Prayer using the imagination is a pillar of the Ignatian spiritual tradition. In its most common form, you take a passage from scripture, usually one of the gospels, and immerse yourself in it imaginatively using all the senses. You feel the heat of the day, smell the livestock and clouds of dust on the road, listen to Jesus’ words, watch his actions. It’s a way to engage the gospel personally, with all of our faculties.
Creighton University’s online ministries site has an excellent section on imaginative prayer, including a helpful article on how to get started. Fr. Jim Martin, SJ, explains it in this short video.
