Prayer

The concept of prayer obviously has ties to religion, and that can be a positive or negative connection depending on a person’s experience and beliefs. If you have a belief or experience about prayer that works for you, please continue to utilize that. But if you are interested in a form of prayer that is more broadly connected to Spiritual Laws, rather than religious principles, read on.

I have found myself drawn to spiritual practices that honor the shared principles and ideas that are common across the various religious traditions – collectively, these point to the validity of the Spiritual Laws. I resonate with traditions that acknowledge humans as Divine or part of the Sacred. After all, if we are made in God’s image, then we are part of God.

This type of prayer allows us to partner with the Divine to co-create our experience, as opposed to a beseeching request to a powerful being that may or may not answer our prayer.

A Powerful Form of Prayer

The form of prayer that I learned has 5 components, each with a specific purpose. I took a class in foundational spiritual practices at my local Center for Spiritual Living.  One Center, the Agape International Spiritual Center, offers several of their courses online.

There are 5 steps to be done in the following order:

Step 1. Acknowledge the Higher Power

In this step, you would acknowledge the presence of a higher power. Regardless of the name you have for that power (God, Spirit, Allah, etc.), this step has you move into an intentional relationship of recognition. Some potential phrases for this step are:

I take a deep breath and acknowledge Spirit as the all-knowing, ever creating presence that is the source of everything in the universe.

Or from the Spiritual Practices class at Agape,

I recognize the power, presence, and love of God. God is the Infinite Love that rules the Universe through the Law of its Being. I allow this awareness to flood my being, bringing peach and serenity.

Step 2. Unify with the Higher Power

This step is about claiming your own Divinity so that you can be in a relationship of co-creation with the Higher Power. Some phrases might be:

Since Spirit is at the source of all things, Spirit is also my source. I am a unique manifestation of the Divine, and as such, I am in co-creation with all of Spirit’s power, love, and ability to manifest.

Or from Agape,

I am one with God and one with the infinite supply and wholeness. I express my deep knowledge as God in me, as me, is me. I am a whole, complete and perfect Child of God and this is the truth of who I am.

If you are praying for another person, you would then unify that person as well.

Mark is also an expression of God and has access to all of the knowledge and power of God.

Step 3. Realization

This step is where you state what you want but it’s not a beseeching request. Much like intentions, you phrase things here in the positive and as if they are already so. You realize that they are already yours. It is very important that you bring up a genuine feeling of belief and acceptance of that good which you are intending because the feeling tone is an essential element. Below are examples for health and prosperity.

I speak the word for myself, accepting health and wholeness in every part of my body. I declare that my bones and muscles work in perfection and feel strong and free of pain.

Or from Agape,

I now speak the word for Mark. I accept that divine prosperity is his now and that Spirit is moving through Mark to reveal everything he needs. I clearly see that prosperity is already his, right now, being manifested through the perfect action of the Law.

Step 4. Express Gratitude

In this section, you express your gratitude for having your request as if it is already done. This gratitude is an acknowledgement that your good already exists in the mind of God and is manifesting now. Again, feeling tone is essential – you want to call up a genuine feeling of deep appreciation and thanksgiving. Some potential phrases would be:

I now express my deepest gratitude and appreciation for the health that is already mine. I feel joy that my body is healthy and whole in every way.

Or from Agape,

I am grateful that Spirit is revealing perfectly in Mark’s life and meeting all his needs now. This is the truth of his being and I express deep appreciation for the good that is taking form in his experience.

Step 5. Release to the Universal Law

This step is about releasing the prayer to the Spiritual Laws (often prayer taps into the Law of Supply and the Law of Attraction Attraction. It is an affirmation of your conviction that God is already working on it and that your request is on its way. This is simultaneously a statement of letting go of your attachment to the form that it takes and trusting that what you need will be brought to you. Your prayer for healing may mean that you heal completely from your illness or it may mean that a new doctor or treatment will come into your life. For Mark, it might come in the form of a raise at work or it might be an unexpected check from his insurance company or a different apartment with lower rent. The intention if this phase is to “Let go and let God.”

I now release this prayer to the Law knowing that it is already done, it is already manifest and that complete health and wholeness are on mine. And so it is.

Or from Agape,

I now release this word to the action of the Law, and I believe and accept Mark’s good is now coming into manifestation. And so it is.

These types of prayers are very powerful. They become more powerful when repeated daily and also in groups where more than one person is holding the same intention.