Ask: What do you have to say about prayer?

         “I’m wondering what you would say about the topic of prayer…It would seem that it is always the ego that is praying for “more”, “better”, etc. But to Whom is the ego praying, is it heard, is it answered, or is it a waste of time since “all is written”? If all is in the mind, is it one part of a mind praying to another part of the same mind, or a dream praying to the mind that is dreaming it, or… ?” —PW

If prayer is supplication, it is always ego that prays, as only ego experiences lack. To what exactly it prays depends on the particular ego, I suppose! Perhaps ego prays to a god in its own image which it projects but that does not exist, which would be the dream praying to the dreamer as ego is both dreamer and dream. Or, in true despair, it may be a cry to God (Reality beyond consciousness). Since “the script is written”, praying could never be the cause of bringing something about. This is why it seems only some prayers are answered. When prayers seem to be answered, it is either coincidence, or because the one praying was in touch with what was going to unfold anyway. For example, someone “hits bottom” and their prayer for help and the subsequent help that seems to come from Spirit is “what is written.” What actually occurs in that instance is ego recedes and Spirit moves forward in consciousness, and it appears as a positive turnaround for the person.

A Course in Miracles has a supplement called The Song of Prayer. It redefines prayer as an ongoing communication between Spirit in a mind (individual consciousness) and God. Spirit within a mind is God’s Extension, so It is always in touch with God. The supplement describes a “ladder of prayer”, which is the appearance of an evolution of prayer from supplication (ego) to an awareness of Spirit’s ongoing communion with God.

I have found that many students of the Course who come from a tradition of prayer have a hard time letting it go as they get much comfort from it. If Spirit is moving forward in their consciousness, prayer will appear to evolve over time to communion from supplication.

>>>>> 

If you have a question the answer to which you feel may be helpful to others, send it to Liz@acimmentor.com and indicate that you want it answered in this newsletter/blog.

Comments

Anonymous said…
PW, Remove yourself from the ego side of the split mind (dream)in the Holy Instant. It is the only place the Holy Spirit is. Doing this is the only function we have.
6:28 PM
Anonymous said…
In the beginning it will only be for seconds at a time. It will quickly increase in time with practice (mind training). The full experience of the Holy Instant comes after enlightenment.
6:36 PM
Anonymous said…
PW, T-15.IV
10:18 PM
Anonymous said…
Remember, the script was written by the egoic split mind.
9:53 AM
Anonymous said…
"Our concern is with Christ vision. This we can attain." Lesson 158

If you take "the script is written" to mean everything is pre ordained so there is no point in doing anything you have given the ego power over God. We are living out a ego script and our belief in it will indeed keep us trapped in a false world.
10:28 AM
Anonymous said…
Lesson 158

No one ever seems to read beyond the fourth paragraph, "the script is written." Those four words are cherished by the ego. It can sweep in and make spirituality (or lack of it) into whatever it wants. A few paragraphs further on, this phrase is put into context with the revelation that the Christ Mind is there to learn.
4:21 AM
will said…
Lesson 158 II

In the last few paragraphs it talks about seeing our brothers as sinless and so we see our selves. You can't do this if you believe in the script as written. It is ego. Jesus would have us step outside the script into the NOW, the Holy Instant, and give these instants to the Holy Spirit to extend to our brothers. In return miracles come to us when we work with the Holy Spirit. The more we do this, the more we step outside the 'script'.
6:10 AM
will said…
When we are in the NOW, the present we have stepped out of time a place the ego cannot go. Prayer is our giving these Holy Instant to the Holy Spirit to extend. To save the world. Remember that?
6:41 AM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Ask: What is meant by "extend Love"?

I wonder exactly what is meant by "extend love" or how one extends love. Is it a loving intention toward the person, or a wish for them, or what? Can you give an example? – JO “Extending love” means replacing unloving thoughts in your mind with the awareness of Love in your mind. For example, your peace of mind is disturbed while watching something on television. Your peace is gone because you believe that what you see is reality. You extend Love in this situation by turning inward to Truth (God), feeling Love’s Presence within you, and remembering that It, not the images appearing, is What is Real. It may take you a while to accept that only your own thoughts cause you pain. So at first you may feel that you need to extend Love “out there” to the images that seem to be causing you pain. Or you may extend Love to another who is sharing their painful story with you. You can do this by imagining the situation or the person in a Loving Light. Or you may use some other image to
Read more

If the World Isn't Real, Why Ask For Guidance?

Every now and then a student asks me why they should follow the Holy Spirit’s guidance if the world isn’t real and if it has nothing to do with God. What difference does it make how you live in the world, then? All that you made can serve salvation easily and well. The Son of God can make no choice the Holy Spirit cannot employ on his behalf, and not against himself. (T-25.VI.7) The world is your perception that you are separate from God. Calling on the Holy Spirit to guide you in it corrects this misperception. You are no longer separate from God when you are following the Holy Spirit. What you ask the Holy Spirit and what the Holy Sprit answers is not important. What is important is that you asked and that you accepted an answer . When you follow the Holy Spirit the purpose of every circumstance becomes a means to be with the Holy Spirit. The world that was made to make separation from God real to you becomes a means of remembering you are One with God. It doesn’t matter to God ho
Read more

More on Emotional Satisfaction or Freedom

Last week’s article ( http://acimmentor.blogspot.com/2017/02/emotional-satisfaction-or-freedom.html ) about the two possible approaches to spirituality and how one way to characterize them is the pursuit of emotional satisfaction for the self or transcending the self led to a lot of comments and questions that I will try to clear up here. (The article was a follow-up to two other articles I had written on the same topic. Some of the questions readers had could be answered in those earlier articles and links were provided in last week’s article. If you still have questions I suggest reading those as well as last week’s article for a fuller look at the topic). The emotional satisfaction I wrote about in the last article was not referring to what one seeks in relation to others. It was referring to the desire for an emotional connection with Truth (God) that one would characterize as “warm”. I was highlighting how which goal we pursue in spirituality can often be revealed by the
Read more