What is a prayer anyway? Before we glide through the " commonly accepted " landscape of petitions to God let's take a moment to reflect on a valued quote I read once which is this; " even when I'm not praying my soul is on its knees " .
When I received the idea for this blog thougths navigated my mind about what is
a prayer. Examples reflecting my experiences about what is a prayer are thus; wishes, dreams, strong ( positive ) desires, yearning for something, visions, wants, needs so on and so forth.
What I plan to reveal here today will be a depart from the typical religious academic definition or explanation of a prayer. I'm going to argue against the
" rigid " warnings heard these days that instruct people to follow a specific method, " lest the course we embark upon finds its origin in self-centeredness, from self-desire or from satan ".
Before I continue here's my background concerning this issue and others I write about. My upbringing was very tumultuous, I have recovered from it. My adult years were often chaotic, I've found contentment. I've experienced the U.S. Army and United States Marine Corps. I worked construction for years and I was overly athletic much of the time. I took a position as a Sunday School teacher and Lay Minister with the Salvation Army as well as performing a Nursing Home
" visiting " ministry for 2 years. I'm self taught in Quantum Mechanics and Physics and have studied many cultures, ways, paths and religions. I'm a member of the Society for Shamanic Practitioners as well as a 12 step group.
Continuing then. I truly believe it is OUR obligation as leaders and mentors to properly instruct those folks that desire to better their lives by following spiritual principles. I take this responsibility seriously and have had differences with people who felt at times that I lacked a sense of humor by the way I evaluated conversations involving God or a Higher Power. Clearly, you don't get to be in my position ( or yours ) by joking about these matters when it matters.
If what I write bothers you because I'm departing from the doctrines you adhere to I won't apologise. There's plenty of judgement to go around and besides who is really able to say with complete candor that MY experiences are wrong?
I don't often pray using the " petition method " which is more commonly understood these days by mainstream religious folks and paths. My system evolved over the years from the experience of others and my own. Our experiences lead many to agree that there's something to this open minded practice.
When WE get together and talk about what's been going on since the last time we met the discussion turns into lengthy carefully considered talk generally about our intentions recently. We analyse the good and the bad plus we critique the outcome or the consequences. Usually someone has an ongoing perplexity and WE agree that these discussions more often than not prepare the way for a positive outcome instead of the usual finding of an answer immediately. What I mean is we are laying the groundwork.
WE also understand a few other things which some of you may be thinking about. First WE realise that more often than not the answers we seek are not really our own. Yes we perpetuate the fact that there is " something " powerful behind all of this - the universe however we also understand as well that WE are involved in the process. Yes, we agree we're not " a power " so to speak but more like conductors in the sense that we are being used to transmit love and light. So God or a Higher Power does His ( or Her ) thing and we do ours. An example to get my point across is for instance people daily exercise spiritually using prayer, meditation and self-examination. WE do that. AND when we do that we see results. Our behavior may bear fruit because of a particular course WE took or the results of our actions show little traces of our spiritual DNA or none and unquestionably that of Gods'. A friend mentioned that we see Gods' fingerprints.
Concerning what God or a Higher Power does for us, I feel any one of you can answer that question with enthusiasm. The examples are numerable and hopeful.
Counting our blessings is a way that not only provides encouragement to continue but the blessings themselves are proof that under certain conditions WE agree that someone or something more divine than us has been at work! Also one might argue that the answered " prayer " of another has effects on far beyond our imagination not to mention far reaching effects on other people and the world at large. You see this mysterious topic of the result of prayer has many facets and the blessings or the results received from that practice are real and sometime mind boggling. WE know there is cause and effect because we examine the consequences of the original intent, petition, wishes, dreams, strong ( positive ) desires, yearning for something, visions, wants, needs so on and so forth.
I don't instruct my friends as to HOW they should pray or what they should pray for. The truth is when WE are spiritually balanced it is usual that what we want or need isn't petty. Of course we'll make the mistake of asking for something which we aren't able to handle or something we receive is more than we can handle but I argue that these experiences are OUR teachers and I'd rather make a mistake and learn from it than be a timid soul wandering through life following the masses who are wandering through life!
Think about this statement;
" when you try to conform to a certain doctrine ( not all doctrines are religious ) that makes narrow your choices, the effort to keep in line is tiring and gruesome AND usually leads the person attempting to ' stay in line ' with a bitter taste in their mouth not to mention a bitter look on their face! "
Who wants to go through life that way continually missing chances to grow, expand and find real meaning?
I don't deny " eternity " or " the next life " is important, it is if you believe there's more than our current existence however WE see more emphasis put on that ( what's after this life ) and WE ignore the actual present before us! Plus many in our time do purposely ignore their neighbor just because he or she doesn't surrender to a certain belief.
Whether it's erasing bad karma from a past life or preparing for the next life what better way than to be kind and helpful to those who find their way to our doorstep? Our doorstep is the world around us near and far AND the people, places and things thereof! Our doorstep is the area around our being at any given day or time. Our doorstep is the ability and the capability we have to be of service to others. Our doorstep is the next step we take or the step we are about to take! Don't be fooled.
Often it's easier to explain what a thing IS NOT rather than what IT IS. Either way we should be truthful and sober when speaking. And when I say sober I mean serious, sensible and calm by the definition.
Today some us, most of us probably, wondered " what is going to happen" . We were sorting through some tough decisions or making plans, it doesn't matter but the truth is whether it's about decisions or plans it's about prayer. And I pray that we will create with our good intentions a place to live that is comperable to that place we call heaven.
papajohn ~shaman ~
When I received the idea for this blog thougths navigated my mind about what is
a prayer. Examples reflecting my experiences about what is a prayer are thus; wishes, dreams, strong ( positive ) desires, yearning for something, visions, wants, needs so on and so forth.
What I plan to reveal here today will be a depart from the typical religious academic definition or explanation of a prayer. I'm going to argue against the
" rigid " warnings heard these days that instruct people to follow a specific method, " lest the course we embark upon finds its origin in self-centeredness, from self-desire or from satan ".
Before I continue here's my background concerning this issue and others I write about. My upbringing was very tumultuous, I have recovered from it. My adult years were often chaotic, I've found contentment. I've experienced the U.S. Army and United States Marine Corps. I worked construction for years and I was overly athletic much of the time. I took a position as a Sunday School teacher and Lay Minister with the Salvation Army as well as performing a Nursing Home
" visiting " ministry for 2 years. I'm self taught in Quantum Mechanics and Physics and have studied many cultures, ways, paths and religions. I'm a member of the Society for Shamanic Practitioners as well as a 12 step group.
Continuing then. I truly believe it is OUR obligation as leaders and mentors to properly instruct those folks that desire to better their lives by following spiritual principles. I take this responsibility seriously and have had differences with people who felt at times that I lacked a sense of humor by the way I evaluated conversations involving God or a Higher Power. Clearly, you don't get to be in my position ( or yours ) by joking about these matters when it matters.
If what I write bothers you because I'm departing from the doctrines you adhere to I won't apologise. There's plenty of judgement to go around and besides who is really able to say with complete candor that MY experiences are wrong?
I don't often pray using the " petition method " which is more commonly understood these days by mainstream religious folks and paths. My system evolved over the years from the experience of others and my own. Our experiences lead many to agree that there's something to this open minded practice.
When WE get together and talk about what's been going on since the last time we met the discussion turns into lengthy carefully considered talk generally about our intentions recently. We analyse the good and the bad plus we critique the outcome or the consequences. Usually someone has an ongoing perplexity and WE agree that these discussions more often than not prepare the way for a positive outcome instead of the usual finding of an answer immediately. What I mean is we are laying the groundwork.
WE also understand a few other things which some of you may be thinking about. First WE realise that more often than not the answers we seek are not really our own. Yes we perpetuate the fact that there is " something " powerful behind all of this - the universe however we also understand as well that WE are involved in the process. Yes, we agree we're not " a power " so to speak but more like conductors in the sense that we are being used to transmit love and light. So God or a Higher Power does His ( or Her ) thing and we do ours. An example to get my point across is for instance people daily exercise spiritually using prayer, meditation and self-examination. WE do that. AND when we do that we see results. Our behavior may bear fruit because of a particular course WE took or the results of our actions show little traces of our spiritual DNA or none and unquestionably that of Gods'. A friend mentioned that we see Gods' fingerprints.
Concerning what God or a Higher Power does for us, I feel any one of you can answer that question with enthusiasm. The examples are numerable and hopeful.
Counting our blessings is a way that not only provides encouragement to continue but the blessings themselves are proof that under certain conditions WE agree that someone or something more divine than us has been at work! Also one might argue that the answered " prayer " of another has effects on far beyond our imagination not to mention far reaching effects on other people and the world at large. You see this mysterious topic of the result of prayer has many facets and the blessings or the results received from that practice are real and sometime mind boggling. WE know there is cause and effect because we examine the consequences of the original intent, petition, wishes, dreams, strong ( positive ) desires, yearning for something, visions, wants, needs so on and so forth.
I don't instruct my friends as to HOW they should pray or what they should pray for. The truth is when WE are spiritually balanced it is usual that what we want or need isn't petty. Of course we'll make the mistake of asking for something which we aren't able to handle or something we receive is more than we can handle but I argue that these experiences are OUR teachers and I'd rather make a mistake and learn from it than be a timid soul wandering through life following the masses who are wandering through life!
Think about this statement;
" when you try to conform to a certain doctrine ( not all doctrines are religious ) that makes narrow your choices, the effort to keep in line is tiring and gruesome AND usually leads the person attempting to ' stay in line ' with a bitter taste in their mouth not to mention a bitter look on their face! "
Who wants to go through life that way continually missing chances to grow, expand and find real meaning?
I don't deny " eternity " or " the next life " is important, it is if you believe there's more than our current existence however WE see more emphasis put on that ( what's after this life ) and WE ignore the actual present before us! Plus many in our time do purposely ignore their neighbor just because he or she doesn't surrender to a certain belief.
Whether it's erasing bad karma from a past life or preparing for the next life what better way than to be kind and helpful to those who find their way to our doorstep? Our doorstep is the world around us near and far AND the people, places and things thereof! Our doorstep is the area around our being at any given day or time. Our doorstep is the ability and the capability we have to be of service to others. Our doorstep is the next step we take or the step we are about to take! Don't be fooled.
Often it's easier to explain what a thing IS NOT rather than what IT IS. Either way we should be truthful and sober when speaking. And when I say sober I mean serious, sensible and calm by the definition.
Today some us, most of us probably, wondered " what is going to happen" . We were sorting through some tough decisions or making plans, it doesn't matter but the truth is whether it's about decisions or plans it's about prayer. And I pray that we will create with our good intentions a place to live that is comperable to that place we call heaven.
papajohn ~shaman ~
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