[GJM] Praying From The Heart

Tue Feb 13 17:29:04 MST 2007

I believe this is one of the best posts to come across my desktop
in a long time.   Thanks to Chuck for this one.  

Again, it is my feeling that we need to find a a new word for "prayer" so 
as to get away from "divinization" and onto the solid foundation that
science 
provides rather than dallying  around in "faith-based" belief systems 
which often lead to "crazy-making" and entrance into wars such as 
we are engaged today. 

As we move into scientific investigation, we are going to find solid 
scientific evidence for many of our religious beliefs; however, placed
within this context we can separate blarney from truth. 

Key words here are:  "we must be very clear that our prayers originate 
from our hearts, rather than in our heads".

More later on this.  Long time friend and Co-learner's list member Bob
Ocegueda www.oceguedaproductions.com has agreed to donate his
time to do the graphic work for a website which will accompany the 
books entitled: The Sacred Quest.  This will be a trilogy with separate
as yet unamed sub-titles. The website "Pathways to Consciousness" 
will graphically explore the multi-dimensions of human consciousness
as revealed by the world's most recognized scientists in the field. 

This promises to be an exciting venture and I look forward to it. 

marguerite 

Now this message from Gregg Braden. 

Praying From The Heart
A Clarification for the “Lost” Mode of Prayer
by Gregg Braden
Perhaps now, more than at any time in our history, the choices that we make
in our lives have lasting effects, and global consequences, that will extend
for hundreds of generations into our future. In light of the escalating
global tensions, recent studies offer new hope, and renewed credibility to
our most cherished traditions, suggesting that we may “do something” about
the seemingly unending cycles of violence, and future of our world.
Statistics have shown that a specific number of people, joined in a focused,
unified consciousness of non-denominational mass prayer, produce effects
that extend well beyond the room or building where the prayer has occurred.
That number is the square root of 1% of the population involved. These
studies add to a growing body of evidence suggesting that focusing our
feelings of appreciation and gratitude, as if our prayers have already been
answered, have a measurable effect on the quality of life during the time of
the prayer.2
Following our description of this “lost” mode of prayer in the book, The
Isaiah Effect3, your emails and phone calls have asked for further
clarification as to precisely how to apply this prayer in our lives. Clearly
there are no “right” or “wrong” ways to pray. In its simplest expression,
prayer is the very personal and innate ability within each of us to commune
with our world, one another, and a greater presence. The “lost” mode of
prayer is simply one more tool to place into our prayer tool box.
Lost Mode of Prayer Described:
The “lost” mode of prayer is a form of prayer that has no words, no outward
expression, and is based simply in feeling. Specifically, this mode of
prayer invites us to feel the appreciation and gratitude in our heart, as if
our prayers have already been answered, even if the world appears to show us
otherwise.

This is where clarity is important.
As evidence suggests that our world and our bodies mirror what we think/feel
  we must be very clear that our prayers originate from our hearts, rather
than in our heads.

Here is the reason why:
The logic of our brain works in polarity—left brain/right brain, light/dark,
good/bad, right/wrong, etc. Praying “for” something creates a strong
feeling—a charge—of what “should” or “should not” be. The physics of our
world require that when something is created with a charge in one polarity,
the opposite must be created as well, to balance the charge.

What it means:

Head-based prayer:
When we pray “for” something, we are using a mental process of logic! While
thought-based prayers “for” peace in Iraq, for example, may be
well-intentioned and appear to create a temporary peace or healing in one
place at one point in time, they may inadvertently create precisely the
opposite of the peace that is intended, in another place, at another time!

Heart-based prayer:
Our hearts, on the other hand, have no polarity. In the Native traditions,
there is even a word that describes the non-polar objectiveness of the heart
  the heart that sees what “is” rather than judges what should be. The word
is Shante Ishta (the single eye of the heart). When we choose peace or
healing from our heart, there is no polarity created to balance our choice,
as there is no “left” and “right” heart.

From our heart, the feeling is the prayer! Studies have shown that this
quality of gratitude and appreciation for the peace that already exists
creates a “field effect”—in the presence of peace, all that can happen is
peace.

Clarity:
To be very clear, this form of prayer is NOT directed at a place, person,
organization, country, city or event. This mode of prayer does NOT attempt
to “make” something happen, somewhere where we may not agree with what life
is showing us. The ancients understood that to use prayer in this way is an
“abomination” of our gift of communion with our world. To impose our idea of
what should, or should not be anywhere in the world, or upon another person,
is a form of manipulation, and a misuse of our gift of prayer.

Rather than praying for someone to “win”/ “loose”, “suffer” or “heal”, we
have the opportunity to “feel” the appreciation and gratitude for the peace
and healing that already exists. The power of this kind of prayer transcends
winners and looser—inviting us to elevate the conditions of our world to a
new realm beyond win/loss. In doing so, we open the door of a very subtle,
yet powerful principle that allows for the possibility of peace/healing to
be present without imposing our will to make it so.

Summary:
If this clarification appears too wordy, please accept my sincere apologies.
The principle is simple: In the presence of peace, all that can happen is
peace.

You are invited to join us for an empowering moment of unity, peace, prayer
and possibility. Through our time together, we offer the power of life to
our children, and our world, both present and future. Many thanks in advance
for your willingness to make our world a better place!!

Many Blessings of a true and lasting peace,

Gregg Braden

1.  Please refer to THE LOST MODE OF PRAYER button on Gregg Braden’s
official web site, www.greggbraden.net, for more information, and precise
instructions for the practice of feeling-based prayer.
2.  Scientists suspect that the relationship between mass prayer and the
effect of those prayers is due to a phenomenon known as the field effect of
consciousness. It is this field effect that becomes available for the
children of the world to “tap into”. Additionally, those making the policies
that affect the future and direction of our world are linked to precisely
the same prayer fields that we will access during our vigil, and may benefit
to the degree that they choose, even without direct participation.
3.  ibid, 1.

Toll Free: (800) 246-9764  Fax: (303) 443-6023
International: (303) 443-8181
P.O. Box 2240   Boulder, CO 80306
Copyright © 1992-2007 Spirit Music

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