1. Preparation               

How am I as I prepare for prayer? What sort of mood am I in? Therefore…    
What do I want to ask the Lord for?                               
Peace? Generosity? Openness? Trust/Forgiveness? Or what else...?                              
What piece of scripture, text, hymn, poem, etc, shall I use?                                
If necessary, e.g. with a Gospel scene, read the text slowly several times beforehand so that you are familiar enough with the narrative.                             
How long I am going to pray for? Be realistic.