Prayer

M. Inglis
May 11, 1999

I would like to share some thoughts on prayer. I presume most here would dialog on this topic.

I would like to talk about our personal prayer, our communion with the heart of the universe. I find public / rote prayer to be offensive. I will not say the Unification Church pledge, it does nothing for me.

Prayer for me is embedded in life. Last night our 3 year old, with only a T-shirt on walked across the room, the shape of her bottom immediately connected me with God. It was truly beautiful. Prayer without words is the best, in that moment we experience the deepest love and beauty life has. But this doesn't happen when we will it to.

How then can we cultivate the heart that is open to the divine in life. One that can at any moment see God in each other. I believe it is similar to being in love. Vulnerability / openness / purity is the key. My child's heart is so open. At the moment of birth I believe children are almost 100% spirit, the body is so small. But as we get older experiences close our hearts. Cynicism, bitterness, resentment close our hearts. We don't want to be vulnerable.

But in love we are inexplicably vulnerable. The heart opens to the other. How then to keep the heart open to the God within? It takes effort, cultivation. Conscious choices to do so.

In prayer then we can make love to the divine. Of course, when we make love to our spouse (not just physically, though then too) and both of us make love to the divine, God is there.

How then to love all. I sometimes try to pull an image of the globe concretely into my minds eye. I can then fly to any part of the globe and connect in heart with my brothers and sisters there. (It helps to have traveled extensively, as I have) I can remember images, sounds, smells.

I have to go to an exciting meeting now! I will return to this subject again, and I would love to learn from others here.

Gus and the other musically talented here, would you care to share how music helps you connect with the divine?