Attentive Prayer

The prayer of recollection is nothing supernatural. It is "something we can desire and achieve ourselves with the help of God - for without his help we can do nothing". Neither is this recollection "a silence of the faculties; it is an enclosure of the faculties within the soul". The Way of Perfection (29:4) Even in the mist of occupations we can withdraw within ourselves to be present to God.

This prayer is really nothing more than being present to the one with whom you are speaking. Try practicing being present to the person in front of you to whom you are speaking and you may come to realize how inattentive you can be with the person you can actually see and to whom you are trying to listen.

Especially while praying vocal prayers attention should be given to whom we are speaking and to what we are saying. In other words, the mind must be joined to the words being spoken. St. Teresa says we are to be aware and know that we are speaking, and with whom we are speaking and who we ourselves are who dare to speak!