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February 24, 2016

My Chosen Form of Prayer.

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I never grew up praying.

I did not grow up attending religious services.

The idea of prayer intimidated me and if I can be honest, I thought it was a bit cultish. I was highly skeptical that something so ‘simple’ could have such a profound effect.

And yet as a child, the idea of prayer also filled me with a bit of mysterious wonder.

I had a vision of what prayer was supposed to look like and maybe feel like, so a few times, I secretly dabbled in prayer. I prayed in ways that felt true to me and eventually as I studied more of myself through meditation, I came to understand the purpose of prayer.

I call my form of prayer, meditative prayer.

I start in meditation and then consciously choose to offer a loving response to whatever thoughts arise. It’s an extension of meditation where beyond shifting my focus from mind chatter to each breath, I use the stillness to nourish myself with loving guidance. I engage in loving conversation with spirit and close each dialogue with a sincere ‘thank you’ to whatever outcome came about. As I press my palms together at heart center, I bow lightly and simply surrender into the arms of spirit.

In essence, meditative prayer is a loving response to my appeal for extra support when I feel scared, uncertain, or just need a nudge to remind me I’m not alone in anything I feel or do.

I offer this form of prayer to all because it has shined a light in my darkest corners and it has made my lightest moments brighter.

The beauty of this form of prayer teaches us that no coincidence is a mistake, but rather a miracle. That every encounter we have, however brief, is an invitation for our prayers to be heard. That we’re supported on every path we choose, even and especially when we feel lost. And that ultimately the answers to our prayers lie in our willingness to breathe in the words:

“I trust you. I’m here for you. I love you.”

Beyond using this form of prayer as a powerful communication tool four ourselves, it reminds us that we are connected to something greater. I often feel the connective power of this prayer when suddenly, someone else in my life will share that he or she is going through what I am going through. In that moment I feel an inner voice gently remind me:

“I trust you. I’m here for you. I love you.”

Meditative prayer can take any shape or form and is available to everyone without condition of race, gender, age, geographic location, or religious denomination. This form of prayer is not dependent upon a particular set of words or stated in a specific language. Given it has no boundaries and does not judge, it is available at all times eternally without limits to time. It sounds a whole lot like the purest form of love!

Prayer itself is love, and meditative prayer in action is a quiet, sacred time to listen and to love oneself as an entity and extension of spirit.

~

Author: Ayami Yamamichi

Editor: Caitlin Oriel

Image: Austin Ban/Unsplash

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