Prayer is a pretty standard thing for diests–that is, those that believe in a Higher Power, aka God. It is to beseech, to ask, to request and very often to freaking demand that something be done that from our tiny little blinders-on-the eyes vision really needs to be done.
The problem with prayer for me is that by its very nature it implies that something outside of myself will come to the rescue. If I believe that the Divine Creator split Herself into millions of billions of pieces and sows them into the millions of earths, then there is a seed of the Divine in me–as me. Thus I don’t need to beseech, but perhaps ask for guidance–which way should I grow, how can I be at peace with the forest around me (why should I care, actually?).
But one thing I have found is that recognizing and speaking to a Higher Power, an entity that is not just the little me but the Bigger Me, Higher Self, the One that is connected to the All, does effect results. That is, when I do entreat for support and remind myself that I am embraced and surrounded by this Presence, it leans back into me.
Plus I like to play. Whatever the Divine Creator is, she has GOT to like to play. I mean, look at the platypus, the Badlands, the grouper fish, the alpacas and puppies. Like any artist, She thrills to color, design and infuses us in Her own image (in His own image if you are a guy–or whatever).
For today, I hum and ohm and speak and rock and roll with that which carries me, leans into me and guides me. I have no need to beseech, but to recognize and smile as we play in this paradise together.
over here in the home for the criminally insane (okay senior housing), we sing hymms on monday nights and after hymms we pray to a god who, apparently, doesn’t know what he’s doing. we ask for help for this and that person, and aid for the sick and wellness and blessings and that they’ll know the lord, and bless our troops. i often request we pray for the Iraquis as well, for god’s sake!!!!
i can barely sit through this ignorant outburst of unfaith and i don’t know what else to call it, i hear myself being so judgmental here. that alone alerts me to my own insanity.
anyway, my awakening is that everything is exactly as it should be, how could it be other? the devine is here now and all is well, it’s our stories that are illness. we cannot believe our thoughts any more than you can believe that a bird is a bird.
sending blessings to a dear old soul who provided the boat.