What's your ideal prayer "regimen" like? Your actual "regimen"?

[Kaesekopf]

Question is obvious from the title! 

[Melkite]

My ideal would be to pray matins, vespers and compline on my own at home.

My actual is far short of that.  But today is the first day of pre-lent, perhaps I'll give it a shot!

[Kaesekopf]

I think my ideal, at this stage of my life, at least (a single feller), would be this:
Wake at 6am, pray the Angelus and then Lauds.  Then the "prayer before work"
Pray Prime at about 10am. 
Noon Angelus and the appropriate minor hour (I forget the name).
Pray the other minor hour at 3pm. 
At 5pm pray the "prayer after work" and get the 6pm Angelus and Vespers in. 
Pray a rosary and then get Compline in.  And sleep.

Actual prayer life:
Rosary every now and then, 3 Hail Mary's in the shower, some religious reading here and there, and prayer before meals occasionally.  And Compline sometimes.    I'm a bad Catholic.

[MilesChristi]

I think my ideal, at this stage of my life, at least (a single feller), would be this:
Wake at 6am, pray the Angelus and then Lauds.  Then the "prayer before work"
Pray Prime at about 10am. 
Noon Angelus and the appropriate minor hour (I forget the name).
Pray the other minor hour at 3pm. 
At 5pm pray the "prayer after work" and get the 6pm Angelus and Vespers in. 
Pray a rosary and then get Compline in.  And sleep.

Actual prayer life:
Rosary every now and then, 3 Hail Mary's in the shower, some religious reading here and there, and prayer before meals occasionally.  And Compline sometimes.    I'm a bad Catholic.

If only that was what Bad Catholic meant. We'd be so much better off.

[Bernadette]

Remembering to say my morning prayers as regularly as I say my night prayers would be a good start! 

[Bonaventure]

Ideal is morning prayers, daily Mass, short spiritual reading, rosary, night prayers, and compline. Angelus as well, and 15 minutes of contemplation.

Actual does not measure up, but has improved.

[Graham]

My central goal is to pray the full Rosary of 15 mysteries every day. I usually manage five.

I also attempt to fast every wednesday and fast and abstain every friday, and usually manage it.

That isn't the full extent of my goals, nor of my actual prayer and mortification, but I'm not sure if it's proper publically to discuss these matters in detail. The whole 'go to your Father in secret' thing. (It would be improper for me, at least; I tend to become overwrought; it looks like some of you can manage it matter-of-factly and that's good.) However, I think some discussion is conducive to humility, fellowship, and the sharing of ideas.

It's interesting that so far the Hours seem popular. I've never been too taken by the idea of praying the Hours, though it the past I half-heartedly experimented with it. For me the Holy Rosary is much more attractive, maybe because of its simplicity.

[Kaesekopf]

For the record, this is a thread primarily to help others and to lend a supportive hand. 

[Graham]

For the record, this is a thread primarily to help others and to lend a supportive hand. 

What attracts you to the hours?

In December, Bp. Williamson gave a sermon on praying the acts, which can be done spontaneously and in mental prayer. It was quite simple and inspiring.

A: Adoration 
C: Contrition
T: Thanksgiving
S: Supplication

I will see if I can find the recording.

[Kaesekopf]

In brief, the sanctification of the day draws me to the Hours, in addition to the praying of the Psalms.  Also, the regularity/schedule of the Hours (6, 9, 12, 3, 6, bedtime-ish) is very appealing.  It provides a firm benchmark for "hey you dummy, it's 4pm and you haven't done None!"

I hope you can find the +W talk.

[Joromi]

I am a stay-at-home mom of two very active little ones, ages 3 years and 18 months (and more to come someday, please God).  I quickly figured out that for me a prayer "regimen" had to be done at the same time as another task, or it simply wouldn't happen. 

I say a morning offering as I make my bed "Lord Jesus, I offer up this day to you, please help me to make it a worthy offering".

I say the Rosary when I am putting the children down for a nap. Right now I am lucky enough that they both take one nap at the same time so I usually get some time to myself for this purpose.

I try to remember to say various simple prayers as I go about my daily tasks.  Some days are better than others.

I pray out loud in front of my children so as to teach them by example.  Lately I have mostly been praying for patience!

We pray before meals out loud, all together as a family.  My 3 year old is able to say the whole thing by heart and she is proud to do it.

That's it right now.  I think praying together with my husband would be a wonderful thing but we are not there yet except for the meal prayer. 

[Penelope]

Joromi, you're doing more than some mothers of toddlers can manage. What a good example for your children!

[OCLittleFlower]

Joromi, you're doing more than some mothers of toddlers can manage. What a good example for your children!

Seriously!

I wish I did that much consistantly, and I'm childless.  This year I'm really trying to amp up my spiritual life, make a daily rosary a habit, etc.

[Bonaventure]

Joromi, you're doing more than some mothers of toddlers can manage. What a good example for your children!

Seriously!

I wish I did that much consistantly, and I'm childless.  This year I'm really trying to amp up my spiritual life, make a daily rosary a habit, etc.

You guys can do it. Just commit to it.

[Archer]

Right now:
Morning prayers - usually right after I wake up while I'm showering/shaving. 
Prayers before meals (we're trying to remember to pray after as well)
Daily Rosary.
Night prayers - said kneeling down before we get into bed.