Beyond spoken prayer, here are the seven major types of prayer from the entire Christian tradition.

Jesus Prayer

The Jesus Prayer is a short formulaic prayer, esteemed especially in Eastern Christianity: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”

Spoken Prayer

Spoken prayer is praying audibly. The prayer-life of most Christians consists of words. Perhaps they say the words spontaneously. Or perhaps they say the words from memory.

Meditation

In western spirituality, to meditate means “to think about.” Many western Christians meditate on the Scriptures.

Prayer of Longing

The Prayer of Longing is our wordless desire for God.

Prayer of Resting

The Prayer of Resting, or more specifically, what spiritual writers call “resting in Christ,” can be as simple as sitting still for 30 seconds of silence.

Prayer of Quiet

The Prayer of Quiet borders on the supernatural. We cannot achieve it by our own efforts. We are unable to do anything to acquire this blessing.

Contemplative Prayer

Contemplative Prayer is based on great mystics from the entire Christian heritage such as John of the Cross, Teresa of Avila, and other great teachers.