A New Kind of Prayer

Have you prayed before? What did/does it look, sound, feel like? Who or what did you pray to?

Many of us have attempted to pray--in some form or another. We pray to percieved God(s) that live in Heaven or other forms of paradises. We pray to intangible forces when we silently or verbally utter, "please don't let it rain, please let my friend be okay, oh let me have the strength to do this". We pray to our grandmothers, grandfathers, friends, and family members that have passed. We even pray to ourselves-to be strong, wise, kind, and smart.

Prayer is an innate part of being human. It's as natural as sleeping, drinking water, and feeling emotions. So why is the word "prayer" so controversial? Why do we shy away from or obsess about idea of praying? Why do we feel like we have to follow rules, rituals, and paradigms when it comes to praying? Why do we attach the idea of praying to mostly Christianity?

I recently completed a book entitled "The Energy of Prayer" by Thich Nhat Hanh. In the book, Hanh suggests that prayer is a way to release positive energy. Whether or not we believe our prayers hit the ceiling or sail into the heavens, they inevitably send positive vibes into the world. Just imagine:You are exremely ill and a sangha (community) circles around your bed to pray for your health, prosperity, and strength. Who the sangha prays to is insignificant; for the heartfelt love of the sangha will increase your comfort and peace.

We often think that we can only pray to a God, and while that is a wonderful option, we should not feel limited when it comes to who or what we pray to. We can pray to trees, the sky, loved ones, the universe, the stars, God, or ancient sages. No matter what, the prayer strengthens our connection with the world, our feelings, our loved ones, and mother nature. It has the power to heal and reuite us with the present moment.