The Art of Prayer
Prayer is not the moment when God
and humans are in relationship,
for that is always.
Prayer is taking initiative to intentionally
respond to God's presence.
- L. Robert Keck
Prayer is first a recognition that there is something greater than our own experience, understanding or power. Something that truly holds us in the palm of his hand throughout the turmoil of earthly life. Mostly, of course, this something is still being ignored and perhaps in the face of danger or destruction it suddenly resurfaces in the weary mind as the cry for help. But that is not the kind of prayer that we are talking about now.
Prayer is an attitude of humility and focused desire to know God and serve the good of all. It is a choice to turn inward in the midst of worldly activity. It is a choice to trust the unseen instead of looking for answers and acceptance from the outside. It is a choice to be fearless and to stay present in one's current experience even when the outside offers only uncertainty and chaos.
The word prayer is interchangeable with words like devotion, devout thought, worship, priest, purpose, intention, meditation, splendor (MSI, Rg Veda). We have given the word many meanings and we associate it in many different ways depending on our cultural and experiential background. In its essence it speaks of Ascension. It speaks of approaching who we are and letting go of all other illusory perception.
Christ talks about the state of unceasing prayer. A constant attitude of Ascension is the state of unceasing prayer. One has so cultivated the choice for the truth of the Ascendant One that it is the foundation for everything else. And this is the recognition of the level of reality that is already present in the creation and that all of nature is always in tune with. One becomes once again a harmonious note in the song of praise always rising to meet God.
The Art of Prayer is to consistently culture the attitude of ascending. To make everything in life a chance to express praise, gratitude and love. There is no moment in our waking life that cannot be turned into a prayer and expansion. The experiences vary and are sometimes challenging but the prayer is always the same, the choice is always for the One. This, from all the endeavors on earth, is truly worth
mastering and applying.
Nataraja Ishaya
The Inner Form of Prayer
Sri Chimnoy said "Prayer is the opening of
the mind and heart,our whole being –
to God beyond thoughts, words, and emotions."
I love how Miguel Molinos (1500A.D.) described his experience of prayer and of God. He said there are two forms of prayer, the outer and the inner. He says, "Prayer is an ascent of the mind to God...in the first kind of prayer, one thinks upon God; in the other, one beholds Him." The outer form of prayer is needed only until one becomes aware of and develops the inner form of prayer. MSI said it another way, "the movement of the mind and the intellect in the direction of their Source, the Ascendant, is the essence of prayer and Ascension."
It seems that in our growth of consciousness, we often overlook some of the most intimate words Jesus spoke to his disciples about the inner form of prayer. He taught them to "pray in secret". In his last hours with his disciples in the garden, Jesus said, "Can you not watch and pray with me for one hour?" These words contain a very valuable key for our expansion.
This watching and waiting is key to the expansion of consciousness. "They who wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength, they shall mount upon wings as eagles, they shall watch and not be weary". This is the beginning of the "art" in the art of prayer. For prayer is not just speaking some words toward God. To develop the "art" of prayer requires a two way street between the human and the divine. MSI said, "Grace descends, as it were, from the Ascendant to the inspired human seeking growth; Ascending energy then manifests outward and upward in rapture which transforms the senses of perception to perceive the celestial and the Infinite on the outside."
However, this "art" is a lesson that is never completely learned; it expands as consciousness expands. As we let go of the Ascension Attitude and wait, we become aware of what sits below the activity. We become aware that a gap exists between the Ascension Attitude and the thoughts that arise. The Bible says it well, "Be still, and know that I am God". We must sit, watch, and wait to see what is there. We don't need to try, nor do we need to empty our minds or make these activities go away. They will subside naturally as our awareness expands.
Early on, we are aware of the space that exists beneath the activity only with our eyes closed. However, the more often we spend intervals of inward, eyes closed Ascension, interspersed with outward living of life using the Ascension Attitudes, this experience begins to occur in our daily living. We might call this, prayer without ceasing.
As our mind and heart unite, we then can become one with a single purpose, mind, heart and body united for our divine purpose. The "art" does not end here. MSI said, "Prayer is an ongoing movement of consciousness, it is the flowing expression of evolving life unfolding to itself. All true prayer is found in the Now. It is not concerned with the future or the past. Moving prayer is an expression of the living value of pure communion with God." This is the beginning of living life in full human consciousness.
Jyoti Ishaya
Visuddha: The Chakra of Miracles
Visuddha means "purified", "simplified", "sanctified", "freed from doubt". The fifth chakra, located at the base of the throat, opens when perpetual consciousness is established, and therefore marks the complete passage of consciousness beyond the instinctive, reactive and habitual realm of the ego into the Eternal Freedom of Divine Consciousness -- into the perfect choice of life lived in the Now.
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The highest use for visuddha is prayer. Most today think of prayer as a request (or a demand) for God to fulfill desires. Prayer in its true essence, however, is a form of communication between the soul and the Higher Powers in nature. Prayers are thought forms that can be filled with information from deeper levels of the personality, from spiritual beings on the higher planes or from the Ascendant itself. Prayer can be considered a way of asking for what is best from the perspective of the higher or highest levels in creation. It is a way to opening to Truth, to create the necessary conditions to be receptive to the Rain of Grace descending from the spiritual dimensions. Prayer is a way of orienting the limited self to the Universal Self. The positive results of prayer are in no way related to our beliefs about God; what is important is that we address ourselves to our conception of the highest Force for Good, whatever we may call It or whatever we may believe about It. Thus true prayer is Ascension and Ascension is true prayer.
MSI, The Enlightenment!
Your Daily Life is True Prayer
"It takes a true motivating thought, focused on a central absorbing point or ideal to bring forth or accomplish and you, as well as mankind, can become that motivating center. Not one thing comes forth unless man first expresses the ideal."
"Spirit is the primary, vibrating, originating power; and you may enter into spirit and use its power by the simple acceptance or knowing it does exist; then let it come forth, and the whole of spirit is in your command. To you it becomes an ever-potent spring of perpetual and original life right within yourself. This does not take long years of study, nor need you go through training or hardships or deprivation. Know and accept that this vibration exists. Then let it flow through you."
"This does not mean going into a closet and hiding yourself. This is getting quiet right where you are, even in the busy so-called turmoil of life, under the most trying circumstances. Then life is not turmoil; it is quiet, contemplative, and compulsive. The outer activity is as nothing compared with the greater activity that you now realize and are one with. This is getting quiet right where you are, seeing God standing forth from you,- closer than breathing, nearer than hands and feet,- with your whole thought action centered on God."
"God is not a great being outside of you, that you are going to bring within and then present to the world. God is that power which is generated and exhilarated by your own thought action. It is true that this power is within and all about you, but it is inactive until you think of it and know it does exist. Then you see it flowing forth from you in limitless measure. You present it to the world and the world is benefited by your presentation. You, yourself, must present the accomplishment by putting forth the driving force of all Good, God your father, the power to accomplish, behind every thought and act. Now you are God fulfilling or filling full the accomplishment. This is God, the true and only God, standing forth from you."
"By constantly contemplating, praising, blessing and giving thanks to this power you increase its flow and, as you do this, it becomes potent and more readily accessible to you. Thus, I say, pray without ceasing. Your daily life is true prayer."
Spalding, Life and the Teaching of the Masters of the Far East, Volume III.
Real Prayer
Love, praise and gratitude, arising from your heart center in silent expectancy, are the three Ascension Attitudes, those focused attitudes of mind that exalt your feelings toward the Christhood level.
As you concentrate on these three attitudes - or one of them if there is one that seems natural to you - making them a day to day, moment to moment, second to second habit, regardless of the unpleasant appearances which may be closing in around you, you will be learning to control the random mixture of your thoughts. It is necessary, of course, to pull your random thoughts together and focus them on the Door in mind before you can ease yourself through it. The Three Ascension Attitudes supply the most important points of focus. They are your keys to the kingdom of true being.
As you study the message of Christ and begin thereby to get acquainted with Yourself, the potency of truth will light such a fire of enthusiasm inside you there will be a flood of reasons for your heart to sing out gladly.
And when your heart begins to sing, it will mean that you are reaching upward from the wheel of cause-and-consequence to put your hand in mine, giving birth to your "wave of determination", showing your willingness for my will to be done.
It will also mean that you are praying without ceasing, although you may not previously have thought of love, praise , or gratitude as being a prayer.
Real prayer, in fact, has become a lost art in the modern age of worldly "wisdom". Its power has been discredited, it has been regarded as the way for those of low mentality, the method used by weak-minded beginners, the last resort of sinners. These beliefs regarding prayer are prevalent in many minds in spite of the fact that Jesus, with his enlightened understanding, spent days and nights in devout prayer, and saints throughout history elevated their consciousness to the sainthood level on bended knees of prayer.
If you have never glimpsed the Door of Everything, it is because you, too, have the lost the art of prayer. You have held that Door in darkness, for if you had searched for it by the light of prayer, it would eventually have stood illumined before your hungry gaze.
Contrary to racial belief, prayer is not the words you hastily repeat under conditions of stress when I am suddenly remembered by your surface mind - prayer is the intense, predominant attitude which your mind and feelings have indulged about the things important to you.
If you pray quickly to me for help, without much feeling except perhaps that of desperation, then return to the former mental attitudes of fear and doubting, putting your strength behind these attitudes, which becomes your prayer? Which drops into the great subconscious reservoir, the quick plea for help or the predominant, steady attitudes to which your feelings cling?
If you will put forth the necessary effort to renew your steady attitudes by replacing them with the glad song, the lost art of prayer will be regained by you, and love, praise, and gratitude will become your new way of life.
Ruby Nelson, The Door of Everything
Silent Inner Prayer
"Well, they ascend eight to twelve hours every day normally. But it's not exactly meditation, it's not some strange Eastern or "new age" kind of thing. It's more like a prayer - but even that word does not convey what Ascension is." He looked affectionately at me. He didn't seem to be frothing at the mouth, just sincere. And earnest. "Both words lead to misunderstandings, based on previous and common uses of them. Most people think of concentration or mysticism when they hear of meditation; Ascension is effortless and systematic. Or they think of religion when they hear prayer; Ascension requires no belief of any kind. That's why we call it something new, we call it Ascension. They - and I - practice Ascension, which comes from an ancient Teaching, never before widely available in the world. It is a type of silent inner prayer or meditation that everyone there believes came from the Apostle John."
MSI, First Thunder
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This is the 10th edition of the Ishaya Foundation newsletter.
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