Until recently I think I was a bit allergic to the word 'prayer'! Practising meditation, reading spiritual texts, journaling, creative writing and saying affirmations where things I was more comfortable with and were the first steps I took towards
communicating with God or Divinity. I see now they are not really different to prayer... SOmetimes it's less triggering to adopt and use 'exotic' or alternative spiritual practises than that of your birth culture... but i believe they all are essentially from and leading to the same source.
Why pray now?
Why pray now?
Having
a child invited me to step up my game in my desire for spiritual
understanding and growth. I witness daily miracles and emotional
challenges and mirrors that stretch me beyond my capabilities. Being
a parent exposed to me it wasn't just 'being' spiritual that I
wanted, it was being able to integrate and embody unconditional Love
in everyday situations and in my closest relationships... no mean
feat! I also began to wander how my child could communicate or
receive support from God. We play yoga and meditation when he wants
to which creates a beautiful quality of joy, calmness and connection
in him, but I felt there was a real relationship to be had that
required no teaching or refinement for children. I feel I am 'growing into' my own unique voice in prayer and expression of love or 'true self' tiny step at a time. To grow I simply need the
desire, humility and honesty.
Prayer
is a soul to soul connection
and opening between you and God. I believe it enables you to connect to your 'higher self' or 'true self' that already is peace, wisdom and love. In prayer, your tone, language, expressions
will be unique to you and the moment you are in...
ranging from 'I'm so angry I feel like I'm going to explode, please
help me feel the emotion underneath this rage...' to an expression of
gratitude. Everything goes! The conduit, or telephone line, can be called the Holy
Spirit and is stimulated by your desire. Prayer is desire for a
relationship with God, a desire to work through your emotions, and a
desire to grow by responding to messages indicated in your law of
attraction in your life. God is felt as a multi faceted being with
many qualities, rather than just being the conceptual entity of Love.
S/He is a divine parent who expresses unconditional Love and pure
creativity, a soul in masculine/feminine union. Prayer comes directly
from your heart and soul, and is directed to the soul of God, with
Truth, Love and Humility. It does not need fine words, apology,
obeisance. Prayer is a child-like and totally honest chattering...
with the raw openness and flowing emotion we see in our children's
communication!
The following teachings are from the Divine Love Path which has really inspired my approach to prayer and relationship with Divinity. Everyone has a physical body and a spirit
body, which share the same soul. Your soul is completely unique,
created by God and shaped by your experience from conception. It is suggested you
share your soul with your soul mate, from whom you split at
conception. Your soul is made up of emotions (energy in motion),
memories, desires, intentions and aspirations. The more you get to
know and connect with what makes up your soul, the more truthful and
loving your prayers will be. Emotions are instant transmissions, God
feels your every emotion all of the time... Our emotions are being
heard even when we don't know it, and prayer is what enables God to
demonstrate her Love by allowing Law of Attraction events to happen in response to our heart-felt prayers if the prayer is harmonious with Love.
You need to be really honest about your emotions, otherwise you are out of harmony with Truth and therefore God cannot connect with you expressing an untruth. However, a desire to heal such emotions can be responded to. Your law of attraction – people and events that come into and act in your life- can be seen as opportunities to see the truth of your emotions (what you're really feeling underneath your reactive emotions) and an opportunity for humility, to own our emotions and take responsibility in attracting a situation to occur. We can pray to learn to see ourselves as God sees us, and we can pray to receive Divine Love. Prayer opens our souls to receive.
You need to be really honest about your emotions, otherwise you are out of harmony with Truth and therefore God cannot connect with you expressing an untruth. However, a desire to heal such emotions can be responded to. Your law of attraction – people and events that come into and act in your life- can be seen as opportunities to see the truth of your emotions (what you're really feeling underneath your reactive emotions) and an opportunity for humility, to own our emotions and take responsibility in attracting a situation to occur. We can pray to learn to see ourselves as God sees us, and we can pray to receive Divine Love. Prayer opens our souls to receive.
As
soon as you are truly feeling your emotions, this is a prayer. As you
become more aware of your emotions you will dig down layers of
emotion, and go deep into them to release the
underlying/causal emotions. This work is really complemented by Patty
Wipfler's co-counselling approach to parenting. It also has allowed
me to see that the emotions expressed by my son can also be a prayer
and to honour them and give him space to do that (as with us, his emotional release must be loving to himself and everyone else – e.g. no hitting, blaming or shouting at
anyone!)
This understanding of prayer requires you to go no where holy; hold, be or wear anything other than how you already are. It makes sense to me that God is available to all in any situation. I have started to be open with my child when I need to have some space to feel or pray, and have seen he has taken to getting space for himself sometimes of his own free will when he is upset and angry. Often I have a 'chat' to God about the day with him when I put him to bed, we talk about our feelings, if we learnt about how to be more loving, and what we are grateful for. I still feel quite tentative in believing and having a relationship with God, and so it is coming into our lives privately and gently, and I accept that is ok because it's a true reflection of where i am.
I have said this prayer to my child since he was a baby, and despite knowing prayer to be a fluid ever evolving communication, I cherish saying these loving words every night, coming to wash our shore ready for a new day.
This understanding of prayer requires you to go no where holy; hold, be or wear anything other than how you already are. It makes sense to me that God is available to all in any situation. I have started to be open with my child when I need to have some space to feel or pray, and have seen he has taken to getting space for himself sometimes of his own free will when he is upset and angry. Often I have a 'chat' to God about the day with him when I put him to bed, we talk about our feelings, if we learnt about how to be more loving, and what we are grateful for. I still feel quite tentative in believing and having a relationship with God, and so it is coming into our lives privately and gently, and I accept that is ok because it's a true reflection of where i am.
I have said this prayer to my child since he was a baby, and despite knowing prayer to be a fluid ever evolving communication, I cherish saying these loving words every night, coming to wash our shore ready for a new day.
May
we nurture understanding and compassionate hearts
Clear
and honest vision
Pure
and balanced minds,
Faith
in ourselves
And
wisdom
May
our Love ever Shine.
