Imaginative prayer
An immersive prayer experience that engages your feelings, emotions, and senses.
Praying with scripture
Imaginative prayer is a way of praying with the Gospels that invites you into intimacy with God. The focus is not to read about God, but to meet God, trusting God is personal, speaks to you, and desires to be in a relationship with you. Think of it as a date with God.
An Immersive Prayer Experience
Using the gift of your imagination transforms prayer from a head to heart experience.
This immersive prayer invites your whole self to show up before God by engaging your feelings, emotions, and senses. It’s an ancient Christian prayer practice developed by St. Ignatius [1491-1556], a Spanish Catholic priest, who discovered from his own personal experiences that the imagination is a powerful tool for encountering God.
Who is Ignatius?
Ignatius was born into a big, wealthy family of Spanish nobles. The youngest of thirteen kids, he was a sensitive boy and a day dreamer. His mother died when he was only seven and to win the approval of his father, he became a knight motivated by the high ideals of chivalry.
He was seriously injured In Pamplona defending his country against the French. Distraught by his injuries and confined to bed rest, he read the only two books he could get his hands on - one on the life of Christ, the other on the lives of the saints. He went from fantasies of victorious military exploits and romantic courtships, to being a great saint. He started noticing the differences in his feelings, emotions, and senses when thinking things of God and things of the world. These '“noticings” became the foundation of his Spiritual Exercises and imaginative prayer a gateway to experiencing God. Ignatius founded the Society of Jesus, Jesuits, and his Spiritual Exercises are renown and offered around the world, including at our Journeys Worth Taking retreat home.
Pilgrim site of the cave in Manresa, Spain where Ignatius sketched out his Spiritual Exercises.
How Imaginative Prayer works
Imaginative prayer invites you to place yourself into the gospel story using all your senses and faculties - what do you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch? Who are you in the story? A character? youself? What are doing? feeling? You are both participant and observer.
As you enter deeper into the experience, you may find yourself no longer directing the scene, but receiving something from it. Someone in your life may show up in the scene, or suddenly you become a character in the story. Stay with it, let it unfold. For example, you may be imagining Jesus speaking to the woman at the well (John 4:5-42), and notice that you have become that woman, and Jesus is speaking directly to you. What is he saying? How is he looking at you? What is your response? Do you say anything to him? What are you feeling as he speaks to you? Do you look at him? Look away? Are you overcome with emotion? Confused? Afraid? Happy? Note these as if you are a person observing it all unfold. And then sit with it. What is God saying to you?
Sound a bit far fetched or complicated? It’s not. It’s just a different way of meeting God. Don’t knock it until you try it and don’t worry if it feels uncomfortable or weird, anything new takes time and practice.
Let’s Give It A Try
Find a quiet place where you can sit in a comfortable, but alert prayer position for about 15-20 minutes. Open your Bible to John 1:35-39.
After reading the scripture text three times, noting words or images that speak to you, move to the Guided Contemplation.
Guided Contemplation
In your imagination, find yourself standing on the banks of the great river Jordan with a close friend or companion, and with someone who has been John the Baptist for you.
See the colour of the river, how wide it is and hear the rushing of the current. Smell the dampness of the earth it moistens as it gives life to the green vegetation on its banks. Feel the heat of the sun on your head and on the back of your neck as you stand there. Look at John the Baptist. How tall is he? How is he dressed? Hear his voice as he reminds you of some of what he has taught you since you have been his followers. See him suddenly turn his attention from you to look at a passer-by, and hear the excitement in his voice as he exclaims, "Look. There is the Lamb of God!
"When you and your companion hear this you realize that this is the one whose future coming, John has spoken of so often. You catch John's excitement. Feel his hand on your shoulder as he propels you forward to follow after the passer-by.
You have no idea where the stranger is going. See his back and notice his purposeful walk. Now you can feel the road as it becomes hot, and hard under your feet, even though you have your sandals on. Feel and taste the dust as it gets in your mouth and nose. After you have gone a mile or two, the stranger turns to you. What does he look like? How tall is he? See his face full of character, the colour and depth of his eyes, his nose, his skin, the colour and length of his hair, his physical build and manner.
He looks at the two of you. Hear his voice as he asks, "What are you looking for?" You are rather embarrassed and taken aback because it is evident that he has been aware of you all the time. All that you can think of to say sounds rather silly now: "Where are you staying?" But he seems to have anticipated the question, and his response sounds warm and inviting: "Come and see," he replies.
You walk with him a little further along the road to where a hut stands near the bank of the river under a stand of shading palm trees. What does it look like? At the door he stops by some large urns of water. See him wash his face, hands and feet. Hear him invite you to do the same. Then he ushers you inside.
What is it like after you come in from the heat and the brightness of the sun? How big is the hut? Are there any furnishings? Hear him offer you some cool water to drink and invite you to sit down. Finally you see him face to face. Hear him call you by name and repeat his earlier question. "What are you looking for? What is the deepest desire of your heart at this moment in your life?" This is what he asks you now. How do you answer him? Be with him and let that desire surface in your heart.
Take a few minutes to tell him what it is and talk to him about it in silence.
Then thank him for his invitation and end with a prayer of thanks such as. “Thank you God for this time together,”
- Contemplation from Regis College, Retreat in Everyday Life
Additional Resources
Download the Pray-As-You-Go App for a series of guided imaginative contemplations.
Upcoming Retreats
Experience imaginative prayer in a retreat setting. Sign up now for an upcoming retreat that works best for you.
