Page 52 - NAMAH-Apr-2021

Namah Vol. 29, Issue 1, 24th April 2021

grateful, because it proves that we now have prayer, through meaningful practice, also

enough strength and power to handle them. settles little by little the process in openness,
In therapy, I constantly highlight this positive an underlying natural mindset which invites

perspective to any patient in depression or us to be in a permanent inner state of prayer.
with any major mental challenge. It allows Our faith in the One to whom we pray
us to tackle the problem from a spiritual becomes deeper, leading at the ultimate
angle, which, in return, brings new skills to stage, to no longer have distinctions between
the patient. However, at one point, we may praying and not praying. All life becomes a
also reach the end of our capacities to handle prayer. Doing so, and whatever the outcome,
specific problems, yet some deep part within our faith brings back to us the certainty in
us may never want to give up, because its the result of our prayer. We reach the final
very nature is to survive. We also realise stage of the prayer, a total and fully conscious
that help may be needed. In that context, surrender to what happens here and now.
prayer should never be practised randomly or
nonchalantly, because it may lead to contrary Finally, we should not try to mentally
outcomes, strengthening the an aspect one understand the whole process of prayer,
would like to get rid of, reinforcing our ego since it is a field that is totally unknown to
and, finally, enhancing our lower nature. our human nature. Let us remember that
prayer is for the fulfilment of our psychic being
Before prayer and not for the development of our ego.

Before praying, we should know that our During prayer
practice is truthful. The subject of our prayer
must be sincere. By bringing authenticity and Depending on the individual background, the
honesty to each prayer, we become not only ‘when’, ‘where’ and ‘how’ unfold differently.
more accurate in the process, but we bring more However, intention and preparation play a
consciousness into our daily practice. Prayer big role in the success of a prayer, although
increases naturally our practice of mindfulness, one can pray spontaneously as well.
a positive reward in the exercise of self-
observation. Being fully present while praying Let us start from our natural mindset, our
helps to distinguish whether the topic we intend current state of consciousness, whatever it might
praying for is relevant or not. Sometimes we be and without judging it. Acknowledging
might spontaneously resolve an issue without our mood with sincerity, discrimination
prayer, simply through our intuition or sense of and surrender is already part of the prayer.
discernment. By increasing our capacity to solve Focusing on how to separate the spiritual
issues before they become definite problems, and the human inside, we acknowledge those
we do not meaninglessly overuse the power antagonist forces fighting for supremacy
of prayer. On the contrary, we become more over our system. We decide to focus on our
able to invoke the collaboration of our human spiritual side, starting to pray from this space,
nature with the psychic being. while trying to quieten our human part.

Becoming more conscious of the power of During prayer, we identify any disturbing

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