Prayer, the Magical
Mystery
As with all things, it is both simple and profound. At the
heart of simplicity, lies profundity.
I understood this at 16 and it is something that I’ve lived
my life by and applied to all spheres of thought.
There is the beautiful simplicity of little Anna, in the
book ‘Mister God, this is Anna’, a 4-year old runaway, who works wonders and is
wise far beyond her years, with her infantile belief that is moving and awe-inspiring.
She has an instinctive connection with God at the deepest level, because for
her it is pure and simple, uncluttered by religious dogma and scientific
rationale.
My understanding of God developed as an image of soul
matter, floating somewhere out there with little bits of it strewn around in
everything that exists; that which we are aware of and also that which we may
not be aware of. If God and the Universe is infinite, we are unable to
conceptualise this. I used to try imagining nothing when I was 5 years old.
It’s just the weirdest thing, it keeps eluding me.
Not much has changed in my mental image, although I
sometimes picture him as Jesus, because that is embedded in my earliest
formative belief structure, and it is a comforting and inspiring feeling,
knowing that Jesus came to enlighten mankind with his simple message of love,
which is really all there is to it. I feel increasingly more aligned with all other
belief structures in the world, as my own understanding deepens.
Surely the most important way to achieve inner peace and
thereby bring this peace to others, is to believe in the oneness of all. One is
All and All is One. This is a meditation I subscribe to. It is inclusive, not
exclusive.
The crux of the matter is that there are opposites of everything
– good and evil, light and dark, hot and cold, yin and yang. What we focus our
energy on is our choice. Balance is crucial. How we expend our energy is determined
by what we are focused on. Focus is the active instrument of desire.
Prayer is nothing more than a focusing of our desires.
Expressing an attitude of gratitude creates a positive aura which radiates out
through the cosmos, as does anything we single-mindedly focus our thoughts on.
It is logical to me that if there are many people praying for the same thing,
the power of that prayer or energy is multiplied and concentrated. How it works
on a scientific level, I have no idea, and it remains a Mystery (maybe not for
quantum physicists). I believe in Cosmic Consciousness, that we are all
inter-connected. We have the power to effect change. It’s happening all around
us. We are part of it. The earth feels our movements, physical and spiritual,
as does the universe. It is simply all about cause and effect.
I believe in focusing on the power of Good and all that it
encompasses – Love, Light, Peace, Purity, Truth, Compassion, Care. It is a
natural phenomenon to be able to cast one’s innermost desires to the Source of
Creation, to that which is bigger than our meagre selves, to the Great Spirit -
Wakantanka. It has been the condition of mankind from the earliest civilization.
We do not understand it. If we did, it would lose its power and the mystery
would be no more. It is enough that we try to better ourselves and our world,
and in trying, we are rewarded with growth. That is ultimately the only thing
we are here for – to grow. In growing ourselves, we touch others and help them
to grow, and the world becomes a better place.
In my book, The Dance of Life, I have tried to explain this.
There are conjoined circles within circles, ever diminishing and expanding,
microcosms within macrocosms, ad infinitum.
The Mystery is what keeps us on our toes, ever seeking for a
deeper understanding and explanation. But we will never solve it, nor can faith
or science. The most we can hope for is to catch a momentary glimpse of it, if
we are lucky. If that happens, we are truly blessed.
Watch for the signs. They are posted all along the way.
Sometimes they are hidden in shadow and you have to look deeper. Sometimes they
literally jump out at you and smack you on the noggin.
We are all leaders and followers at one and the same time.
Cultivate awareness of which role you are playing at any given time and direct
your actions accordingly. Use your energy for the wellbeing of all, not for any
purpose of self-enrichment, but because you innately believe in that state of
being and that way of life.
It all comes back to desire and the emanation of desires in
the form of prayer or meditation or whatever name you call it. If your
intention is good, then where you send it doesn’t matter, because all prayers
end up in the same place.
Base your life on simple tenets, like the Desiderata. Keep
it simple and you will find a deep sense of calm and inner peace. Unless we are
centred and whole, we cannot help others to be, so the salvation of our world
depends on each and every one of us.
My favourite lines from the Desiderata are:
You
are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a
right to be here. And whether or not it
is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore
be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors
and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With
all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world. Be
careful. Strive to be happy.
Amen, Shalom, Aum.
2019-02-08
