I was told a long time ago that prayer is talking to God and meditation is listening to God. And that, of course, kept it very simple for me until I was ready for the next step in my spiritual journey.
Prayer is a vital tool in my tool belt of recovery and in my spiritual progress, which really is one and the same thing.
I have come to realize that there are two basic types of prayer: man-centered and God-centered.
They both work, depending on what you are looking to achieve.
Man-centered prayer is all about praying for a better life here on earth; more wealth, better health, achieving success and living comfortably for ourselves and for others. There’s nothing wrong with that. Everyone would like to have some of those things…right? And God will provide…when it is in the highest good for all involved. Also, please remember that pain is the touchstone of spiritual growth. So while we might not get everything we want, we get exactly what we need to grow along our spiritual journey.
We all want to be comfortable, but remember not to let the comfort be the priority in your life.
A saint once told me, “Work as if everything depends on you. Pray as if everything depends on God.”
God-centered prayer is when we pray to seek God Himself, by passing all the other things in this world. It is a prayer of love, devotion and discrimination.
God-centered prayers are when you realize that the goal and purpose of life here on earth is to become God realized, to be able to see God’s hand in everything and in everyone, thus finding the “Kingdom of Heaven Within.”
Saints and sages are born with this realization. For the most part, we work toward it. It’s all about the process. Then you will arrive at the destination in due time.
The Lord’s Prayer is a God-centered prayer and the topic for May’s newsletter and blog.
Sending Blessing to all.
Namaste,
Michael
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