Q0476
“Prayer consists of attention.” — Simone Weil (Waiting for God)
Verified English quotation. Primary source: Waiting for God. Theme: attention.
English
Prayer consists of attention.
Source and attribution
The archive attributes this English wording to Waiting for God and files it under Religious Existentialism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
About Simone Weil
Simone Weil (1909–1943) was a French philosopher, mystic, and political activist who taught, worked in factories, and engaged labor and anti-fascist causes. A brilliant Normalienne, she sought experiential solidarity with the oppressed.
Interpretation
Weil equates prayer with attention, which removes it from the category of petition. To attend, in her usage, is to hold something steadily without immediately putting it to use — and since she holds that most of our contact with the world is instrumental, genuine attention is rare and difficult. The claim is that this difficulty is the whole of the discipline, so there is no technique to add. It also means prayer can fail by distraction rather than by doubt.
Why it matters
It is testable in an ordinary way: try to give something your full attention for two minutes without planning what to do with it. The resistance you meet is what she is describing.
Concepts in this quote
- Attention
- Attention appears in this archive as a live philosophical concern—not a slogan. These verified English passages show how thinkers treat attention as a problem of judgment, practice, or explanation.
How to cite this quotation
APA: Simone Weil. (n.d.). Prayer consists of attention. In Philosophy Blind Box. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0476
MLA: Simone Weil. “Prayer consists of attention..” Philosophy Blind Box, https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0476.
Chicago: Simone Weil. “Prayer consists of attention..” Philosophy Blind Box. Accessed 2026. https://www.philosophydef.com/quotes/q0476.
Frequently asked questions
What is the source of the quotation “Prayer consists of attention.”?
The passage is attributed to Simone Weil, Waiting for God. The archive attributes this English wording to Waiting for God and files it under Religious Existentialism. That locator distinguishes the passage from loose internet attributions: readers can return to the named work or section to check translation, surrounding argument, and edition-specific wording.
What does Simone Weil mean by attention?
Across 4 recurring voices here (notably Simone Weil and Iris Murdoch), attention is framed through Religious Existentialism and Platonic Moral Philosophy. Some passages define attention; others warn how it fails; still others relocate it inside habit, community, or language. This passage enters that discussion through attention.