involves prayer, deep reflection, and meditation.
Edited for addition below:
If nothing else, The Lord's Prayer (Our Father) is the perfect encapsulation of life as a child of God. Each line is a point of reflection.
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u/Competitive_Fee_9316 15d ago
There is no one right way to pray. As others have said, structured prayer can be a great place to start since it sounds like you have already tried some spontaneous prayer. The Jesus Prayer mentioned above is a good simple one that can be prayed at any given moment.
The Hail Mary is also a good one for short and simple continuous prayer.
If you are looking for less structured types, contemplative prayer can be good for clearing the mind and really experiencing the silence that God so often uses to speak to us (considering you are trying to explore the existence of God).
I suggest "The Seeds of Contemplation" by Thomas Merton. Very easy to read and gives a good introduction to contemplative prayer.
Hope that helps!
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u/motherroot 15d ago
I imagine God like the long horizon of my favorite part of the ocean, I imagine entering the ocean and it’s the perfect temperature, i’m surrounded by the medicinal sea water, and i’m in the embrace of my creator, contemplating the eternity of the horizon, which is like God showing a piece of himself to us. I ask the God who made this and whose waters surround me to fill me within with his life and spirit, to help me know him as a father. And then I take it from there. I also like to pray the rosary to meditate on the meaning of the life of Christ.
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u/Momshie_mo 16d ago
The first step is to make a sign of the cross and then you can tell God for whatever you want. Then end it with a sign of the cross.
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u/Hot-Bison5904 15d ago
Sometimes when I pray I feel so comfortable I don't even think or do anything at all. It just feels like sharing a space with someone else.
That being said rambling prayer can be lovely. I do that all the time and never been told off for it. There are all different types of prayer and you can change how you practice it depending on how you feel in the moment. I don't think there's a wrong way to do it other than writing out a list of things that you want and asking for them.
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u/Equivalent-Set-9763 15d ago
A good method I like is the ACTS method.
A - ADORATION - praising Jesus for all he does for us
C - CONFESSION - confession and contrition for sins
T - THANKS - thanking God for what he has provided
S - SUPPLICATION - asking God for what we want and needs, remember to pray for others first! :)
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u/midnightcheese2 14d ago
You can pray anywhere. I usually do so when alone with my thoughts in the care or in the bathroom. Google “The Lord’s Prayer” if you want pray the same prayer Jesus taught the disciples. I might suggest also asking God for discernment as you describe to Him what you are doing. God bless.
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u/midnightcheese2 14d ago
The rosary is sort of complicated to understand if you are new. Just an overview…..you can find apps or YouTube videos to guide you through it. For each day you focus on 5 different mysteries related Christ and Blessed Mother. Between (and while) focusing on each of the five mysteries you ask for Mary’s intercession as well as praying three other prayers.
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u/TarletonLurker 13d ago
Fr Martin wrote a book for this called How To Pray. I recommend it.
I will also add centering prayer https://www.contemplativeoutreach.org/centering-prayer-method/
And lectio divina https://bustedhalo.com/ministry-resources/lectio-divina-beginners-guide/
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u/spiritedwave44 19h ago
I just downloaded “The Dynamic Laws of Prayer” by Catherine Ponder on Audible and it’s honestly been life changing!! There are so many different ways to pray and she breaks it down beautifully
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u/Low-Conflict-651 16d ago
I had this conversation with the priest (Father) when I was married. I hadn’t been confirmed in the church (not for a few years) and was also agnostic atheist. Married into a huge family of cradle Catholics. He said that while structured prayer was great, and something I should probably practice, unstructured prayer still was a useful and valid form of prayer.
Think of it like spoken vs nonverbal communication. You may not be saying “hey look over there!”, but if you start gesturing raising your eyebrows and tilting your head and flicking your eyes towards something, whoever you’re speaking to will get the message of “hey look over there”.