Constant Prayer

As a child, I was told to pray before I went to bed. I spent a lot of time repeating the same words night after night. Sometimes, I would plead for something I wanted or beg to be spared from something I feared. Then I would iterate a laundry list of things I was thankful for and people to be blessed. It was all very mechanical.

What is prayer? Is it simply talking in my head to no one … to someone? Is it strictly religious, spiritual? Or is it more, much more. In order to quantify the effect, studies have defined the behavior: mindfulness or mental focus. So, is prayer meditation? Does it play a role in cellular renewal? One thing's for sure, prayer is real in this respect: it can change the neurochemistry (mindset) of the one doing the praying.

Whether prayer works on some mystical, quantum level or is simply a state of mind, I would like to emphasize the definition. I propose that we pray all of the time; that prayer is our state of mind. A mindful presence is key to producing desirable outcomes. And the greatest form of prayer is not a laundry list of items we appreciate but actually feeling our appreciation for those things. The rain-dance was feeling the rain before the clouds even formed.

Instead of praying you will survive the situation with a thousand words, try a single feeling: thankfulness. Feel thankful for the possibility that you will not only survive but thrive. Be mindful of your constant prayer – how you feel right now.