Here is another good article excerpt which discusses the importance of kavanah during prayer...
http://www.shemayisrael.com/parsha/chrysler/archives/shoftim64.htmOne should Daven in a fixed place in Shul, as this adds dignity to one's Tefilah, and lends it a touch of importance. One should try to Daven facing a wall, so as not to be distracted by people passing by, or by anything else that might interfere with one's concentration. And by the same token, one should either look in a Sidur or close one's eyes during Davening, as this too, makes it more difficult to be distracted, and augments one's concentration.
One should go to Shul primarily in order to Daven, not to meet with friends, read notices or involve oneself in whatever activities are going on there. If any of these are truly necessary, then they should be performed before Davening or afterwards, but certainly not during Davening, nor is it a Mitzvah to make a mental note of every fellow Jew who enters the precincts of the Shul or who leaves it.
One should enunciate every word slowly, since every word is part of Tefilah, which is called 'Avodah', and it is not respectful to rush through an Avodah. Besides, Davening word for word is a sign of love, which explains Chazal's analogy comparing Tefilah to someone counting his money.
One should take great care to answer every 'Amen' carefully, slowly and with Kavanah, and how much more so 'Borchu' 'Kadish', 'Kedushah' and 'Yehei Sh'mei Rabo'.
One should dress respectfully, which includes wearing a jacket and socks, and it goes without saying that one's body and one's clothes should be clean. Indeed, one would be expected to appear before the King of Kings and to behave in His presence with as much respect as one would before a king of flesh and blood.
Just as one Davens with sincerity, as we already explained (like a poor man standing at the door), so too, should one bow down (four times in the course of the Amidah) with sincerity, like one would bow before a king - in total subjugation. One should familiarize oneself with the various sections of Davening (in Shachris, i.e. Birchas ha'Shachar, Pesukei de'Zimrah, Birchas Sh'ma, Sh'ma and the Amidah), and their progressive levels of Kedushah. Besides adding meaning to one's Tefilah, changing gear from one level of Tefilah to another makes one's Tefilah that much more exciting, and makes it that much easier to Daven with more Kavanah throughout.
Chazal have already pinpointed landmarks in Davening, sections in the Tefilah that require more Kavanah (such as the first Pasuk of the Sh'ma, the first B'rachah of the Amidah, the B'rachah of 'ho'Keil ha'Kodosh' and 'Modim' to mention just some of them). But it is a good idea to add landmarks of one's own, parts of the Tefilah from which one draws personal inspiration for whatever reason. Reaching that point in the Tefilah will then serve as an incentive to increase one's Kavanah.
Many of the hints that we have mentioned (such as running to Shul, Davening verbally and closing one's eyes during Davening) may well be the result of Kavanah; but they also lead to it. As the commentaries explain, a person's external actions have a profound affect on one's internal self.
Finally, it is a good idea to actually look in a Sidur whilst Davening. The G'ro already points out that doing so helps to dispel evil thoughts. In addition however, there is much to be said in using as many senses as possible in the course of our Davening. Besides the sense of smell, we even employ our sense of touch during Tefilah, as now and again, we touch our Tefilin, and when we kiss our Tzitzis. And we certainly make use of our sense of speech and of hearing as we alternate between Davening ourselves and hearing the recital of the Chazan. So why not go one step further and use our sight too, in the service of Hashem, by looking inside a Sidur?
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