TEFILAH-----advice for kavana

I find it so hard to concentrate on my davening. And then once I close the siddur I realize only after who I was just speaking to and what I was saying. How can I instill inside of me what it means to talk to HaShem, and how much of an effect my words can have?


When you start Shemonah Esrei, before you say the first word, imagine that you are actually standing in Shamayim in front of Hashem on the Kisei HaKavod. That you have been granted a chance to ask Hashem personally for everything you, your parents, and the whole world needs.
That Hashem asked specifically to hear from you what those needs are.

And now, you are asking Hashem for them. You are in front of the King, Who is in charge of life and death and everything else in this world, you, "bas yisroel", talking one on one to Hashem.

Pause for 30 seconds to do this right before you bend your knees for the first "Boruch". Imagine that during those 30 seconds you're standing right at the door to Hashem's Throne Room, ready to enter. You're taking a deep breath, reviewing what you want to say. You're about to open the door, your hand is on the knob, and you say to yourself, "Bas Yisroel," you're about to go into the King and ask Him for everything. Don't blow it.

Then, when you're ready to finally open the door and face the King, bow for the first Boruch.

And keep this is mind throughout your Shemonah Esrei.