The three classical stages of prayer :
There is Vocal Prayer : a prayer of the lips, with stress on words, recited or sung. The text is often ready-made and is often beautiful and inspiring. Vocal prayer may also be spontaneous.

There is Meditative Prayer or meditation : a prayer centred in the mind, which pictures and ponders, reflects and thinks of God and his wonderful dealing. The mind seeks understanding and insight. In meditation, the lips are quiet and the mind is active.

There is Contemplative Prayer or contemplation : a prayer of heart and will which reaches out to God's presence. The lips and mind both come to rest: there is simple gazing (looking) at the Lord while the heart reaches out in wordless prayer and the will seeks to be one with his.

A Method of Praying
Over the centuries people have developed various approaches to prayer but all of them have had certain elements in common. The following are those elements presented in seven phrases that can help make prayer a reality in your everyday life. You can start from any point but the way will lead to the same final destination, meeting God face to face.

1. Seek moments of silence: Our everyday life is filled with noise - from outside and inside. If we want to understand things that really matter we have to withdraw to silence. Find time in your daily schedule for silence - travelling, washing up, ordinary action that allow your mind silent concentration. (Lk. 6:12)

2. Pause on your life journey: Everything in this world is constantly changing and on the move. We may rightly consider our own life as a journey. If we are not to travel blindly, we have to sit down and take our bearings regularly. We do this by choosing a convenient place and posture of 'rest' for our inner prayer. (Mt. 6: 6-8)

3. Observe deeper realities: When you have withdrawn from noise inside and outside of you and are in a place were you can relax then focus the eyes of your mind on deeper realities. Looking at a tree we can see just colours and shapes. Beyond the borderline of perceptions we can be moved with wonder at the mystery of creation. Where does this beauty come from? The ability to wonder helps us see past things as objects to a deeper reality. (2 Kings 6: 15-17)

4. Hear the cry of people's suffering: We hear lots of things but usually we have not learned to really listen. If we can pay sufficient attention to the words we hear we can notice the underlying message. A person can come to us and speak about ordinary things yet their real need may be loneliness and lack of encouragement. To notice the underlying message we can meet the suffering in another. (Exodus 3: 7-8)

5. Heal by your touch: In all our relationships the sense of touch remains very important throughout life. Sensitive people are constantly aware of how their words and actions may hurt other people, and how their gentleness and respect will heal and encourage. (Mk. 5: 27-34)

6. Respond to the Word of life: As Christians we believe that God has made himself known fully as a God of love. God himself speaks in Sacred Scripture. We can learn to interpret our world in a new way by reading and reflecting on God's word. (Lk. 4: 16-21)

7. Meeting Christ face to face: God has become visible to us in Jesus Christ. He has become a person we can talk to, a close friend, a companion, a dear father. The nearness of God in Jesus provides new meaning to life. When we touch other people around us, we do so with even greater love and respect because we remember what we do to them we do to Christ. In this way we open ourselves fully to Christ's Spirit so that he can transform us and how we live. (Jn. 14: 19-21)

Additional Information
The Apparation at Knock