Sabbatical - Hands on Prayer ideas

Looking at some traditional ideas as starting places for a personal faith practice.  The following struck me as well:

• The calendar of saints, feasts and Holy days.  Christianity has been around for just shy of two centuries.  Along the way we've accumulated some history and tradition.  But outside of the biggies - Easter, Christmas and Epiphany I'd be willing to bet that most of us can't name too many more beyond that.  For example April 1, 2 and 3 of each year are associated with Frederick Denison Maurice, Priest, James Lloyd Breck, Priest and Richard, Bishop of Chichester.  Any ideas why those three are given special recognition in our church calendar?  I know that Maurice is a theologian because an online quiz told me my theology was closest to his.  You now know everything I know about F.D. Maurice.  While everyday of the year doesn't have a feast or saint a fairish number do.  You'll find men and women, mystics and martyrs, rather a lot of clergy but some lay people too.  A study of those who have gone before might be the place to offer a very interesting way of deepening our understanding and relationship.  If you add in some special consideration for the seasons of the year (Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Holy Week, Easter Sunday and Easter Season, Pentecost and the season After Pentecost) I think you'd be well on your way to putting together a year of faith filled reading, thought and prayer.
• The cycles of prayer - There is an Anglican cycle of prayer which will lead through a daily prayer for every diocese in the Anglican Communion world wide.  You can download the files from the Anglican Communion website (HERE) along with several other resources.  This is a process that can offer a more extended cycle for your prayers (for example my diocese - Western New York - last came up in the cycle on December 8 2009 and doesn't roll back around till December 9 2011).  Each day in the cycle is also connected with the lectionary so there's a scripture connection for your consideration as well.  For anyone whose thoughts are for the wider world here's a way to connect with folks who share our spiritual roots around the world.  And for those of us with limited attention spans it's quite literally something new every day.  I would also note that there are often diocesan cycles of prayer (I'm actually taking a bit of flyer on that one.  I know we have one and I assume that it's a common practice.   If it isn't I'd wonder why not?  If you're not sure poke around, ask a few questions).  Again it helps remind us that we are part of a greater body.  In our diocesan cycle we pray not only for the congregations but the agencies, ministries and staff (even Youth Missioners!)

Again the purpose of my project is to try and offer many different starting points to create a personal faith practice.  Feel free to mix and match.  Maybe one of these ideas will give you a completely different idea.  That's perfectly fine with me.  At this point I'm just trying to lay the ground work for some more traditional practices that have worked for millions of people over century upon century.