PrayeristherecognitionofDivinity,bywhatevernamewemightaddressit;beittheGodof

Cosmic,orSpiritualSourceofallthatis.
Prayerisaninvocationoftheheart,acallingforthofdivineenergiestobemanifestedin
besilentorvocal.
Prayercanbeadoration,praiseorsupplication.
Itissaidthatthereareonlytwokindsofpeople.ThosewhobelieveinGodbywhateverna
havenobeliefinGod,andthiscolorstheirthoughts,words,acts,andtherelationshipsof
WecansaythatprayerisaconsciousefforttocontacttheDivine.
Whentheheartisfilledwithjoyasweexperiencethedivinitywithinus,wemayfeeltheur
orsingsongsofpraiseandthanksgiving.Butifwhenwepraywebecomeconsciousofalack,
nurturetheseedofdivinitywithinus,wemayspeakaprayerofremorse,andresolvewheth
arisesfromusasawordlessappeal,butaprayernonetheless.
Throughprayerweoftenexpressourneedtorefreshourspiritualpotential.Throughprayerw
relationshiptothedivineself.ThroughprayerwehonorthedivinityweareandtheDivineW
areapart.Prayer,then,isatransformingprocess.Timespentinprayerrefreshes,renews,
ThroughprayerwebecomegroundedinthelifeoftheSpiritandexpressthisspiritualground
wordsandactions,whichthenmarksusassoulpersonalities.Prayerisoneofthesoul'stoo
soul'sgiftsintooutermanifestation.
Wehearoftenthatthespiritualselfisoneofservice.True,throughcontactwithourinner
toresponsibleactionandthisisourimmediateservice.Realserviceiswhatisourstodon
wesharethegiftsofthesoulwithothers.Throughthedisciplineofdailymeditationandpr
itselfaservice,welearntohandleenergyeffectively.
Weunderstandhere,dowenot,thatprayerisnotmerelyanopportunityforaskingandreceiv
changesus.Itchangesourunderstanding.Itchangesourperspective.Prayerwasnevermeant
Prayerinspiresustouseourspiritualinsightandrecognizeopportunity.Prayerhelpsusto
respondtotrueneed,whetherinourselvesorothers.Prayeropensourmindsandheartssoth
becomeresponsiveandmeetourneedsfromaspiritualvantagepoint.
Meditation,aformofprayer,istheprocessofidentifyingwiththeDivineLifeandhelpsus
whatwehopetobecome.
Isthereadistinctionbetweenmeditationandprayer?BothhelpustocontactSpiritanduse
living.
Prayeristhepersonality'stooltocontacttheDivinewhilestillconsciousofone'smundane
Meditation,wemightsay,istheprocesswherebythepersonalitybecomesdormantforatime,
wisdomandwilloftheSoulcontrolstheprocessofmeditating.Bothhavesimilarresults.Pr
oftheDivine.Meditationexperiencestherelationship.Prayerisanevidenceoffaith.Faith
thatnotyetmanifested.
However,ifwhenoneispraying,focusismainlyonneed,desiresandwishes,andnotonspir
prayerbecomesmerewishfulthinking.
Prayercanbetrulyameansofconnectingoneselftospiritualhelpandsupportinourdaily
tobeeffective,requiresdevotionandrapportwithone'sdivineself.Concentratingonourd
wellingexcessivelyonourproblems,shortcircuitsourdirectlinktoourDivineSource.
Itisunderstandablethatwetendtobedraggeddownduringaperiodofcrisis.Whenoneiden
problemsandhardships,onecanbegintofeelrejectedandunworthy.Suchanattitudecanact
thespiritualhelpwhichcouldleadtothesolutionweseek.
Hereiswherethewillingnessoffamilyandfriendstopraywithandforushelpsustorise
ofoutercircumstancesandourownemotionalreactions.Hereisrealopportunityforservice.
Wehearoftenthatthespiritualselfisoneofservice.True,throughcontactwithourinner
toresponsibleactionandthisisourimmediateservice.Realserviceiswhatisourstodon
wesharethegiftsofthesoulwithothers.Throughthedisciplineofdailymeditationandpr
itselfaservice,welearntohandleenergyeffectively.
Welearnthatenergyfollowsthought.Weservewhenwedirectlovetoeachother,totheplan
creatures.Weservewhenwedirectenergytoallwhoarestrivingtoexpressthesacredinth
trulyhelponeanotherthroughmeditationandprayer.
Itisperhapsstrangetosaythattherealpowerofprayerisanimpersonalattitude.Butpra
ourselvesorothers,liftsusoutofpersonaloftenselfcenteredconcernsandhelpsusdisco
theDivine.
IfwhenwepraywedevoteourthoughtsandfeelingstothebenevolentcapacityofGod,theGo
tohelpandsupportus,theveryactofprayer,wordedornot,willliftusoutofpreoccupat
leadustoamorespiritualimpersonalattitudetowardlife.Oncewediscover,eveninsmalle
presenceofdivinity,ourrelationshipwithdivinitywillchange,evendramatically.Instead

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ofprayer,usuallybyrote,wewillbetappingmoreandmoretheevocativepowerofprayer.
Anevocativeprayercanbeasfollows:
"MayDivineWisdomandlovepourthroughmyheartandmindtoguideandsustainmeasIseek
work.MaythelightoftheDivinegobeforemetopreparemywayandmayitstrengthenmywil
"LetgoodwillbethekeynoteofallIdo."
Ahealingprayermightbe,"0God,youhavemadeusasanexpressionofyourLove.Weprayno
healingandrenewalof(namingthepersonorpersons)inmindandbody,insofarasthisis
she,they)beliftedintoyourLight,sothattheperfectpatternofhealthisenergizedand
personalitymadewhole.Forblessingsgivenandreceivedthismomentwearedeeplygrateful."
Prayerisanimportantaspectofthelifeofspirit.Ourultimategoalistopraywithoutcea
praywithoutceasingwhenwelivewithaspiritualattitude;withspiritualintent.Whenwel
Soulusingaphysicalbodyforitsworkonearth,ourlifebecomesprayerwithoutceasing.A
prayer.Whenwedirectathoughtofpeacetoaperson,oranation,wearedirectinganunspo
wethinkofafriendwithloveanddirecttothatfriendwishesofwellbeingandsuccess,we
unspokenprayer.Allourthoughtsofgoodwillandpeaceareunspokenprayers;allareforms
wesay,"Haveagoodday.","Keepwell","Godblessyou","Haveasafejourney",arenotthes
prayer?
Itisperhapsappropriatetoconsiderthefollowinginvocativeprayer."Maytheonelifepour
ofalltrueservers,maytheloveoftheOneSoulcharacterizethelifeofallwhoseektose
Maywefulfillourpartinthegreatworkthroughselfforgetfulnessandrightspeech."
Soletususeourprayersandmeditationsasformsofservicesothatwhenitisourturnto
effectively.