Our prayer is really a new page of scripture. Scripture is dynamic. As long as I am in the dynamic with it, bringing real problems, dilemmas from my life to it, then I am actually contributing to this history of relationships between God and human. We often forget that the basis of prayer is an attitude of love. God's love for us is a key part.
Contemplation is a gift first and foremost, a gift of love.
We feel that prayer is just a technique, everything will fall into place, and that God will have to respond to me if I have set up the techniques right. But the reality is that love is what drives prayer. We bring our love to God. God responds in love. Love opens up possibilities.