Some Thoughts About Prayer
Prayer is nothing more than the flow of energy between a person and God, between two or more persons, and between a person and the natural world. It is a mutual seeing, a bonding, and a sharing of being. The flow of energy is reciprocal and transformative. The only requirements for prayer are desire and an attitude of openness and vulnerability. The purpose of prayer is not “success” even though it may carry genuine concerns for other people, ourselves, and the world. The work of prayer is not to make it “work.” The foundation of prayer is gratitude for life and the “work” of prayer is being open to giving and receiving the power of unconditional love. When this happens, every prayer is “answered” regardless of the outcome. We become persons of prayer and not only persons who say prayers. The flow of energy becomes compassionate engagement with all of life.
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This month our focus is on Mindfulness
Mindfulness is a natural form of prayer that is often overlooked. It is part of our human standard equipment, yet needs to be cultivated. Mindfulness is the simple act of being present to one thing at a time. It is living in the present moment.
The focus of mindfulness may be on a task or activity. In that case, your attention and energy will be directed to what you are doing in the moment, even if it is mundane or boring. A pattern of mindfulness will give value to each activity and help you avoid taking your work for granted. Life is more than just getting things done. What are you becoming as you work? This prayerful attention will bring a spiritual dimension to your work.
Mindfulness is also being aware of little and large things all around you. It will help you notice things you can easily miss if you move too rapidly through each day. Mindfulness is a demeanor of attentive openness and wonder that gives birth to gratefulness. It is looking at one thing, place or person at a time, without analysis or judgment. If you see a rose, just look at the rose. Avoid statements like “It is more symmetrical than the one next to it.” Or “It has a blemished petal.” Mindfulness lets you encounter the naked reality of each object and experience its unique energy.
The prayer of mindfulness will transform your relationships by helping you honor the presence of another person. Often we look at other people through the eyes of our self-interest or point of view. If you are in conversation with another person, mindfulness will help you avoid crafting a response before she or he has finished. Approaching other persons without positive or negative judgment is a first step toward discerning the common good. It is prayer.
If, at sunset, you look out across a campus, across a lake or field, or down a busy city street, let the moment be itself. Rather than think, “That is so beautiful,” let the beauty embrace you silently.
In time, you will discover that mindfulness helps you become more aware of life. Without ignoring things you must get done, mindfulness will slow you down so you will not miss the integrity of each day. This is true when your days bring difficult tasks, disappointments, conflicts, pain, or awareness of the pain and needs of others. It takes time to cultivate the prayer of mindfulness.
Mindfulness is a willingness to be vulnerable, to be acted upon. It is your desire to direct your whole being toward experience of life in a naked and mutual seeing. Mindfulness will help you discern that life is a gift of God, even with its difficulties. It will help you see beyond the horizons of life that you or other persons have set for you, even the necessary work you have chosen. Mindfulness will help you see that within the work and challenges of life are moments of wonder, beauty, and mystery. Your soul will respond with awe and gratitude. Wonder and gratitude form a threshold to love. For some practical wisdom and exercises in mindfulness see Present Moment Wonderful Moment: Mindfulness Verses for Daily Living by Thich Nhat Hahn. Another delightful book about living in the moment written for children of all ages is The Three Questions written and illustrated by Jon J. Muth.
(Exerpted from: David Keller. Come and See: The Transformation of Personal Prayer. (Harrisburg: Morehouse Publishing, 2009) 67-69