8 : 2 6 ). ▁As ▁Mother ▁Ter esa ▁said , ▁" In ▁vocal ▁prayer ▁we ▁speak ▁to ▁God , ▁in ▁mental ▁prayer ▁he ▁speak s ▁to ▁us . ▁It ▁is ▁then ▁that ▁God ▁pour s ▁himself ▁into ▁us ." ▁" P la cing ▁ones elf ▁in ▁God ' s ▁presence ▁and ▁remaining ▁there " ▁is ▁the ▁essential ▁act ▁of ▁prayer , ▁according ▁to ▁Philippe . ▁St . ▁Ign ati us ▁of ▁Lo y ola ▁has ▁as ▁a ▁basic ▁principle ▁of ▁his ▁Spirit ual ▁Ex er cis es ▁that ▁" the ▁Lord ▁communic ates ▁himself ▁to ▁the ▁well - dis posed ▁person ." ▁ ▁Basic ▁decision ▁is ▁making ▁time ▁for ▁mental ▁prayer ▁The ▁basic ▁decision ▁then ▁is ▁to ▁" make ▁time ▁for ▁the ▁Lord , ▁with ▁the ▁firm ▁determ ination ▁not ▁to ▁give ▁up ." ▁The ▁recommended ▁length ▁of ▁time ▁per ▁day ▁var ies ▁from ▁" a ▁few ▁minutes " ▁( Fri ars Min or . org ), ▁" 3 0 ▁minutes " ▁( E ug ene ▁Bo yl an ), ▁" se ver al ▁minutes " ▁( J os em aria ▁Es cri va ), ▁" one ▁hour " ▁▁ ▁( Fran cis ▁of ▁Sales ), ▁" min imum ▁of ▁half ▁an ▁hour ▁in ▁front ▁of ▁the ▁B less ed ▁Sac r ament " ▁( Al ph ons us ▁L igu ori ). ▁The ▁beginning c atholic . com ▁recomm ends ▁starting ▁with ▁ 5 – 1 0 ▁minutes . ▁ ▁Prim acy ▁of ▁love ▁The ▁second ▁fundamental ▁principle , ▁according ▁to