▁life , ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁of ▁becoming ▁more ▁like ▁Christ . ▁His ▁method ▁and ▁that ▁of ▁Sul p ice ▁have ▁helped ▁spread ▁the ▁habit ▁of ▁med it ating ▁beyond ▁the ▁clo ister . ▁ ▁Some ▁modern ▁authors ▁recommend ▁that ▁this ▁prayer ▁be ▁called ▁" inter ior ▁prayer ". ▁Jacques ▁Philippe ▁said : ▁ ▁Med itation ▁Med itation ▁consists ▁of ▁two ▁operations   – ▁one ▁belongs ▁to ▁the ▁thinking ▁fac ulty ▁which ▁applies ▁the ▁imagination , ▁memory , ▁and ▁understanding ▁to ▁consider ▁some ▁truth , ▁principle , ▁fact ▁or ▁mystery ; ▁the ▁other ▁is ▁dependent ▁on ▁the ▁will ▁with ▁a ▁view ▁to ▁exc iting ▁proper ▁spiritual ▁emot ions , ▁to ▁ask ▁for ▁the ▁good ▁proposed ▁by ▁the ▁mind , ▁and ▁resolve ▁on ▁some ▁act ▁or ▁course ▁of ▁action ▁regarded ▁as ▁God ' s ▁will ▁and ▁as ▁a ▁means ▁of ▁union ▁with ▁God . ▁To ▁some ▁degree , ▁this ▁has ▁always ▁been ▁pract iced ▁by ▁God - f ear ing ▁persons . ▁According ▁to ▁Ter esa ▁of ▁Á v ila , ▁the ▁person ▁in ▁this ▁activity ▁is ▁like ▁a ▁gard ener , ▁who , ▁with ▁much ▁labour , ▁draw s ▁the ▁water ▁up ▁from ▁the ▁depth s ▁of ▁the ▁well ▁to ▁water ▁the ▁plants ▁and ▁flowers . ▁ ▁Import ance ▁Mother ▁Ter esa ▁said : ▁We ▁must ▁never ▁forget ▁that ▁we ▁are ▁bound ▁to ▁per fection ▁and ▁should ▁aim ▁ce as eless ly ▁for ▁it . ▁The ▁practice ▁of ▁mental ▁prayer ▁is ▁necessary ▁to ▁reach ▁that ▁goal . ▁Because ▁it ▁is ▁the ▁breath ▁of ▁life