I recall giving a similar answer many years ago when someone suggested to me during a challenging time to pray! However, I worked through my resistance and gave it a try. Today it is still an important part of my daily practice-why because it has worked for me-and I could give endless examples. There are three aspects to my prayer life-the first is to pray, the second is to listen and the the third is to take action, as a result prayer is a dynamic process. The results bring me a sense of connection of guidance and hope. As with all practices they need practice to grow our own prayer life that works for us and this is an adventure you may wish to take. I did pray as a child and my return to prayer was too this way of praying, however I have come to see that the doing is more relevant than how we do it. So in my beginning I would pray on my knees with my hands in the prayer position I find it a very humbling posture to offer prayers and today I will sometimes pray in this way. Though more often my prayers are part of my meditation practice or offered while out walking with the land. I will take a moment and take some breaths drop into my heart and offer my prayers sometimes spoken and sometimes silently. I find just like questions prayers are openings and can lead us somewhere new. I use both a mix of traditional prayers and also what comes from my heart. Prayer can be seen as a communication with the universe and once we speak its good to listen to what comes back ,this may be instant or over a period of time. Once we recieve a clear answer then the final part comes into play to act on the guidence. This how we build trust and faith in the power and effectivness of prayer. To pray is a act of humility for me so as I do not know what is best for another I do not pray for outcomes for others. I do give thanks to others that are helping me in my life in whatever way that is. It is important as in all aspects we take responsibility for our prayers. Often when I am unable to find a way forward in a situation I will simply offer it in my prayer and say “I do not know please help me” and then listen and act as is required or not. This has proved over and over very effective and with my trust in prayer strong it relives a lot of tension for me finding the courage to not know is a prayer in itself. What do I pray to? Well that has changed over the years as I have developed connection and relationships with powers greater than me which has taken different names and meaning at different times again an adventure to undertake for ourselves. Sometimes the most simple actions can be very powerful and get lost. Prayer is simple and effective practice in our spiritual lives- I remember my awakening to this, i had been with someone for a few days at a convention and we had a long trip back to Bristol overnight my patience was low at this point my prayer was “please may I not give my anger to this person on our journey back” within a minute a car pulled up with another friend offering us both a lift back to Bristol! My prayer was answered immediatly, there are not always but I trust if I ask it is heard and answered in time. Maybe a workshop on prayer and blessings would be helpful for the future. I am offering individual sessions for people from Monday 30th March contact for details.”These are unique times and may we find the resources on all levels to practcally and spiritualy adapt to what is presented to us” this is my prayer for us all.
Shamanic healing near Perth, Scotland