Prayer And Thinking: Could You Be Praying Wrong?

Posted on November 20, 2008 
Filed Under Effective Thinking, Prayer & Meditation

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.

Did you know that medical science has no idea how the brain works? It’s true; and they don’t know what or where the “mind” is, either. But none of this stops us from using and thinking with and about these things. In fact, every day we learn more and more about the brain, the mind, thoughts, thinking, and the connection between our thoughts and our reality. Likewise, nobody truly knows what electricity really is, or how it works; but that doesn’t keep anyone from flipping on the lights when they enter a dark room. You know about God, religion, and prayer via your brain and mind. Keep in mind that I’m not talking about who you pray to, or what you ask for; I’m specifically talking about the mechanisms with which we do that. For example, I’m not saying you should search for this site or that site on the Internet ; I’m simply pointing out that you’re more likely to find what you’re searching for if you know how to use the computer and the Internet.

Imagine your brain and mind as being a computer; you could have all the information in the world at your fingertips, but if you don’t know how to use the computer (tune and focus your mind and thoughts), you won’t be able to access the information. Likewise, the more you know about your mind, thoughts, and how to use them, the more effective you will be at communicating those thoughts – and receiving any inspiration or guidance that might be sent your way. Your brain, like the computer, can find new information for you by tapping in to the mind, like a computer taps in to the Internet; or, it can play back the information you have recorded in your memory. If you want something new, you need to learn to navigate the Internet; if you want the same old thing, just keep repeating the same old thing.

If you recite memorized prayers, you are doing exactly what you were shown; but if you want real results in your life, the repetition of memorized verse is a vain exercise. Imagine what you want, visualize it and make it as real as possible to all of your senses; think of this thing as if it has already become a part of your experience and feel the joy and gratitude that it gives you. Be still and quiet; and when you receive inspiration that moves you in the direction of your dreams or answered prayers, you must let that inspiration move you – you must say, “Yes.” You must allow yourself to receive what you asked for; and you must step into the experience you created.

The teaching is, “As a man thinketh, so it is done to him;” not, “You’ll get what you want if you memorize and recite certain requisite verses.” Think about what you want; and believe in your heart that it is yours. Do this always, because you are always transmitting and receiving thoughts and inspiration. What do you think happens if you focus your thoughts for a few seconds to pray for something and then allow your thoughts to be scattered and chaotic the rest of the time? That’s right; you’ll get a little of what you want and a lot of scattered chaos in your life. When you learn to focus your thoughts, you will find your life coming into sharper focus. And, when you learn to focus your thoughts, and eliminate negativity from them, you’ll find your prayers becoming more and more effective.

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