There is a model of prayer in almost every religion, I do believe in it's power having tried many different ways of doing it. The idea that thier is a connection between our mind and the "Light" or our "Guiding Spirit" and that no one can step between us and God is a very powerful belief. The problem comes in how you try to define this connection because as soon as you put limits on it, it looses it's power. The Dubs would have us believe that God will only provide for us if we are in good standing with them and asking for help with the preaching work. They have set too many limits on you to ever have it become a practice that works for you. Eckankar gave me one of my most spiritual expierences with the simple act of sitting silent and sending the intent of Love to God, or chanting Hu while sending the same intent. Witchcraft allows you to expierement with becomming cause, or spell casting, this is neither good nor evil but demonstraights how it is possible to effect events by placing your "intent" into the spiritual realm. I have found this kind of thing is most effective when dealing with human relationships, basically, you get what you ask for, so learn from your mistakes "what" to ask for, Spirit will provide it. Sincerely turning to whatever is your personal version of God or sacredness and asking for a relationship, and adding the emotional yearning for it, then release it to the universe to bring it in to you, does work. Never try to limit Spirit too narrowly, by stating "who" it will bring in though, or limit it to exactly what you think you want. Give Spirit some room to work and things happen more quickly. When you become specifically focused on any one person or thing then you are trying to control others and remove thier freedom of choice, and this is what I call black magic. I have no ability to prove this to you it is only your own expierence that will convince your mind to accept it as possible. Belief that you are worthy of recieving it is also an obstical, but the universe will respond if you give it a chance to, simply because of the underlying Love that is the constant in every system of prayer.
If nothing else prayer allows you to at least see where you are at. As you talk to your God and dump your problems on him, and ask for his Unconditional Love to help you grow and solve these problems, it greatly helps you to understand your problems and deal with them in a more intellegent and Loving way. Connecting with your "inner guidance" can become a 2way communication if you learn to listen and be open to it. This is truly a psychic sensitivity. If you cannot feel the presence of Spirit, then you may not be connecting with it. It is something you must choose to seek for a time. The deeper your meditation and the more you bring in the Light of Spirit, the faster the communication and the "knowing" will come to you. Prolonged meditation or prayer about an issue in your life, with the invitation to your Higher Spirit to help you will produce a clarity of mind and focus that can make changes, particularly with other people and relationships.
Prayer is an expierement in excersising the connection between mind and God or the Spiritual Universe. It is either real or it is not. The power is in the "intent" and the proof is in the "expierence". Self worth is essential, and Love is the current that will energize and bring life into it. You can connect to almost anyone psychicly simply by sending them Unconditional Love. The connection of Love you have with family often brings you information this way, even to the point of knowing when they are thinking about you, or when they are in pain. So it stands to reason that the "intent" and the "emotion" of your prayers will effect those around you. People can feel if you intend them harm, or if you intend them Love. They do not know how they know but they do feel it.
Good luck with your endeavor.
Dave L
Edited by - libra_spirit on 27 July 2002 20:7:4