  Spiritual
This week: The Transformative Power of Prayer Edited by: Shannon  
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I recently got into an interesting discussion with an acquaintance of mine who is a self-proclaimed atheist. "I've always found it fascinating," she said, "how prayer is a win-win for the person doing the praying: if what they're praying for comes to pass, then it was the power of prayer, and if it doesn't then it wasn't God's will. Everything's tied up all neat and tidy."
I'd never thought of it that way before, and the concept stuck with me. Funny how one sentence from someone of a different faith (or no faith at all) can alter your perspective. What she said made sense, I just wasn't sure it mattered all that much because, I believe, prayer is more about the intention behind the act itself than the outcome.
You can no more prove prayer works than you can disprove it. You can believe it works, but you really can't prove that it does. If something you pray for happens, like a friend's cancer goes into remission, nonbelievers would say it would have happened anyway--it was the chemo, not your prayers. If what you're praying for doesn't happen believers would say it wasn't God's will, while nonbelievers would say it has nothing to do with God. It just wasn't meant to be.
Like most things religious and spiritual, prayer is based on faith.
As kids, my brothers and I said the same prayer every night. My husband was raised with a slightly different version, but this is how ours went:
Now I lay me down to sleep
I pray the Lord my soul to keep
If I should die before I wake
I pray the Lord my soul to take
Kinda morbid, now that I think about it, but I never noticed when I was a child. The prayer was repeated every night like a mantra. I doubt we even thought about the words we were saying or what they meant. It was just something we did because Mom and Dad said so. As I grew older I prayed less and less, eventually stopping altogether once I hit the age of seventeen, and I didn't pray again, not in earnest, anyway, until I was in my early 40s. By then I'd attained a greater understanding, and prayer had taken on a whole new meaning.
For me, prayer is about acknowledgement and gratitude. I pray with my eyes open while riding my bike along the river, and I pray with my eyes closed while taking a bubble bath. It might be something as simple as saying "Thank you" and really meaning it, or a more complex ten-minute dialogue. And I prefer to pray in private, not because I'm ashamed or embarrassed, but because, for me, prayer is a very private, very personal conversation between myself and the Creator.
Sometimes other people ask you to pray for them or their loved one(s). I feel this request should not be taken lightly. When you tell someone you'll pray for them, you have made a solemn vow which should be taken seriously. If you have no intention of following through, don't say you will.
I believe prayer changes the person doing the praying more than anything else. It's an acknowledgement, a surrender, a letting go. For example, have you ever prayed for someone you don't like? Maybe there's a coworker, a neighbor, or a relative who just rubs you the wrong way. Perhaps it's never entered your mind to pray for them, and it might be difficult for you at first, but nothing will change your perspective, your attitude, or your peace of mind like praying for someone you really don't like. Pray for their safety. Pray for their happiness. Pray for their wellbeing. You might find you're the beneficiary of your own prayer because you're letting go of hatred, hard feelings, and toxic negativity.
Prayer calms and soothes us. It brings us comfort and peace of mind. Prayer reminds us there is something greater than ourselves while emphasizing our unity with all that is, all that has ever been, and all that will ever be.
Thank you for reading.
"If the only prayer you said was thank you, that would be enough." ~ Meister Eckhart
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The following is in response to "Do You Believe?" :
Jeff  writes, "I always find it interesting when people declare some faith-based concepts factual and others false. By definition, faith is the belief in something that cannot necessarily be proven... so it's fascinating to me when someone is 100% certain of one type of unknown (like the existence of a higher power) while at the same time being 100% certain that another type of unknown (phenomena like ghosts and possession) can't possibly exist. It seems to be like a logical person would have to consider - for at least the remote possibility - that if one kind of experience can exist, then others may potentially exist as well." Exactly, Jeff! I couldn't agree more. Thank you for sharing. 
Elfin Dragon-finally published  writes, "Another interesting newsletter. The fact humans only use a small portion of their brains often accounts for some of the strange abilities of others. Including any form of ESP. If one studies long enough, anyone is capable of it - any monk will tell you this. But I figured, just as you were calling for believers, there are always those who don't. Unfortunately I think the vast majority of psychics have simply done their homework or can weasel answers out from you without your realizing it. Just watch The Mentalist or Sherlock Holmes and it becomes 'Elementary'. Many 'Demon Possessions' have been diagnosed as mental illnesses (I'm not saying it doesn't happen). Ghosts have often been the suggestiveness of overactive imaginations in a spooky place. Sometimes it's simply the fact we so want to believe in the supernatural. Sure, I believe God and Satan exist. Why wouldn't I? They believe I exist. (Quote Constantine  ) I have a belief that good and evil exist in the world and you need to be alert, whatever you want to call it." While skeptical at times, I am open to almost anything. I don't profess to know the hows and whys of the universe, but I was born curious. I want to learn what I can, listen to others, and read everything I can get my hands on. The only thing I do know is that I don't and never will know everything, and we should beware of those who profess to know all the answers. Thank you for reading and commenting! 
embe  writes, "Hello Shannon. Thank you for your inspiring newsletter, based on the faith of God almighty. Aw, thank you, embe. I appreciate your kind, sweet spirit. Thank you. 
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Spiritual: February 18, 2015 Issue [#6831]
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