What’s in a prayer?

[mykil]

I have been contemplating in my mind the possibilities that I have been praying to my gods all wrong over the years. I mean who exactly knows what a proper prayer is among us? I, being a recovering Christian, yet still have a strong belief in the power of prayer, am just so put back by the options at hand. “Am I doing it wrong” is the majority of the reflection my mind keeps rolling over and over? If I am doing this little prayer ritual in a wrong light, what might be the right light? Am I doing more harm than good?

This really hit the boiling point in my mentality when I was driving down the road yesterday. I came across a dead skunk in the middle of the road. I laughed a little as the cars in front of me swerved to miss the little remains and I thought to myself I would say a little prayer to send him on his way. The mind being mysterious as one might expect sayz dear lord please take this little fellow back to the earth and recycle him… Hmmmmm recycle? Why would I presume I knew what the hell I was doing? For all I know I just deemed this little sprit to the earth for eternity! I mean the little sucker took the leap and can now run around our earth instead of being rooted right to the little sucker like one of our large oaks that can never seem to roam freely. Why would I want to send him back to the earth?

I have strong feelings on this subject often. About seven or eight years back I stopped saying “god bless you” when someone sneezed, it has sense changed to just plain bless you. [If you don’t know why people say bless you when you sneeze, it is because your heart stops for a moment and you are dead]! Little things thou that have an ever lasting impression on our world are changed daily by the power of prayer. A few years back a friend told me there was a man who cured the criminally insane by the power of prayer. He didn’t even see them. He would look at their charts and pray for their forgiveness. His cure rate was impressive, one hundred percent, just by praying for their forgiveness. I looked into this and tried it myself. IT WORKS! I know a relentless narcissist individual that has alwayz been on the verge. I started praying for his forgiveness, he is now not only a totally functioning human being, but he loves humor. He loves to read and laugh at jokes that one day not so long ago he would not even attempt to comprehend. He went to study the a new found religion, and has completed courses that amaze me, he even has a conversation with me that has meaning. I first noticed the change a year or so ago when he said excuse me. In the twenty years I have known him he has never said excuse me! I almost hit the roof!

I am soooo impressed by the power of prayer that I pray for everyone’s forgiveness now! HA! But what if I am doing something wrong? Like praying for that poor little squirrel? I have often wondered about the power of prayer and its magnificent powers coming directly from thought. Can this power be misused and is it being misused? Can the prayers some are adhering to putting our little planet in jeopardy? Is this why we are in such turmoil at this moment in time? The power of prayer is almighty for sure; I have no reservations on this. But what is a proper prayer to save or enlighten our little planet and the souls entailed and are embedded in our thoughts?

Can anyone tell me their most sacred prayer they say for our planet and the people that lie within? Does anyone besides me pray for our galaxy and our universe and beyond? Or am I the only crazy here? Does anyone here ever pray for god? I used to pray for god every eve, now I am not sure which god to pray for so I leave this space open… Morning mesmerisms by Mykil to you!

[Sylph]

Don't worry about the poor skunk! His time is over and he will be recycled. Do you really believe you have the power to 'send' a critter or human to the earth or to another plane or whatever? It must be quite a burden of responsibility think your mind is so powerful.
Do you, Mykil, have the power to transform someone from dysfunctional to sane and happy? If this is true, I have some requests! (I'll email you privately a list of people who need changing)

You may be overestimating your own "power of prayer". I believe prayer is healing and transforming for the person praying.

Please don't worry one little bit about misdirected psychic energy zapping the skunk souls where they don't belong! If there is a skunk heaven, your prayers won't hinder the poor little guy.
There is no wrong way to pray, is there, unless you are praying for someone else's downfall?

[hales]

Hy, Mykil..
if I see a dead animal on the road, I just say "may the blessings be".. I don't assume I know where that skunk's spirit is or where it should go, but send a wish of blessing and easy transition it's way. If there is a great spirit, or creator, I assume that "IT/He/She knows what it/he/she knows what it is doing.

I generally do a contemplation, more than pray.. for me it's more like taking a shower in the great spirit, (or whatever you like to call it). I assume that It will find it's own way with me. I never really know how things will end up, anyway, so why should I try to tell the great spirit what to do..

If I am trying to manifest something, I do try to get really clear about what I want, then hold that in my imagination, and generate as positive a feeling as possible, a feeling of positive expectation and gratitude. Lately, I'm really sure I know what is the right thing for me, anyway, so then I just ask for insight and awareness.

I also like to say bless you, when someone sneezes, but it's just a good excuse to say it.. I'm not worried about the person's soul flying out.. ; )

I've had a couple of friends who says "bless his/her heart".. about someone, when most people would say, "what a jerk!".. I think it's a great way to avoid the poison of negativity and gossip..

So, to summarize, for me, prayer is more about maintaining a positive relationship with the spirit and sending good, non-directive thoughts towards all beings, rather than telling God or spirit what to do.

may the blessings be!

Scott.




I have been contemplating in my mind the possibilities that I have been praying to my gods all wrong over the years. I mean who exactly knows what a proper prayer is among us? ...

[pjpete]

Dude, the power of prayer is the strongest, most reliable approach to your/our salvation, meaning your internal salvation, within yourself, your sole, your inner core, your being. Here is my approach to prayer, which is taken from the most famous prayer in the Bible, the "Lord's Prayer" which asks God for the necessities of life ("our daily bread"), a pure existence ("lead us not into temptation"), protection from danger ("deliver us from from evil"), and a blanket pardon ("forgive us our trespasses"). This should always be the approach to prayer. Prayer should always praise God/Jesus, ask for our needs, admit to our misgivings, ask for forgiveness. This can be applied to any situation, at any time of the day or night, and will help in releasing any pent up negative feelings, is meant to help liberate one's sole. In essence one is asking God for Heaven on Earth when praying in this manner. One realizes this is a bit idealistic, that God would grant such a Heaven on Earth. However, the more important part is the fact prayer is Enlightenment...! Praying for worthiness helps one be on guard so that one's heart is not weighed down with dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of this life, and that day does not catch you unexpectedly, like a trap. "For it will come upon all who live on the face of the whole earth. Be alert at all times, praying that you may be counted worthy to escape all these things that will take place, and to stand before the son of Man." Luke 21:34-36

I have been contemplating in my mind the possibilities that I have been praying to my gods all wrong over the years. I mean who exactly knows what a proper prayer is among us? ...

[NudeTea]

I myself am a person recovering from many years in church. I am, as a matter of reflex, boycotting any established ritual for a while. If I get the hunch to perform final unction on a skunk on the road, I do it. If not, not. My prayers for anything are pretty rare. My "God" can make His own decisions, salvations, and maneuvers without my guidance just fine. But I do worship, thank, and praise.

[pjpete]

But you still follow the word by freeing your inner spirt by admitting that you do still "worship, thank, and praise," which are some of the foundations of prayer. Prayer is about the way one's spirit grows inside them. Prayer assures anyone on the path that enlightenment grows naturally....First the truth is planted within you, and then there it grows until the day comes when the harvest, the state of God-consciousness, arrives. Prayer also is a lesson in patience, since the seed praying sows grows slowly and out of sight. Jesus, speaks about the need to believe in him and his teachings, however, he is the light. Therefore, one can also say that the strong foundation that Jesus wants us to build is spirit itself, the light within. Spirit grows spontaneously, in it's own time, through persistence, and patience.

I myself am a person recovering from many years in church. I am, as a matter of reflex, boycotting any established ritual for a while. If I get the hunch to perform final unction on a skunk on the road, I do it. If not, not. My prayers for anything are pretty rare. My "God" can make His own decisions, salvations, and maneuvers without my guidance just fine. But I do worship, thank, and praise.

[notsomuch]

I was enjoying James Brown perform Old Landmark from The Blues Brothers earlier, here's a link for the music:
YouTube - Blues Brothers Video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8yeAQ5JPWkM)

Now I know the church history is a sensitive thing for many, been there myself but keep in mind this is a comedy.. You know, I wouldn't mind going to that church though!

Okay seriously, I think it might help to look at it in terms of wisdom and power. It seems clear that's where the concern is coming from, you believe in the power of prayer but don't know about the wisdom of what you're praying for basically, right? But having a formulaic prayer like covering this that and the other thing won't develop wisdom either will it? I mean if I tell you such and such is THE prayer but you don't see it, you'd just have to believe me or not. So short of having the wisdom ourselves then maybe it can be even more general than that, that is to say seek the wisdom rather than particular end results. If it's people or a situation you know great, it'll probably come naturally. But if not, I don't think it's wise to think in terms of "right answers" that you wouldn't necessarily see yourself, but just seek understanding and do your best in each instance.

[MsTerry]

Does anyone here ever pray for god?

I've prayed for many things, but never for God.
What did you wish for the one who has the whole world in his hand?

[mykil]

I never want to knock a religion or a belief system someone has in place. I can only use reference to someone else’s expertise and experience when asking such a task as what prayer means to you. I used to preach the word of god, till one day it dawned on me I didn’t believe much or most of the bible anymore! I still don’t, my mind has evolved past the big book onto my own true world with my own true revolutions and experiences of their own. I have no more use for the bible. I am glad it is in place and has such a following, without it I would presume this earth would be a rather fucked up place. If I myself didn’t’ grow scruples at such a young age who knows where I would have wound up. Teaching good is alwayz an extraordinary event.
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I think Scott is on the right track, or his friends anyway with the”bless his/her heart” when someone is being obnoxious or being a jerk. I have over the past decade or sooo reside to do allot of the same, love everyone without exception. No matter what the person has done you still have love in your heart for them. This way you can only look upon them with loving eyes. Sometimes this goes without saying is hard but in the long run your love shall succeed and they will be for the better!

AS far as skepticism Sylph; Yes I do believe we have the power to change lives. Just as your thought has prevailed in your own true world, it is the thought in your mind that you see all around you! Your mind makes up you whole world this goes without saying, yes? In short if you tell yourself you feel like a nice lemonade and think this sounds good, then you get up and make yourself one, what is that? That my dear is a really simplified version of prayer! HA! Moving forward, if you want a new car and think about this long and hard and ask your husband to help you get a new car and the two of you go shopping and you drive home in a new car, the power of you mind has won. You have thought this thru, and your mind has made this happen, how is your new car BTW? Above is pretty straight forward, real as real can be, you might even say scientific fact ya? I think you should try and pray for those people you talk of and see for yourself if they change over time, a little experiment of your own.
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If you pray for peace, and then this takes hold of your mind and the outcome becomes something like saying “peace” whenever you part company, have you achieved a prayer? Has this prayer taken hold of anything what so ever? Does prayer work? It’s a good start! It does for me because in the last few years I have been really praying for peace, then all of a sudden I start saying “peace” as I am departing company from who ever it might be I have just came into contact with. I try to remember to write “P~E~A~C~E” at the end of each of my posts, promoting peace where I can. A revolution? I think not, just a prayer making its way out into the open. The thought that thought can take so much effect on our world is scary and refreshing at the same time. WE have the power and abilities to make things happen with our minds, with the power of prayer! Plain and simple this works! I have given you a simple version of how it works, while not even indulging into what it can truly do. I am a strong believe in the bee hive theory, the hive is one conscience! WE ARE ONE! Our thoughts make up our whole! This however is not scientifically sound just a theory soooo, on we go…
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How do we better ourselves with such a prayer? How can we teach something and make it stick? What would a prayer be that can spread like wildfire and do no harm? This has to be THOUGHT up by the whole and indulged by all in order to turn a world around and make this a better place. Peace has been done to death; although I still think this is our best choice at this moment in time. BTW what did you think prayer was just out of mild curiosity? What should our prayers be and what should we write down on paper in this day and age? What should we start passing around as a refreshing anticipation toward our goals in this lifetime and beyond, what would you ask of others involving disciplines, outlook outreach, happiness, health, love, joy, companionship… if you were to believe in prayer? What would be the ultimate underestimated prayer we could all share with our conscience community, our world, {ill stop at that for now and worry about he universe and beyond a little latter] to make this turn around and make it happen?
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When I ask the community for a simple idea for a simple prayer as a beginning the ultimate goal would have to be peace and harmony. But what would our simple prayer be? Where would our being evolve from? Where can we take prayer?

[MsTerry]

But what would our simple prayer be?
Of course it is me who has the real dumb and obvious Question again.
What’s in Mykil's prayer?
what do you say, think or do when you are praying?
Are you going to answer my Q this time?
What did you pray for the one who has the whole world in his hand?

[mykil]

whats your real name?

[mykil]

You have soooo much you can teach me, yet you refuse. I shall pray for your forgiveness! Get ready for change!<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>

[Sara S]

Mykil, I love the way you express your sweet spirit!

Probably the most basic prayer in Tibetan Buddhism is that of "refuge," most forms of which have a line like this:

"may I clear away the negativities of all sentient beings."

Or, in a longer form:

"May my practice and my positive actions of body, speech, and mind participate in the cause of awakening of all that lives."

Sara


You have soooo much you can teach me, yet you refuse. I shall pray for your forgiveness! Get ready for change!<o:p></o:p>

[pjpete]

Oh geeez.....what is this leading up to.....:hmmm:

Mykil, I love the way you express your sweet spirit!

Probably the most basic prayer in Tibetan Buddhism is that of "refuge," most forms of which have a line like this:

"may I clear away the negativities of all sentient beings."

Or, in a longer form:

"May my practice and my positive actions of body, speech, and mind participate in the cause of awakening of all that lives."

Sara

[MsTerry]

You are praying for yourself, not for God.


You have soooo much you can teach me, yet you refuse. I shall pray for your forgiveness! Get ready for change!<o:p></o:p>

[NudeTea]

Mykil makes a lot of claims in life. To be "grammatically correct" is not one of them.
;)



You are praying for yourself, not for God.

[Sara S]

Oops; I meant to post this in response to Mykil's post #9 above, which ended with:

When I ask the community for a simple idea for a simple prayer as a beginning the ultimate goal would have to be peace and harmony. But what would our simple prayer be? Where would our being evolve from? Where can we take prayer?

The other great Tibetan Buddhist practice (also pretty simple) is tong len, (taking and sending) in which I breathe in all the negativities (dark, sooty) of any person or situation; a white light in my heart center changes all this into positive white energy; I then breathe this out to these people. This may or may not alter those negative aspects of the person in question, but it certainly changes my attitude toward them.

Could there be any more profound expression of love than to voluntarily take on another's pain and suffering? For me, of course, it's still just a mental thing, but tradition holds that the great realized masters actually could remove the pain from another person, and would experience it themselves.

Sara





Oh geeez.....what is this leading up to.....:hmmm:

[mykil]

I am thinking we should all do a little experiment and see if we can change one person for the better. IF we all concentrate and pray for MzT. What might be the outcome? What would we pray for her to achieve? Should we just pray for her to come forth and show herself? Hmmm let us come up with a prayer and see if this prayer stuff really works! I am going to start praying right now for her soul, everyone pray!!!!

[shellebelle]

But then she wouldn't be a "mystery" would she? And would not that spoil the fun? i find her perfect as she is no improvement necessary.



I am thinking we should all do a little experiment and see if we can change one person for the better. IF we all concentrate and pray for MzT. What might be the outcome? What would we pray for her to achieve? Should we just pray for her to come forth and show herself? Hmmm let us come up with a prayer and see if this prayer stuff really works! I am going to start praying right now for her soul, everyone pray!!!!

[MsTerry]

Are you trying to change MsTerry into MsEry?


I am thinking we should all do a little experiment and see if we can change one person for the better. IF we all concentrate and pray for MzT. What might be the outcome? What would we pray for her to achieve? Should we just pray for her to come forth and show herself? Hmmm let us come up with a prayer and see if this prayer stuff really works! I am going to start praying right now for her soul, everyone pray!!!!

[hales]

I don't think trying to change someone else is the highest use of prayer. Who are we to say what is right for her soul?

Scott..



I am thinking we should all do a little experiment and see if we can change one person for the better. IF we all concentrate and pray for MzT. What might be the outcome? What would we pray for her to achieve? Should we just pray for her to come forth and show herself? Hmmm let us come up with a prayer and see if this prayer stuff really works! I am going to start praying right now for her soul, everyone pray!!!!

[mykil]

Oh Scott, Where is your sense of adventure? WE can change her back when we are done with her. Take her on a ride she will never forget. Pray for warts, err a tail, err how bout bigger breasts??? NO NO NO I got it lets pray for laughter every time she reads the morning forum! HA!


I don't think trying to change someone else is the highest use of prayer. Who are we to say what is right for her soul?

Scott..

[pjpete]

Thought for the day

"The LORD is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1



Are you trying to change MsTerry into MsEry?

[MsTerry]

Well Pete, I think you need to find out if your homosexual tendencies will still let you into heaven or if it is something you need to suppress and fear.
You could ask Butch, he only charges 99c a minute on the internet.
ps
Does Jesus approve of you sending me nasty messages in private?
That's your thought of the day.....................


whom shall I fear? whom shall I be afraid?"

[mykil]

Hmmm; do you think god would mind if we started a new religion? Seriously now? I think we should start a new cult and after a few hundred years it might even be accepted as a new religion, you can keep your old faiths, we can just add to these and truly be on our way. I was thinking something along the lines of meeting every full moon in a parking lot around <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" /><st1:place w:st="on">Sebastopol</st1:place>; everyone would be required to bring a bag of pistachios to share. And the great thing about this religion would be everyone gets a chance to be the leader, each and every full moon there shall be a new leader, and the new leader shall rise with the full moon and be all mighty leader of our cult for the entire lunar month, thirty leasers per year, not a bad number unless you are afraid of you know who… Think about it, it is already in the works and I am serious, You Mr. Basso could be leader for a month! Think of all the young minds you could warp and control! Each and every follower in our pride shall evolve to be king! If it gets overwhelmingly large enough we may even have two leaders per month, maybe a king and queen per say, and then three and so on and so forth until everyone gets to be king or queen! Seriously do you think your god would allow for this or is this not an ethical event for you to attend? Oh and we would be praising something other than your god for a change, this has yet not come to me in my dreams and meditated state, although it is close, I am pretty sure though we will be praising a female live body! A high priestess or goddess with a hot little bode… Fictional of course, not to overwhelm your true path in life with your exuberated expectations of your god and your beliefs. WE don’t want your god to get jealous and truly be pissed enough at you to make you go sit in his corner down in the over heated department on the lower levels on the bowels on this ship we are floating about in space for the longer period of time imaginable!
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Hmmmm again, just he morning meditations towards a free world, and a free thought pattern not to be confused with the controlling aspect of another place time or even event that took place in another era. WE can have our cake and eat it too if you set your mind at ease and learn to be free, do you think your god needs you nagging at him to forgive your sins everyday imaginable? I love to pray and have a long standing belief in our prayer, I just pray to a higher authority than you do…
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If you want to argue, err quote the bible go on up to Mzt’s and DW’s section where they are throwing he quotes around left and right and let them have a piece of your mind while leave me and my new found cult, err religion and my path towards a better day age and prayer alone big boy! Or better yet join my cause and my religion and help up save this world one soul at a time, oh wait that sounds too familiar…

[mykil]

I wish he sent me hate mail, he only sends me “LETS GET TOGETHER AND DO IT” mail! HA! I am running out of wayz to say I am not BI! LMFAO!!!



Well Pete, I think you need to find out if your homosexual tendencies will still let you into heaven or if it is something you need to suppress and fear.
You could ask Butch, he only charges 99c a minute on the internet.
ps
Does Jesus approve of you sending me nasty messages in private?
That's your thought of the day.....................

[shellebelle]

Weird I told him you were straight too in fact I told him you are the prefect lesbian with a penis.

I hope Barry addresses this. I think this is one area where a major vibrational change on Wacco would be beyond appropriate.


I wish he sent me hate mail, he only sends me “LETS GET TOGETHER AND DO IT” mail! HA! I am running out of wayz to say I am not BI! LMFAO!!!

[shellebelle]

Weren't you one who said he feared Satan?



Thought for the day

"The LORD is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1

[Barry]

I hope Barry addresses this. I think this is one area where a major vibrational change on Wacco would be beyond appropriate.

I encourage anybody who receives private email from a wacco member they feel is inappropriate to contact me ([email protected]). I take this very seriously.

[MsTerry]

I encourage anybody who receives private email from a wacco member they feel is inappropriate to contact me ([email protected]). I take this very seriously.
Except when it is directed at me.
You feel I deserve it no matter what they say or threaten me with.
No protection for the hell-bound ones on wacco.

[shellebelle]

I hope Barry is not holding a double edge sword; it creates such negative karma. If you set the intention and the core value in such a manner to demand respect 100% then life is so much better.

I hope one day Barry creates and publishes core values for Wacco. I'd love to see them as part of a rotating banner on every page sort of an ongoing reminder of intention and expectation.


Except when it is directed at me.
You feel I deserve it no matter what they say or threaten me with.
No protection for the hell-bound ones on wacco.

[MsTerry]

Jesus said; The one who is without sins, can pick up the first stone and throw it at mykil. (4;28)



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If you want to argue, err quote the bible go on up to Mzt’s and DW’s section where they are throwing he quotes around left and right and let them have a piece of your mind while leave me and my new found cult, err religion and my path towards a better day age and prayer alone big boy!

[shellebelle]

Ohhhh I am suppose to use stones? Geeze I thought nerf rockets were fun! Okay off to find stones! :heart:


Jesus said; The one who is without sins, can pick up the first stone and throw it at mykil. (4;28)

[MsTerry]

Barry has now a christian sponsor!!!
you can order a pre paid prayer :thumbsup:
Prayer Requests - An Online Christian Community that Cares (https://www.christianprayercenter.com/)


I love to pray and have a long standing belief in our prayer, I just pray to a higher authority than you do…
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[someguy]

Ive been thinking a lot about the subject of prayer this morning, and this is what im thinking. I would like to hear some feedback about this.

So why do people pray?
To relieve fear, anxiety, discomfort, confusion, suffering etc...

Does prayer solve these problems? Or rather are these problems non existant or non recurring?
Clearly not.

So, what is the root problem of fear, anxiety, suffering etc..?
Division of people through ideas and beliefs such as nationalism, religious institutions, and so on bring about fear, anxiety, discomfort, confusion. My country is better than yours, my religion is the truth yours isnt, my car is nicer, and so on. These ideas and beliefs create suffering and division amongst us all. And so the mind seeks relief and comfort through prayer or whatever other ritual one believes in. Or in other words, when one searchs for the resolution of their own suffering they turn to the very thing that makes them suffer, their beliefs.

So if the problem of division occurs through ideaologies, and beliefs why do we cling to our beliefs and conform to a society built on division?
For a sense of identity, security maybe? But is there really security or a true sense of identity through conforming to belief systems and ideaologies? No, obviously not.

So what does one do to break free from their own suffering? Praying and other rituals are obviously not the answer. It seems like one should reject all belief systems, all rituals, all faith, whether in government, values, religion and so on. All divisive ideas should be abolished so the mind is completly free from any conditioning whatsoever and can be free to explore what is truth.

[mykil]

I see what you are after, and I have a theory of my own I would conceder as an honor to share with all.
You life is basically yours, your own mentality and you own thoughts. Your mentality states who you are altogether. Nothing else matters in your life except for you mentality. If you are a drama queen for example, you have this mentality, the drama queen mentality, if you pray for certain things are you getting them? If you are a drama queen and truly pray to change your mentality to not be a drama queen then you are ahead of the game. if you truly wish to change. IF you are a drama queen and pray for the neighbor to stop harassing you due to the fact that he said hi to you this morning with a glare that may have upset you do to the fact that you needed something to be upset about, then no, I don’t think prayer is going to work for you. Prayer comes from within and the change prayer makes has to come from within as well. I am a strong believer in prayer and know it has magical powers. This we are all able to tap into each other and can make huge change if we all pray for the same thing.
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Over the last year I have been toying with the idea of getting a new hot tub. Pacifically a softub in green, I wanted to buy a used one and was on the verge of buying a new one because I could not find one suitable. Although I new I could not afford one. Well All the thought I have put into this over he last year has changed my life. Late last week a wonderful woman posted the exact tub I have been looking for for a hundred dollars on this very site, It was by accident that I stumbled upon it, I was late for and appointment and needed to look an address up on my computer and by accident I pushed the wrong button and came to wacco instead not wanting to waste time I clicked out but hit he wrong button again and came upon my dream tub in exactly the right size and even the color I had been desiring for so long For a hundred bucks no less. I would have paid fifteen hundred for the exact same tub and was even willing to pay more. This is an example of pure though, nothing more nothing less. Something in the back of my mind that truly believed I was going to succeed and have my softub. Not even a prayer was said, I truly believe thought is the almighty power such as we are all god due to the thought process that connects us all.
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Imaging if you were to pray for a mentality change for the better, what you would be like? Would it suit you, would it change you life for the better? I know my mentality is fairly well off, but it can alwayz be better. Yet the thought of me not being me scares the hell out of me. And I am sure it scares the hell out of everyone else. Imagine waking to find yourself a whole new person and having to change you every day life expectations due to prayer. Our world needs change and needs a new mentality, yet we are all afraid of this change.
<o:p></o:p>
The pain and suffering are your own, the pain and suffering are truly each and every one of ours at the same time. Can you imaging if everyone on this planet had the courage to change his or her mentality for the better? What a better place we would all live and breathe and even eliminate pain and suffering all together? Strange but this is a true scenario right before our own eyes. IT is a group effort and should be acknowledged as such. Every person in the world changing for the better would be a reality if we all tried. Praying for a new mentality could be a happy ending for us all. Praying for the ocean to be cleaned up needs to be a prayer everyone assumes and takes responsibilities for. If we all prayed for a clean plastic free ocean do you believe the job of getting it clean and plastic free might prevail? One person or a few thousand praying is not enough; we all need to pray for the mentality of a clean ocean. The ones that we shall call evil, or the ones not praying with us but not even natural but praying for our failure should be prayed for as well, they should be prayed for a mentality change and prayed for often, Thus eliminating our opposition toward our goal of a clean and plastic free ocean. The thought patterns and prayers should be executed as a whole and not just for menial tasks such as praying for another beer or praying for your mortgage payment to miraculously disappearing.
<o:p></o:p>
The thought pattern is the strongest thing we shall ever come across in our lifetimes. Thought and thought alone has created the world we live in, our houses were thought out then built, and our food and water was thought out to the extent we have farms and indoor facilities, automobiles and trains and airplanes all due to thought and imagination. Thought has gotten us a long wayz yet it might e our undoing. Evolution might catch up with us unless we use the power of thought for a better purpose, a better prayer to say the least. A better mentality for all!
<o:p></o:p>
I myself often wonder if it might be too late, I am sue I am not he only one that thinks this and truly this is the breaking point in our civilization. Has our thoughts and prayer caught up with us? Praying for our next meal instead of praying for something proper? Praying for a true love or praying for the neighbor to stop playing bad music is just not worth praying for in my opinion. WE need to focus our thoughts and prayer s to a great evolution and stop all the petty pray and get something down in our little world. Hmm enough is enough preaching for prayer is a long and difficult task yet is it worth it in the long run, is it too late or shall we survive with little or no effort at all? Shall our gods drop by and save us or shall we crash hand burn with little or no resources left while we all slowly die of starvation and demises all the while killing each other due to our own demise? Hmm again!

[MsTerry]

So why do people pray?
To relieve fear, anxiety, discomfort, confusion, suffering etc...

Does prayer solve these problems? Or rather are these problems non existant or non recurring?
Clearly not.

.
These two questions look like they are related, but they are not.
Prayer has been proven to alleviate, relieve and/or augment medical treatment.
Zeno posted an article on this a while back,

[Braggi]

... I am running out of wayz to say I am not BI! LMFAO!!!

"The gent doth protest too much, methinks."

Don't be in a hurry Mykil. You have plenty of time. A lot of guys don't try guys until they're a bit older.

Hugs,

-Jeff

[MsTerry]

A lot of guys don't try guys until they're a bit older.
Hugs,
-Jeff
Yeah I hear they prey on altar boys........................

[Braggi]

Yeah I hear they prey on altar boys........................

That would be an exclusive subset of humanity, thankfully.

They've received special training.

-Jeff

[mykil]

I am a proud member of the subculture committee, hell I am even the vice president, still have no ambition towards going it this direction; I prefer the fairer of the species, the goddess/little hippie chick type my eyes are accustom to wondering towards. You have to admit they are as fine as can be and as long as they are on this earth don’t hold your breath that I shall be after and men. They are by far the most attractive creatures on this planet and I have more than enough ambition towards watching, pleasing and just praising the ground they walk on to even conceder going bi, for now, you can never tell thou, I just wouldn’t hold my breath!
<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
I was raised in Guerneville as a child and was truly prayed upon as a child; thankfully I was bright enough to step out of the way of the oncoming men that prayed upon the young boyz in that era. Hell the fire chief himself at that time would pick you up hitchhiking and ask you if he could suck you off. This is a true story, You could get a ride home, if you had the courage to fight him off. To be honest this really fucked with a large number on children in that community. Everyone new what was going on yet no one wanted to rock the boa, so as you might be in tuned to, this also fucked with my abilities to ever even conceder loving another man, psyche in my mind can’t go there. To each his/her own but truly every one has there own agenda, hang-ups, and evolution to evolve from and into. Now you know a little about mine.
<o:p></o:p>
When I see hardcore man-haters or men that hate woman as well, I have to realize there is a reason for this. I do understand they went thru an extreme trauma to get to this stage in there life. This is truly their own pain and they alone have to confront this and go their own wayz in life, who are we to judge someone for their pain? Just a thought on this subject that has nothing to do with this post what-so-ever. P~E~A~C~E
<o:p></o:p>

[hales]

That would be an exclusive subset of humanity, thankfully.

They've received special training.

-Jeff

What, at Prey-er meetings?

Scott.

[hales]

"These two questions look like they are related, but they are not."

Maybe they are related, after all.. if we felt like we were in control of things, we wouldn't (feel we) have to ask a higher power for help, protection, guidance, etc..

Interesting how the question about prayer bleeds into the topics of religion and victimization of the young and helpless.

I do not think prayer works because God or someone decides to answer our requests, I think it's more likely that the person praying puts himself or herself in harmony with a subtle energy or spiritual principle that underlies and connects all things. An attitude of visualization and positive expectation, combined with some kind of vital energy (such as breath, intense emotions, and/or strongly focused attention) seems to work.

Scott


These two questions look like they are related, but they are not.
Prayer has been proven to alleviate, relieve and/or augment medical treatment.
Zeno posted an article on this a while back,

[JuliaB]

I agree, Scott. Many of us turn to prayer because of something that happens that makes us realize that we really aren't as in control of things as we might like. Sometimes prayer is a begging/pleading type thing to appease how we think things should go.
Personally, I use prayer as a way of letting go of how I think things should go. It is an affirmation that I ask to be in greater alignment with the bigger picture. Prayer, for me, brings a sense of calm and gives me a way to cope with challenge.
I also see prayer as a daily dose of simply looking into my own heart and seeing what is there---

I love hearing all of our different ways of dealing with challenges.
I would like to remind people to stay on topic, however.


--Julia

[quote=hales;88423]

if we felt like we were in control of things, we wouldn't (feel we) have to ask a higher power for help, protection, guidance, etc..

[MsTerry]

So why do people pray?
It's just to create miracles, but in the hand of the inexperienced it can turn disastrous.
All these kids praying to have a flying pig take them away for a day has now resulted in avian swine flu.

[hales]

"This is your brain on spirituality.."

I don't know if anyone is still interested in this thread, but I found a good article on prayer and the brain, at:

Can Positive Thoughts Help Heal Another Person? : NPR (https://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=104351710)

The article is part of a series, so if you like it, look at the box on the lower left that shows "more in the series".. nothing conclusive, but it seem like a good exploration of how spirituality and the brain interact... of course a materialist and a true-believe would interpret the data differently..

for more interesting stuff on the brain, check out Jill Bolte Taylor's lecture on TED.com, if you haven't already :

Jill Bolte Taylor | Profile on TED.com (https://www.ted.com/speakers/jill_bolte_taylor.html)

I heard her on the radio, talking about looking back on this experience and what she described her stroke as, sounded like a peak spiritual experience, because the stroke completely turned off her left hemisphere, bringing her fully into the moment..

NPR Media Player (https://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=91861432&m=91875724)

peace, ; )
Scott.




"These two questions look like they are related, but they are not."

Maybe they are related, after all.. if we felt like we were in control of things, we wouldn't (feel we) have to ask a higher power for help, protection, guidance, etc..

Interesting how the question about prayer bleeds into the topics of religion and victimization of the young and helpless.

I do not think prayer works because God or someone decides to answer our requests, I think it's more likely that the person praying puts himself or herself in harmony with a subtle energy or spiritual principle that underlies and connects all things. An attitude of visualization and positive expectation, combined with some kind of vital energy (such as breath, intense emotions, and/or strongly focused attention) seems to work.

Scott

[Tinque]

Mykil , you of all people should know ... It's getting down on your knees !



Thought for the day

"The LORD is my light and my salvation whom shall I fear? The LORD is the stronghold of my life of whom shall I be afraid?" Psalm 27:1

[ripplewindwanders]

Oh, please don't encourage him. But seriously, prayer is powerful and if your loved ones or you need healing it is very important to invoke the power of prayer. Here's just a couple of quotes to validate the truth of the power:

One of the most quoted scientific studies of prayer was done between August of 1982 and May of 1983. 393 patients in the San Francisco General Hospital’s Coronary Care Unit participated in a double blind study to assess the therapeutic effects of intercessory prayer. Patients were randomly selected by computer to either receive or not receive intercessory prayer. All participants in the study, including patients, doctors, and the conductor of the study himself remained blind throughout the study, To guard against biasing the study, the patients were not contacted again after it was decided which group would be prayed for, and which group would not.

It was assumed that although the patients in the control group would not be prayed for by the participants in the study, that others-family members, friends etc., would likely pray for the health of at least some of the members of the control group. There was no control over this factor. Meanwhile all of the members of the group that received prayer would be prayed for by not only those associated with the study, but by others as well.

The results of the study are not surprising to those of us who believe in the power of prayer. The patients who had received prayer as a part of the study were healthier than those who had not. The prayed for group had less need of having CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) performed and less need for the use of mechanical ventilators. They had a diminished necessity for diuretics and antibiotics, less occurrences of pulmonary edema, and fewer deaths. Taking all factors into consideration, these results can only be attributed to the power of prayer.






In a study on germinating seeds done by Dr. Franklin Loehr, a Presbyterian minister and scientist, the objective was to see in a controlled experiment what effect prayer had over living and seemingly non-living matter. In one experiment they took three pans of various types of seeds. One was the control pan. One pan received positive prayer, and the other received negative prayer. Time after time, the results indicated that prayer helped speed germination and produced more vigorous plants. Prayers of negation actually halted germination in some plants and suppressed growth in others.

In another experiment two bottles of spring water were purchased. One container was used as a control, receiving no prayer; a group prayed for the second. The water was then used on pans of corn seeds layered in cotton, with one pan receiving the prayer water and the other receiving the control water. The pan receiving the prayer water sprouted a day earlier than seeds in the other pan. The prayer seeds had a higher germination and growth rate. The experiment was repeated with the same result each time

WE ALL HAVE AMAZING MAGIC IN US

[Sylph]

There were some problems with the first study mentioned above. For one, the research assistant who collected date was unblinded. It's been quoted a bunch, but there are more current studies.
A more recent, large study showed that heart patients who knew they were being prayed for did worse. What's up with that? You'd think it would be comforting to know you were being thought of and prayed for! The article ventures that the patients may have had "performance anxiety".

A Celebrated Study
Three years ago, results from a landmark study carefully designed to put the debate to rest went public. The study received some attention at the time, but seemed to have escaped the notice of many Christians, probably because of its surprising—and for Christians, disturbing—conclusions. The Study of the Therapeutic Effects of Intercessory Prayer (STEP), conducted under the auspices of Harvard Medical School, was by far the most comprehensive of its kind. The study required 10 years and $2.4 million, and was mainly underwritten by the John Templeton Foundation, a supporter of studies that explore the intersection between religion and science.

STEP was simple and elegant, conforming to standard research norms and protocols: 1,802 patients, all admitted for coronary artery bypass graft surgery, were divided into three randomized groups. Two of the groups received prayer from committed Christians with experience praying for the sick. But only one group's members knew they were being prayed for. The result: The group whose members knew they were being prayed for did worse in terms of post-operative complications than those whose members were unsure if they were receiving prayer. The knowledge that they were being prayed for by a special group of intercessors seemed to have a negative effect on their health.
What Do Prayer Studies Prove? | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction (https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/may/27.43.html)

[ripplewindwanders]

That is interesting? Do you think it was performance anxiety? Did the people who knew they were being prayed for become their own cynic? Can resistance make the intent of the vibration make the vibration null and void? I know everybody's familiar with Mr. Emoto's water experiments. I think there's an important lesson there. Water absorbs everything around it. No resistance. Practically the symbol of the Tao. Maybe there's a lesson there. Let's look at some of the results again. (Note the after prayer pic)

Mr. Emoto has discovered many fascinating differences in the crystalline structures of water from many different sources and different conditions around the planet. Water from pristine mountain streams and springs show the beautifully formed geometric designs in their crystalline patterns. Polluted and toxic water from industrial and populated areas and stagnated water from water pipes and storage dams show definitively distorted and randomly formed crystalline structures.


<center> <table border="0" cellpadding="2" width="100%"> <tbody> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%">
https://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight/emoto/saijo_japan.gif
Sanbu-ichi Yusui Spring water,
</td> <td align="center" width="33%">
https://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight/emoto/shimanto_river.jpg
Japan Shimanto River, referred to as the last clean stream in Japan
</td> <td align="center" width="34%">
https://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight/emoto/antarctic.jpg
Antarctic Ice
</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%">
https://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight/emoto/lourdes.jpg
Fountain in Lourdes, France
</td> <td align="center" width="33%">
https://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight/emoto/biwako_lake.jpg
Biwako Lake, the largest lake at the center of Japan and the water pool of the Kinki Region. Pollution is getting worse.
</td> <td align="center" width="34%">
https://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight/emoto/yodo_river.jpg
Yodo River, Japan, pours into the Bay of Osaka. The river passes through most of the major cities in Kasai.
</td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="33%">
https://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight/emoto/distilled.jpg
Untreated Distilled Water
</td> <td align="center" width="33%">
https://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight/emoto/fujiwara_before.jpg
Fujiwara Dam, before offering a prayer
</td> <td align="center" width="34%">
https://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight/emoto/fujiwara_prayer.jpg
Fujiwara Dam, after offering a prayer
</td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </center>
With the recent popularity in music therapy, Mr. Emoto decided to see what effects music has on the structuring of water. He placed distilled water between two speakers for several hours and then photographed the crystals that formed after the water was frozen.
<table border="0" cellpadding="2" width="100%"><tbody><tr><td width="33%">

https://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight/emoto/beethoven_pastoral.jpg
Beethoven's Pastorale

</td> <td width="33%">

https://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight/emoto/tibet_sutra.jpg
Tibet Sutra

</td> <td width="34%"> https://www.life-enthusiast.com/twilight/emoto/kawachi_folk_dance.jpg
</td></tr></tbody></table>

What does the power of thought or prayer do? It's magical no doubt. Subtle and Powerful. I think change can be both. Or just moving in a positive direction. How to make the world a better place with all this info is the question. I don't know but I think one of the main lessons is try to maintain a POSITIVE VIBRATION.


Positive vibration yeah!
Positive

If you get down and quarrel everyday
you're saying prayers to the devil, I say
Why not help another on the way
Make it much easier
Say you just can't live that negative way
You know what I mean
Make way for the positive day

Cause its a new day
New time, new feeling yeah!
Say it's a new sign
Oh what a new day
Picking up.
Are you picking up now
Jah love, Jah love, protect us (Repeat)
Rastaman Vibration yeah!
Positive
I and I vibration yeah! Irie Ites
Vibes, got to have a good vibe





There were some problems with the first study mentioned above. For one, the research assistant who collected date was unblinded. It's been quoted a bunch, but there are more current studies.
A more recent, large study showed that heart patients who knew they were being prayed for did worse. What's up with that? You'd think it would be comforting to know you were being thought of and prayed for! The article ventures that the patients may have had "performance anxiety".

What Do Prayer Studies Prove? | Christianity Today | A Magazine of Evangelical Conviction (https://www.christianitytoday.com/ct/2009/may/27.43.html)

[Braggi]

... I know everybody's familiar with Mr. Emoto's water experiments. I think there's an important lesson there. ...

There is an important lesson here: Mr. Emoto faked his pictures. I thought everyone was aware of that. Do google him and read up.

-Jeff

[mykil]

Amy; love ya, although tests studies done back in the seventies and what not is not the direction I was thinking this one would go. Although all the tests done are an important factor in our time, I still believe this is right up there with quoting the bible and having argument or debate, we have all been thru this before and to me it is just as old as time itself.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
I am looking towards an evolution here an evolutionary thought pattern that does not seem to be available. WE really do not need to go back in time to get there do we? I think we can start a new and get there for free, as far as quoting the bible and any other ancient text, been there done that. <o:p></o:p>
What I was after here was more on the lines of everyone to try and come up with a new view on your own, using your own mind in your own words. I know this is hard for most, but think of this as a test, a test of your own humanity and your own fundamentals on life’s fantastic and never ending voyage, post what is truly on one’s own mind. <o:p></o:p>
I started asking people a while back what their spiritually path was and most quoted what path they were on their way down that was bought at the local spiritually center in some sort of off the wall territory I am truly unaware of. just about everyone could not tell me in their own words what path they themselves were truly on without bringing in some sort of exercise or religion and quoting words from some ancient Greek god, or some sort of written text. Again all I am after is something real, something fitting for our path. I am sure there really are some really neat and nifty paths of enlightenment to go down; I am more than happy to express my gratitude for the folks that are truly helping others on their way.<o:p></o:p>
I think our society is fairly brain washed and most like it this way, can anyone come up with a thought that deserves our attention and praise without bringing in something from the past? <o:p></o:p>
Our new prayer should not be an ancient ritual; it should be something that has our attention now, now as in living in right here and now. The shallow prayers are bringing our culture and society down, asking for simple tasks such as a new lover or a new house is plainly simple minded. Even as a young lad going to Sunday school learning about the bible and prayer, I would never pray to god for something for myself, I knew better then and I know better now. Manifesting things out of thin air can be easily enough done, this goes without saying, but what are the consciences going to be? The secret is out the secret to me was just a way of bringing us down to a lower level. Can you imagine all that selfish energy just flowing towards our god! What kind of self endured society do we live in anyway? How can we become one if the only thing people want is to be one by themselves set away from everyone else with bigger and better bounty?<o:p></o:p>
When we pray we should all pray for something real such as maybe and this is just a relatively simple example of what I pray for everyday, our oceans to be clean, our world to be free of hatred for mankind and we should pray for peace everywhere on our earth, our galaxy, and our universe should be prayed for as well. AS of now, until I myself evolve toward a new prayer, this is what I pray for. <o:p></o:p>
I started out as a young lad praying every eve before bed, and this included my friends and family and even then I was praying for ever person on this fine earth. So as you can see I am evolving forward with my new prayers, I even pray for what lies beyond our universe and I even and truly pray for our god!<o:p></o:p>
With ever thing I have just written I am betting I will still get quotes from the bible… :hmmm:<o:p></o:p>

[hales]

Hey, Mykil.. I was sorely tempted to quote the book of Bob.. (Dylan).. thanks for reining me in, with your remarkably clear clarification of your ealier query, and requesting that it be, "in your own words".

I think that if you ask a really good question, then the answer is contained, therein.. ; ) Sounds like you are already on the path to here and now.. with love and gratitude for all.. : ) This is where it's at.. and this is where we are. Trying to go somewhere/when else results in a game we can't win, just endlessly seeking someone or something.

I think maybe simply being as truly present as possible, with love and gratitude in this moment, with whomever we are with, with whatever is on our plates, however much cash is or isn't in our pockets, etc.. that might be my idea of true prayer.. I never could get into asking God for stuff. I figure if there is such a being he/she/it out to be smarter than me, as far as knowing what is needed, here and now.

Here is another question.. why do folks want to find answers outside of themselves? Is it because we are conditioned to look there, instead of within? Why do people look to the past and the future when those times and spaces are beyond our control? We probably can't even remember or imagine them very accurately, with our selective senses, our mental and emotional filters and arbitrary processing and funky file systems.. (I'm really just speaking for myself, forgive the "we" statement... but if the shoes fit, feel free to walk in them.. ; )

Thanks for "being here".. ; )

Scott.


Amy; love ya, although tests studies done back in the seventies and what not is not the direction I was thinking this one would go. Although all the tests done are an important factor in our time, I still believe this is right up there with quoting the bible and having argument or debate, we have all been thru this before and to me it is just as old as time itself.<o:p></o:p>
I am looking towards an evolution here an evolutionary thought pattern that does not seem to be available. WE really do not need to go back in time to get there do we? I think we can start a new and get there for free, as far as quoting the bible and any other ancient text, been there done that. <o:p></o:p>
What I was after here was more on the lines of everyone to try and come up with a new view on your own, using your own mind in your own words. I know this is hard for most, but think of this as a test, a test of your own humanity and your own fundamentals on life’s fantastic and never ending voyage, post what is truly on one’s own mind. <o:p></o:p>
I started asking people a while back what their spiritually path was and most quoted what path they were on their way down that was bought at the local spiritually center in some sort of off the wall territory I am truly unaware of. just about everyone could not tell me in their own words what path they themselves were truly on without bringing in some sort of exercise or religion and quoting words from some ancient Greek god, or some sort of written text. Again all I am after is something real, something fitting for our path. I am sure there really are some really neat and nifty paths of enlightenment to go down; I am more than happy to express my gratitude for the folks that are truly helping others on their way.<o:p></o:p>
I think our society is fairly brain washed and most like it this way, can anyone come up with a thought that deserves our attention and praise without bringing in something from the past? <o:p></o:p>
Our new prayer should not be an ancient ritual; it should be something that has our attention now, now as in living in right here and now. The shallow prayers are bringing our culture and society down, asking for simple tasks such as a new lover or a new house is plainly simple minded. Even as a young lad going to Sunday school learning about the bible and prayer, I would never pray to god for something for myself, I knew better then and I know better now. Manifesting things out of thin air can be easily enough done, this goes without saying, but what are the consciences going to be? The secret is out the secret to me was just a way of bringing us down to a lower level. Can you imagine all that selfish energy just flowing towards our god! What kind of self endured society do we live in anyway? How can we become one if the only thing people want is to be one by themselves set away from everyone else with bigger and better bounty?<o:p></o:p>
When we pray we should all pray for something real such as maybe and this is just a relatively simple example of what I pray for everyday, our oceans to be clean, our world to be free of hatred for mankind and we should pray for peace everywhere on our earth, our galaxy, and our universe should be prayed for as well. AS of now, until I myself evolve toward a new prayer, this is what I pray for. <o:p></o:p>
I started out as a young lad praying every eve before bed, and this included my friends and family and even then I was praying for ever person on this fine earth. So as you can see I am evolving forward with my new prayers, I even pray for what lies beyond our universe and I even and truly pray for our god!<o:p></o:p>
With ever thing I have just written I am betting I will still get quotes from the bible… :hmmm:<o:p></o:p>

[Barry]

There is an important lesson here: Mr. Emoto faked his pictures. I thought everyone was aware of that. Do google him and read up.

-Jeff There is a good discussion about the validity of Emoto's pictures here (https://www.stevepavlina.com/forums/psychic-paranormal/14417-emoto-water-crystals.html).

[mykil]

Scott; yes you are right on top of me and I am thinking you can read my mind at times! HA! I do know where I want to go with this post and I do have the rest of my life to preach my mind as well as ripplewind has stated! I think the point I am trying to address is the never ending need to pray for something for all of us, not just the one, yet it has to come from the one true self to be recognized as a real entity, not just following in people footsteps such as following and praying for the same things Jesus did or Buddha or the Dali Lama. These folks were and are individuals with a thought pattern of their own. That is what made them so powerful. People need to bring this out from themselves and truly want something for the whole, something that has not ever been done on a global level before. People can think for themselves and come up with e same conclusion I am sure. Without the need to ask someone else or read about it and have this their own true belief system.<?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
I used to believe in the Christian way of life, this was the way I was raised and pray to the Christian god as well. Now I have evolved and pray for my own god, as in all of us. I pray to us as in a whole and I believe this is my god as of now. But what is in a god? Why can’t we all pray for the same thing from all our gods at the same time? Without the need to bicker and fight about whose god is truly the right god? Does it matter?<o:p></o:p>
AS for Ripplewind’s suggestion to keep preaching and probably come up with the same conclusions as we already know, YEAH! WE have all the answers as of now that we need in my mind anyway, we just need to learn how to disperse them properly and make sure we use them properly and this is what I think we really need to get focused on and learn how to achieve the ultimate for all. Prayer works, this is no lie. Weather you believe it or not. As I have stated earlier at a simple glance how accurate the mind works, from thinking about needing a glass of lemonade, then thinking about it long and hard, then finally getting up and making yourself a glass. That was thought and it works if you let it! Prayer is no different, it has to work, scientifically sound evidence I have just given. No bull simple and to the point. And we can do so much more it is hard to tell out limits. We just need to learn to use the tool.<o:p></o:p>
There is a huge pile of plastic trash in the middle of our Pacific ocean that needs to be cleaned up, can prayer help? In my eyes I see no reason why it can’t. There is no reason prayer cannot help with this process. Start praying about it, people will see how important it is and then it shall get done, it will take work, one hell of a lot of work but it can be done. The more people that pray for this to become a reality the easier it shall be to clean up and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Impossible is the word we are getting now, too expensive to even attempt is what the governments say. Why? Are we just going to give up? Can we all add this little one thought into our mind and make this a reality?<o:p></o:p>
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[hales]

Just riffin' ..

What I think you are getting at, is that for us to "make" anything happen, or to un-do something, it first has to be a thought or intention in our minds. Ancient people (and some Sebastopolian neo-pagans ; ), used to think that the sun and the clouds had to be prayed to, or else there would be no sun or rain. I recently heard a lecture on how the human mind has evolved to look for patterns even where there is none, (Like the famous image on the local tortilla.. ; ).. because to fail to see patterns was not good for survival. Aboriginal hunters used the dream-time to locate their prey and to arrange to meet them in the proper time and place.. people have always felt a connection to the world, through dreams, visions, and intuition.

I think whatever we see in the world is there because we have co-created it.. and that we can uncreate or recreate it, if we are clear in our sustained attention and intention. If there is too much garbage in the world, maybe we need to clean up our thoughts and intentions.

S.




Scott; yes you are right on top of me and I am thinking you can read my mind at times! HA! I do know where I want to go with this post and I do have the rest of my life to preach my mind as well as ripplewind has stated! I think the point I am trying to address is the never ending need to pray for something for all of us, not just the one, yet it has to come from the one true self to be recognized as a real entity, not just following in people footsteps such as following and praying for the same things Jesus did or Buddha or the Dali Lama. These folks were and are individuals with a thought pattern of their own. That is what made them so powerful. People need to bring this out from themselves and truly want something for the whole, something that has not ever been done on a global level before. People can think for themselves and come up with e same conclusion I am sure. Without the need to ask someone else or read about it and have this their own true belief system.<o:p></o:p>
I used to believe in the Christian way of life, this was the way I was raised and pray to the Christian god as well. Now I have evolved and pray for my own god, as in all of us. I pray to us as in a whole and I believe this is my god as of now. But what is in a god? Why can’t we all pray for the same thing from all our gods at the same time? Without the need to bicker and fight about whose god is truly the right god? Does it matter?<o:p></o:p>
AS for Ripplewind’s suggestion to keep preaching and probably come up with the same conclusions as we already know, YEAH! WE have all the answers as of now that we need in my mind anyway, we just need to learn how to disperse them properly and make sure we use them properly and this is what I think we really need to get focused on and learn how to achieve the ultimate for all. Prayer works, this is no lie. Weather you believe it or not. As I have stated earlier at a simple glance how accurate the mind works, from thinking about needing a glass of lemonade, then thinking about it long and hard, then finally getting up and making yourself a glass. That was thought and it works if you let it! Prayer is no different, it has to work, scientifically sound evidence I have just given. No bull simple and to the point. And we can do so much more it is hard to tell out limits. We just need to learn to use the tool.<o:p></o:p>
There is a huge pile of plastic trash in the middle of our Pacific ocean that needs to be cleaned up, can prayer help? In my eyes I see no reason why it can’t. There is no reason prayer cannot help with this process. Start praying about it, people will see how important it is and then it shall get done, it will take work, one hell of a lot of work but it can be done. The more people that pray for this to become a reality the easier it shall be to clean up and make sure it doesn’t happen again. Impossible is the word we are getting now, too expensive to even attempt is what the governments say. Why? Are we just going to give up? Can we all add this little one thought into our mind and make this a reality?<o:p></o:p>
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[Lorrie]

Mykil? Did I miss something?

I have been away for a while.....

Did something happen to you?

I am stunned... all of these posts by you in this thread are flawless!!!

Are you okay? Is there anything I can do?
Was it the birthday?

Bravo, my friend. Bravo.

And you have my graditude.

I have to go and re read them again... Beautiful.

[Lorrie]

I lost my keys to my car (I was devistated) on Monday and I thought I would have to somehow fork out $240.00 to get three locks re-keyed.

I prayed and prayed to God (the one you had with your Christian up-bringing...)

I believed I was going to get my keys back as though God had already given them back to me.

I was supposed to meet the guy at 1pm. It was 12 or so, I went back and to retrace my steps again once more.

I FOUND THEM! What a relief! I HAVE to tell you!!!

Prayer does work. But in my belief...for prayer to work, you have to believe you have recieved I mean musturd seed to mountain believe...
that you have already recieved.

I never met the key guy.

Thank you God!!!




Just riffin' ..

What I think you are getting at, is that for us to "make" anything happen, or to un-do something, it first has to be a thought or intention in our minds. Ancient people (and some Sebastopolian neo-pagans ; ), used to think that the sun and the clouds had to be prayed to, or else there would be no sun or rain. I recently heard a lecture on how the human mind has evolved to look for patterns even where there is none, (Like the famous image on the local tortilla.. ; ).. because to fail to see patterns was not good for survival. Aboriginal hunters used the dream-time to locate their prey and to arrange to meet them in the proper time and place.. people have always felt a connection to the world, through dreams, visions, and intuition.

I think whatever we see in the world is there because we have co-created it.. and that we can uncreate or recreate it, if we are clear in our sustained attention and intention. If there is too much garbage in the world, maybe we need to clean up our thoughts and intentions.

S.

[ripplewindwanders]

I think all these great minds should start to focus and manifest. I know of at least one web experiment that will help the ongoing quest for proof in prayer. The link is The Experiments | The Intention Experiment (https://www.theintentionexperiment.com/the_experiments). Put your prayers into action every sunday. Hallelujah! If anyone knows of any other active experiments please let us all know. May God (the greater consciousness) be with us all.