Prayer is not simply a request for Divine favors. In essence, it is simply being with God. It is relationship.
There is a story of a simple laborer named Jimmy who each day stopped in his neighborhood church and sat quietly. When asked what he was doing, he replied: "Nothing much, Father. I just say 'Jesus, it's Jimmy,' and he says, 'Jimmy, it's Jesus,' and we're happy spending some time together."
The Latin word contemplatio means abiding with God — an abiding state, with, in the place where God dwells. Gregory the Great described it as resting in God — stillness of heart and mind, not so much seeking as experiencing what they have been seeking.
The goal of contemplative prayer is not the elimination of thoughts or words. The goal is openness to God. Lovers can sit together in silence for hours — so, too, should it be with God.
Our part is simply what John of the Cross called passive loving receptivity — leaning toward God in faith with longing, openness, and love.
Lectio — Read or listen to a short Scripture passage. Wait for the still, small voice of God.
Meditatio — Ponder what you received with both head and heart.
Oratio — Respond. In words, worship, silence, or song.
Contemplatio — Rest in the presence of God. The movement from conversation to communion.
Don't confuse contemplative prayer with experience. The essence is not an experience of God, but simply spending time with God. Start with as little as five minutes of silence a day. Just let go. Just be with God.
Two Way Prayer is a practice rooted in AA's 11th Step — seeking through prayer and meditation to improve our conscious contact with God as we understand Him, praying only for knowledge of His will and the power to carry that out.
Most prayer is one-directional — we speak, we ask, we petition. Two Way Prayer adds the other half: we also listen. It is a practice of creating stillness and space to receive guidance, not just to transmit requests.
1. Get quiet. Find a still place. Settle your mind. Let go of the noise of the day.
2. Speak honestly. Share what is on your heart — your fears, struggles, gratitude, or questions.
3. Listen. Sit in silence. Don't force it. Allow thoughts, impressions, or a sense of direction to arise without judgment.
4. Write it down. Many practitioners write what comes to them during the listening phase — without editing or analyzing in the moment.
5. Test it. What you receive should align with principles of love, honesty, unselfishness, and purity.
The 11th Step asks us to seek conscious contact with God. Two Way Prayer takes that seriously — it is not just about what we bring to God, but what we receive. Over time, it develops a genuine relationship rather than a one-sided monologue.
The Set Aside Prayer is not official AA literature, but it has become a beloved and widely embraced tool for many on the path to recovery. Often used alongside the Serenity Prayer, its purpose is to help let go of lifelong conceptions, seeming inability to change, and resistance to the idea of a power greater than ourselves.
By praying these words, we begin to set aside not only our addiction but our self-will, our stubbornness, and our unreasoning prejudice. It allows us to loosen our grip on the tedious process of controlling life and begin trusting in something greater.
It opens the door to even a willingness to believe in a higher power and creates space to explore faith without pressure to fully define what belief should look like.
Prayer connects us to something greater than ourselves — dissolving fear and doubt, and accelerating life through faith. These prayers come from diverse spiritual traditions, each offering a unique path to that connection.