Elements of Prayer: A Post From www.SpiritSimple.com
The Nature of Praying – from “Agartha” by Meredith Lady Young
Recently I came across the following content about “prayer” from Agartha by Meredith Lady Young and was inspired to share it with you today:
“Prayers are personal and yet there are aspects of praying which need to be noted. There are elements within the prayer framework which help the individual send out the most appropriate requests for guidance and action.
- An opening or salutation – A loving introduction to the forces which one perceives as the focus and outgrowth of one’s being draws the energy of that presence within range of one’s own physical being. Whether or not the word “God” is used, an appropriate designation of the energy or presence to whom one is speaking is necessary.
- A statement of thankfulness for those gifts and perceptions already received – This approach acknowledges one’s own connection to the Universe or God and reaffirms one’s own awareness that gifts of understanding have come to allow the individual to move toward the Light.
- Verification of the problem or focus of prayer – The prayer process invokes eventual healing through the individual’s ability to precisely understand the situation and in so doing more clearly see the matching piece which is the solution. Clarity of thought in this case brings the energy of the dilemma to a head and causes the matching energy of the solution to be equally focused and thus obvious to the individual.
- Affirmation of one’s belief in an appropriate solution – If one does not believe that a solution of some type is possible, then one has no business praying, for no solution will be forthcoming. It is only through one’s belief in a possible solution that appropriate avenues of help will be noticed. In other words, if one is closed to healing vehicles, then none will be found even though they exist in one’s life.
Praying causes energy, celestial and physical, to be directed to a specific area of one’s life, and repetition of the same prayer is very effective in drawing in appropriate telepathic vibrations…In other words, when one uses the same prayer over and over, it builds not only the intensity of the invocation, but also the clarity with which the Universe’s response can be heard, seen and understood.”
*This excerpt was posted by Jeff Maziarek on his Spirituality Simplified Blog (http://jeffmaziarek.spiritsimple.com/).
Prayer: Questions and Answers about Prayer
Everyone knows something about prayer – whether they realize it or not. Even if you don’t use the word, “prayer,” the concept is an inescapable part of your daily life. Some people think they know how to pray and some think they don’t; but most people have only the understanding of prayer they were given as children. And that’s not a very clear – or deep – understanding of what prayer really is. Here are some of the more common questions and misconceptions I hear regarding prayer – along with some answers that might help you find a more useful or practical understanding of our spiritual nature and what and who we truly are.
Q. Do you have to be religious to pray?
A. Absolutely not. Prayer is thought; specifically, prayer is focused thought. And, we typically only focus our thoughts on those things that are truly important to us. Humans have always done this and, as a result, they’ve always found answers, guidance, deliverance, etc. The act of directing your thoughts inward – into your heart and mind – in order to change your situation in one way or another is older than any religion. Prayer isn’t the result of religion, in other words, religion is the result of prayer.
Prayer And Religion: Prayer Isn’t A Religious Thing, It’s Thought
Have you ever really thought about prayer – what it is, or why and how it might work? Most people don’t; they simply live their lives with the same simple understanding they were given as children: “Prayer is when you talk to God.” The biggest problem with that is the limited understanding of a child. Children don’t consider that “talking” is a way of converting our thoughts into vibrations in order to share those thoughts with others; nor do they truly understand the concept of a God that is “All things.” Consequently, most children grow up to be adults with childlike understanding and unfulfilled lives – simply because they don’t understand the most basic principle of life: “As you think, so it is done to you.” Prayer isn’t a religious thing, it is thought; and the way you think will determine the life you live – no matter what religion you subscribe to.
I once had a conversation about prayer with a very religious young man who, after a great deal of discussion about the mind and the power of our thoughts, asked to me, “But you do believe your prayers are answered because of your personal relationship with Jesus Christ, don’t you?” I grew up in a Christian household, going to Christian churches; and I understand the importance of a “personal relationship with Jesus Christ” to the Christian church and those who are invested in it. But the complete lack of conscious thought and understanding in that way of thinking never hit me as strongly as it did that day. At first I thought, “Have you not heard anything I said?” and then I realized that most devoutly religious people are relying on their memory of the things they have been told before – at home and in religious settings – by people they trusted and believed (or were afraid not to believe).
My answer to this man’s question is something that all Christians should consider. Believe what you wish to believe; but don’t let your beliefs blind you to the truth of who you are. Christians aren’t the only people who pray. Prayer was not invented by Christians; nor was it invented by the Church or any religion or religious establishment. Prayer takes many forms – even inside a Christian church. If God is Omnipresent (All things and all places), where exactly are you directing your words or thoughts? If God is Omniscient (All knowing), why vainly repeat the same rituals – or continue to state the obvious? Jesus taught, “As a man thinketh, so it is done to him,” and, “It is done to you according to your beliefs.” If you don’t believe the words He said, you will only get what the world around you gives you. Unfortunately, we have been led to believe that, “Believe in me,” means, “Believe the stories others tell about me,” rather than, “Believe the things I say and the stories I tell about YOU.” Jesus said, “You will do these things and much greater,” and, “All things are possible to he who believes.” Do you really believe this?
Obviously, if your efforts to create or find happiness in your life have been thwarted, or unsuccessful thus far, it is probably easier to cling to a dogma you were given by others than it is to ponder the mysteries of the mind as taught by Jesus and other great spiritual leaders who have always told us, “Man often becomes what he believes himself to be.” It is easier to memorize stories and follow rules than it is to accept personal responsibility for your own life and the thoughts that create it. It is easier because the world is full of people willing to tell you what to think, what to believe, what to say and what to do. But it is also more difficult – more painful and unfulfilling. Thoughts are things; and you are responsible for yours and the things they create. All wise people know this. All religions teach this. This wisdom, in fact, predates religion and has always been taught by the wisest among us.
If you want to keep believing that, in order to have your prayers (thoughts/desires) “heard” and answered, you must believe certain stories or have a personal relationship with a specific entity, then do that. Likewise, if you want to believe that, even if you meet the above criteria, there’s no guarantee that your prayer will be answered, and if it is, there’s no guarantee that the answer will be, “Yes,” then by all means do that. But, if you’re doing all of this because you are a Christian, consider that Jesus was a Jew and He was speaking to and teaching Jews and Gentiles alike the same wisdom that had been taught in their holy texts for thousands of years before anyone could have had a “personal relationship with Jesus Christ.” Prayer works because it is thought. Good thoughts are seeds for good fruits; which is why Jesus said things such as, “Fear not; be of good cheer,” “Judge not,” “Do unto others…,” and “As you thinketh, so it is done to you.” Consider these things. Then, consider your constant mind set and the life that it has created. Finally, if you want to change your life, simply change your mind and the thoughts you entertain.
If these words have upset you, angered you, or caused you fear or consternation, just remember that Jesus had the same effect on most of the people he shared this wisdom with; they already had a religion and religious beliefs they lived by, and these words were shockingly different from the interpretations they had been taught their entire lives by their own religious leaders. In fact, the very people Jesus was trying to help and enlighten sought to harm him many of the times He spoke these words. Further, it was this “clarification” of ancient holy teachings that caused the church leaders to have Jesus put to death. Then consider that Truth always goes through 3-stages: Ridicule; Violent opposition; and, finally, Acceptance. Judgment, fear, anger and violence are always signs that the truth has not yet been realized and accepted. Think about it; then take charge of your life by accepting responsibility for your thoughts.
Prayer Works For Everyone: The Secret Is In Learning How To Think
It may seem like an odd thing to say; but prayer truly does work for everyone. This isn’t to say that everyone is using this innate faculty to their benefit, or to its fullest potential; but all thoughts truly do become manifest in one way or another – at some point in time. The secret to using prayer effectively in your own life lies in fully understanding the nature of prayer; and, to do that, you must consider the fact that all of us – good, bad, Christian, Jew, Muslim, etc – have access to prayer and it isn’t only the “good” people who are able to use their thoughts to create their futures.
When I speak of prayer, I’m speaking of the ability to silently – in your thoughts – issue forth imagery or concepts that you wish to experience in the future. We “transmit” these ideas to some version of a creative agency that was determined for us by our upbringing: If we are Christian, this agency is called, “God,” “Jesus,” or one of many Saints; if we are Muslim, we issue these requests to “Allah;” while other groups visualize, imagine, and otherwise name this same agency according to their own understanding, beliefs, upbringing, programming, etc. In other words, most people believe – in one way or another – that their thoughts have some bearing on their future.
Even those who aren’t religious, or oriented in any particularly religious way, are aware of the creative nature of their thoughts. Scientist are often limited by their own rigid belief systems that tell them what is and is not possible based on what they have read or been told before. Some scientist, however, have glimpsed the creative nature of thought; we call these people inventors, visionaries, and inventors among other things. These are the scientists who, rather than being blinded or limited by their thoughts, are driven and guided by their thoughts. They use their thoughts to ask questions and receive answers – and then to translate the answer into actions that shape their thoughts into a firm reality.
The world, in other words, isn’t divided into religious people and non-religious people so much as it is divided into those who understand their thoughts and beliefs and how to direct and use them – and those who do not. The vast majority of the world is driven by fears and superstitions and is far too busy thinking about what they should and shouldn’t do to concentrate their thoughts into a pure form that is truly productive and creative. The vast majority of “religious people” are more focused on what to think rather than how to think – placing importance in stories they were told as children rather than searching the stories for grains of true wisdom. Is it more important, for instance, to memorize a story about Jesus than it is to understand what He may have meant when He said, “As a man thinketh, so it is done to him…”?
Good people pray for things that happen and good people pray for things that don’t happen. Bad people are also thwarted in their thoughts and prayers; but some “bad” people are quite adept at formulating ideas that come to fruition. The world, in fact, has always been run by such people – people who do things considered morally and ethically wrong, but who are able to translate their thoughts and plans into physical reality as promised and taught by every holy text ever written in any religious tradition. You see, prayer works for everyone; you need only understand what prayer is and how to use your thoughts effectively. Your prayers, however, are always answered – even if you have little understanding and very sloppy habits and patterns of thinking. Your answers may simply be difficult to understand or recognize as the product of your scattered, fearful, or chaotic thinking. All thoughts produce something – no matter who is doing the thinking.
Prayer And Thinking: Could You Be Praying Wrong?
Prayer is used and “taught” in every religion; yet prayer is so misunderstood that most people simply don’t expect it to work – and therefore rarely pray. Is it more likely that the great teachers and wise men throughout history were wrong, or that the people who told you to pray didn’t spend a great deal of time explaining the faculties of mind to you? When you think about praying, are you thinking about the particular words you use or the mind set you get in when you pray; or are you thinking about the way you’re configuring your thoughts, feelings, and emotions as you imagine, or think, your prayer? Or, are you thinking about something completely different? There are countless ways to think, and a variety of ways to use your brain; if prayer doesn’t seem to be working for you, consider that you may simply be doing it wrong.
Making Prayer Work: Some Things You Need To Know About Yourself And Your Thoughts
If your prayers seem to go unanswered, you aren’t alone. Unanswered prayer is a common complaint among most religions; and it is one of the things that actually turns people away from religion. But the problem of unanswered prayer isn’t that prayer doesn’t work; the problem is simply a lack of training, awareness, and understanding. If you needed to cross an ocean, an airplane or a ship would get the job done; but, if you didn’t know how to operate the airplane or ship, you aren’t likely to get where you’re going. Prayer is very similar: If you don’t know who you are, or how you operate, you aren’t likely to render the most effective prayers. In order to make prayer work, you must first, “Know thyself.”
Consciously Creating Your Own Life With Effective Prayer: Learn To Control Your Thinking
Before seeing the word, “breathing,” you probably weren’t thinking about it; and you probably weren’t thinking about your own breathing – even though you were doing it. Breathing is one of those things we do unconsciously – whether we are asleep, or not. And, though most people never consider it until they experience a problem or some difficulty, breathing and thinking are closely related. Thinking is just like breathing; you are always doing it to some degree – even while you sleep. And this is important because, though breathing gives us life, it is our thinking that creates and shapes our experience of life. And, just as you can control your own breathing to a certain extent, you can learn to control your own thinking to a certain extent, as well – giving you greater creative control over your life.
The Belief Formula on www.PonderCentral.com — All Thought is Prayer; All Prayers are Answered…
“Our gift is free-will. This simply means that we can choose our thoughts; for you can not choose a feeling, or an action, without thinking first – or without choosing to think. Our only decision from one moment to the next is what thought to place our attention on. Focused, concentrated attention to our fondest wishes defines any prayer – and we all have the power to choose when and where to focus our attention.
Consider that when you pray, all you are doing is concentrating your thoughts for a brief period of time – usually to give thanks, and ask for help for yourself or someone else. What if you concentrated for more than a few moments? What if you chose to spend time thinking about what you wanted instead of the problems in your life? What if you could learn to not worry about things you cannot change or control? Choose better thoughts and your life will change for the better. All thought is prayer; all prayers are answered – so choose your thoughts wisely!”
Pete Koerner, in "The Belief Formula"
This excerpt was posted by Jeff Maziarek on PONDER on THIS for Friday, September 26th, 2008 by Pete Koerner in THE BELIEF FORMULA
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What Does It Mean To “Pray Always?”
The concept of “praying always” simply means to keep your thoughts and emotions positive and fixed on the reality you most wish to experience while maintaining a sense of gratitude and love for all that is. Sounds simple, huh? Unfortunately, this is a tall order for most people; but it can be easier than you could possibly imagine – if you relax and let it be.
Two-Things You Don’t Know About Your Own Mind That Could Be Keeping Your Prayers From Being Answered
If you think your prayers are answered sometimes, and not answered at other times, or that the answer to prayers is sometimes, "Yes," sometimes, "No," and sometimes, "Maybe," then you need to consider at least one other possibility. Maybe you just don’t always pray effectively. Maybe there’s more than one way to think, or pray, and you just aren’t doing it…
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The Belief Formula
