The activity of prayer

When we think of prayer, many of us have this image in mind: someone alone on their knees, eyes closed, hands folded reaching out to God. In many ways, this image is right on.

Now, prayer is not a physical activity, it's mental or spiritual. It doesn't make anyone more or less spiritual to kneel or stand, have your eyes closed or open, have your hands intertwined or not, but what this image signifies is the activity of honest prayer.

For me, kneeling represents being humble and giving honor to something greater than yourself: God. Closing your eyes is all about blocking out the material, limited sense of things and going within to discover the kingdom of heaven, the mental nature of harmony and health. And folding your hands is about taking God on one hand and you on the other and putting them together to signify the unity of God and the individual, of Creator and creation.

We may find ourselves in this prayer position today or not. Either way, we can pray by giving honor to God and being humble; rejecting the physical sense of things and going within to discover God's allness and love; affirming the unity of God and us as forever at one. This kind of prayer blesses, heals and brings a joy unattainable by physical means. 

Prayer itself is evidence of God within us, impelling us to see that Love is bigger than ourselves and cares. Prayer brings us in line with the real, divine Love, and shows us the harmony and endless possibilities of Life.