Over the summer and now continuing into fall, I find myself praying more – more frequently, more intentionally and more deeply. ‘Why’ is not really all that important - it can be simply explained by an overwhelming sense that the world seems to just need it right now, or perhaps it’s that things in the world are such that I feel I need it right now! Either way, it got me thinking a lot about the nature of prayer. (PLEASE CLICK ON THE TITLE ABOVE TO CONTINUE READING.)
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In their book Prayer Energy, Richard Lawrence and Mark Bennett explain that prayer is a way of channeling and transmitting energy. That energy is the force of life, the same energy that exists throughout the universe. The same energy that heals. They hold that real prayer is an expression of love and that love is the vehicle in which the energy travels to its destination. To pray properly we must unchain the shackles of selfishness from our hearts and condition the energy we invoke with the power of love. The spiritual energy, this universal life force which is sent from the one who intentionally prays to the one prayed for is referred to by the yogis as prana and by ancient Chinese philosophers as Chi. We can all invoke and use this energy simply by praying. Once this nature of prayer becomes clear to us and we begin to understand how it works, the confusion and doubt that all too often haunts us and holds us back begins to dissipate. If prayer were understood and practiced every day by more people, not only would those people’s lives change, but the whole world would change as well. Certainly, there are levels or dimensions to prayer and techniques to master along the way, if one so chooses. For example, ‘dynamic prayer’ as taught by Dr. George King is based on yogic principles, including the chakras, visualization and the correct use of spiritual energy, which make it highly effective. This dynamic prayer is a way to move beyond the conscious mind, to a place where words, thoughts, symbols and images begin to disappear and the mind and soul quietly wait in inner silence for the touch of God. Dr. King tells us that it is in this harmony where your soul sings. But whether we aspire to ever achieve this revered level of prayer or not, whether we are intimidated by it or not, should not stop us from just praying as best we can. Dr. King shared with us that the love in our hearts is infinitely more important than the creed in our minds. All prayer – no matter what the religion – has power. Prayer is not only for a chosen few; it is for everyone. The energy is there, accessible by all. We can all help to improve the world and our own lives, this very moment, by being a channel for the limitless energy and transmitting it through love, by just praying as best we can. And you won’t know how good this really is until you try it! |