Does Prayer Change Anything?

Yes.  Absolutely.  Definitively.  Prayer changes things.  Prayer makes things that you thought were impossible, possible.  It opens doors, and sometimes windows, where there was only a wall.

But, most of all, prayer changes me.

I have been a bit freaked out lately with everything going on in the world.  Between the fighting in the Gaza strip, the Malaysia Airlines plane being shot down and a whole host of scary news, I started to feel uncertain about my safety, my finances, my children's well-being and on and on.

It became hypnotic to listen to other's opinions and theories and speculation.  And, before I knew it, I was waking up anxious in the morning.  I was going to bed with worry in my heart and crazy thoughts of panic sitting in my gut.

You would think that with all of my spiritual practices, I would be less inclined to go down this path of fear.  But something was triggered in me that wouldn't let me NOT go down this path.

And this is life.  Life happens and it happens in ways that can bring me happiness or have me concerned.

So, I'm thankful that I can turn to prayer.  One of the things I love most about New Thought and The Science of Mind is affirmative prayer.

I can take the issue I'm concerned about and put it into a context that lets me see the abundance that is everywhere.  It lets me turn away from the worries about the global economy and my finances.  And it allows me be grateful for recognizing that through it all, the sun still rises every morning and the ocean waves continue to crash on the beach.

In prayer, I can say anything and claim what I desire without being scoffed at.  I can claim peace for those affected by the airplane crash.  I can claim resolution to the fighting in the Middle East.  I can claim for those in Europe whose economy is struggling from these events, that they realize an abundance and prosperity in spite of outward appearances.

It's a way for me to make a shift in the Universe and have an impact.  And I am changed as I realize there are MILLIONS of people who are thriving in spite of recent events - including me!  The knot in my stomach eases up and I can roll with what happens without having to get all worked up about it.

So, I'm praying a lot this week and keeping my vision steadily on what I would like to see manifest in the world.  And I have enough faith to know that the Universe is supporting everyone on this current journey and something beautiful will emerge from a seemingly "bad" outer condition.

Do YOU believe prayer changes things?

Today, I set my intention to pray without ceasing, having faith that prayer makes the best out of a bad situation and cannot help but change me for the better.

"I will be honest with myself today.  I will not think that I already know 

what must remain beyond my present grasp.  I will not think I understand 

the whole from bits of my perception, which are all that I can see.  Today

 I recognize that this is so.  And so I am relieved of judgements that I cannot make.

  Thus do I free myself and what I look upon, to be in peace as God created us."  

~Lesson 243, A Course In Miracles

"Never let the future disturb you.  You will meet it, if you have to, 

with the same weapons of reason which today arm you against the present."  

~Marcus Aurelius

Affirmative Prayer:
In the things that are seen and unseen, in the invisible realm beyond our vision, there is a force for good.  It is the divine over-flow of Spirit that feeds all creatures, great and small.  It is the light and love of the Universe, always revealing more than enough, no matter where and no matter what.

I live and move and have my being in this light and love of the Universe, knowing I am more than enough in every moment.  I am the freedom of Divine Choice that shows me how good life is, all of the time.  I am joy, circulating happiness and peace through every situation in my life, always guided to my greatest expression of Source as me.

Keeping my eyes fixed on the good and the joy, I accept the changes that are happening in my world and see the beauty unfolding in every event.  In this human experience, I welcome the resiliency to bounce back from anything, knowing at my core I am one with Spirit - perfect, whole and complete.  As I pray each day, I remain steadfast in the vision I have for peace and harmony that spreads like wildfire into every region of this world.  And I am humbled as I see big and small miracles revealed in ways beyond what I can even imagine.

Affirming the highest and best for me and for those who read these words, I am grateful for the clarity that prayer brings to every situation.  I give thanks that each day, my next steps are clear and I can accept and allow things to be just as they are.  And I am filled with gratitude for the positive results that are manifesting in my life and around the world.

From this place of gratitude, I release my word to the Divine Action of the Law, knowing it is already done.  I let go and let God. And I let it be so.  And so it is.

Photo courtesy of Marjan Lazarevski/Flickr

How Disease Reveals Perfection

When the subject of healing came up for this week’s Practitioner Studies classwork, I thought I was in good shape – literally.  I run, I bike, I make healthy eating choices and, most nights, I get plenty of rest.  Then, I flashed back to the time I was diagnosed with cervical cancer. 

In Science of Mind, Ernest Holmes states, “If our subjective consciousness were always clear, if it never received false impressions, the Spirit would always flow to the point of objectivity, and we would never make mistakes, would never be sick, poor or unhappy.”

I know now that my “disease” was really an event in my life where I had become separate from knowing the truth; that at my spiritual core, I am complete and perfect.  And, I believe, it was a way for the Universe to get my attention and let me know that I had some healing to do.  

I was holding something in consciousness that was no longer serving me.

About a year prior to the diagnosis, I had finalized my divorce, was living on my own with my two girls and rekindling my relationship with my now-husband, Kevin.  I thought I had worked through most of the pain from the split and had come out the other side in decent shape. 

In retrospect, I think I became lost in old stories full of judgment that fed some of the fear and anger over my situation.  And, not wanting to really let go of the fear and anger, at some level, I created suffering by hanging onto my limiting beliefs. 

Thankfully, I have always been spiritually grounded so I knew God was involved and available to help me move through this experience.  In this case, the Universe supported me in the form of Kevin.  I remember how, after the doctor released me from the surgical center, Kevin arranged for a weekend away at the beach on the North Coast to finish my healing.    

As we walked the beach, I re-connected to the feeling of Divine Love within me.  I moved through the pain I had been carrying around, releasing old hurts out to the vastness of the ocean.  I came back to the truth that unconditional love was always mine and had always been mine.

I allowed this event to be my teacher.  I embraced the lesson that I was not a failure because my first marriage did not work out.  I let go of the fear that because I had failed, I would never be successful at a new relationship. 

I learned that I am ALWAYS at choice and just because one relationship didn’t work out, I could choose to see things differently going forward into a new relationship.

I am grateful for the breakthrough that happened at that time, even though I didn’t see it until just recently.   It is evidence that healing is all within me. 

As I recognize what needs to be mended in my life, I stop and remember who I am – One with Infinite Intelligence.  I see my perfection and am free to let go and step into the life of my dreams.

So, what have YOU created in your life that no longer supports you?  What might need healing?  

Today, I set the intention to pay attention to my thinking, remaining open to healing old beliefs that no longer support me and to creating the life of my dreams.

"Growth is a very profound experience.  It can be beautiful and ugly, 

empowering and confining, pleasant and unpleasant, all at the same time."  

~Iyanla Vanzant

"And so the nature of God, the nature of man and of being

 is perfect and harmonious and whole.  And this is our work: to make 

a decision to let that nature reveal itself."  

~Dr. George Bendall

Affirmative Prayer:

In this moment, with the breeze gently blowing as the trees sway in the wind, there is only One Divine Intelligence, One Divine Love, that guides and directs and sustains.  Never stopping or standing still, It is continuous movement propelling all things toward joy, toward happiness, toward grace and toward peace.

In this place of joy and happiness, I am swept away by the Divine Love of the Universe.  I am a brilliant illumination of the Universe as it moves through and around me, expressing as me.  I can never be separate from being One with this Infinite Intelligence and I allow the true nature of Spirit to reveal itself through me in perfect, Divine timing. 

As I allow the revealing of Spirit to unfold, I accept the gifts of healing that are freely given.  I claim the perfection within me, trusting that all of Life's lessons are for my highest and best expression.  And I affirm that each experience uncovers a Divine Love that moves out from me to those that I meet on this journey until we are all aware of an energy of good in our world.  My thoughts create my experience and I welcome the  abundance and prosperity that manifest as a result of my right thinking.  I am living the life of my dreams!  

With great thanks, I delight in the perfect health, the financial wealth and the unending joy that are showing up as I move in their direction.  And I am so grateful for this moment, right now, that is filled with Divine healing.  I am thankful for a life better that I could even have imagined as I show up each day, sitting in expectancy of my good.

Standing in this Life Energy of love, I release my Word to the Divine Action of the Law, knowing it is already done in the One Mind.  Life is so good!  And I let it be so.  And so it is!

Relationships Are Like Riding A Bike

In The Science of Mind, Ernest Holmes teaches, “People are dying for real human interest, for genuine friendship, for someone to tell them they are all right.  We always welcome the man who looks at the world as his friend and loves it.”  For me, there is no better way to further my spiritual growth than to spend time with others, whether they are family, friends or complete strangers.   

It is an opportunity to move further away from my ego – “They have more than me”, “I’m better dressed than she is” – and move closer to embracing the truth that this is a loving, supportive, friendly Universe.

The challenge for me, I’ve noticed, lies in cultivating relationships.  It’s easy for me to meet people and I am filled with a genuine curiosity for each new person I have a chance to interact with.  

But - when the relationship starts to evolve into something that might be a friendship, partnership, or business interest, I find that I subconsciously put up barriers to deflect anything going beyond a surface level acquaintance. 

Knowing this is happening, I have started putting myself into places and situations where I can develop deeper relationships.  To give you an idea -  I love to run and bike so I have joined training groups where we share a similar interest and I see the same people regularly. 

This has forced me to become more of a “friend” – to offer to carpool to a racing event, to accept an invitation for lunch after a bike ride – and as I become more of a friend, I am seeing more friendships develop in my life.

As a result, I find that my spiritual growth is deepening as well.  I am more and more able to see the indwelling Spirit within each individual.  

And - if there is a lesson for me to learn in the relationship, I more easily accept that lesson and let things unfold, using my spiritual practices to remain in integrity with myself through the growth. 

Relationships are often like riding a bike.  Along the way, there will be rough terrain, smooth curves, speed bumps or flat tires.  They are all opportunities to learn how to continue to pedal and ride with ease regardless of the circumstances.  And, before I realize it, I have fallen in love with riding a bike – with the journey and the chances to get back on the bike as often as I can. 

So, today, I set the intention to embrace the adventure of life, knowing I am attracting powerful relationships that are for everyone's highest and best good.

"You never change things by fighting the existing reality.  

To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete."  

~Buckminster Fuller

"If you want an interesting party sometime, combine cocktails 

and a fresh box of crayons for everyone."  

~Robert Fulghum

Affirmative Prayer:

In this moment, there is only One - one Divine Presence and Divine Power that surrounds all that is. This Presence and Power is in every fiber, weaving through the fabric of life in beautiful and magnificent ways.  

Breathing in this magnificence, there is a knowing that this Presence and Power that I call Spirit is moving through me, around me and having Its being as me.  I am transformed as I allow myself to go with the flow of the Divine Intelligence that blesses my life as I surrender to this consciousness.

Every day, life flows through me with grace and with ease.  And, as I step up and meet new people, I know that I am always in the right place at the right time.  I attract relationships that will reveal my destiny and I dive deep into the relationship, being fully who I am meant to be.  I trust that as I am a friend to others, my friendships and partnerships are reflected back to me as I move through the twists and turns that make my life such a glorious adventure.  And I am always at peace, knowing I am exactly where I need to be in every moment.

I am so grateful for the good I receive every day, the good that shows up in amazing abundant ways.  And I give great thanks for the people who reveal the God within to show me how beautiful true relationships can be.  I am filled with gratitude for the love that is expressed fully and deeply as I connect to Source in simple prayer and thanksgiving.

From this place of thanks, I release my word to the Divine Action of the Law, knowing it is already done.  The dreams and desires of my heart are here now.  And I let it be so.  And so it is!

Choose What's Good For Everyone

"If you can't quiet your mind, then what you see all the time is the trouble and turbulence - you don't see your divinity."  Those words by Dr. Bernie Siegel jumped out at me from the Science of Mind Magazine recently.

As I seek to understand the mysteries of the Universe, this is one truth that I know without doubt.  Taking time to be still and honor my connection to the Universe, even if only for a minute or two, is vital to my peace of mind.

It is NOT something that necessarily comes naturally.  As a Sagittarius, I know that patience is not my strong point so learning to be quiet and tap into my authentic self, even for a short time, takes some work.

What I did see manifest once I took the time to quiet the monkey mind was that my life flowed so much more smoothly.  And when I ignored those feelings and allowed my ego to direct my life, issues surfaced that seemed even more difficult to deal with.

It is important to realize that we are all, at our core, Divine beings.  We are all surrounded by the grace of Spirit that resides in each of us.  Beyond that, it is freeing to accept that everywhere we go, we are guided to experience a path for our highest good when we quiet our minds.

It does not mean there won't be stuff that might bring us pain or sorrow.  It does mean that we do NOT have to get caught up in that trouble - we can choose to see the Divinity within each person and each event and move through things with an awareness that we are connected.

So, what are you choosing to embrace?  Laughter?  Joy?  And - can you see your Divinity?

Claiming my Divinity, I set the intention today to see myself for who I am, the beloved of God, supported and guided in all that I do.

"The more tranquil a man becomes, the greater is his success, 

his influence, his power for good.  Calmness of mind is one of the 

beautiful jewels of wisdom." 

~James Allen

"Never let anything cause you to doubt your ability to demonstrate

 the Truth.  Conceive of your word as being the Thing."  

~Ernest Holmes, Science of Mind

Affirmative Prayer:
In the radiance of the sun, in the joy of the birds singing, there is a Divine Presence that lights the way and knows only love.  At the core, THAT is the essence - love, joy, peace, harmony and grace.  This essence is a Magnificence that is beyond words and it is a Power that permeates all of time.

Basking in that Power, there is a knowing that I am a part of this One Magnificence as It flows through and around and as me.  Every aspect of my life reveals this Divine Presence in beautiful and loving ways.  And, I am immersed in my Divine Nature, savoring the exquisite feeling of worthiness that comes from deep within.

It is from this place of worthiness that I lean in and realize that I am the beloved of God, filled with the wisdom to take perfect right action in every choice I make.  As I move throughout my day, I see clearly how I and each person I meet is reflecting their divinity within.  As we connect, I am filled with a sense of wonder that Life is supporting each of us in ways that direct us to our highest good.  And I claim in this moment that my life is filled with miracles and gifts beyond what I can even imagine, knowing that I am deserving of those gifts and miracles.

I am filled with gratitude for all of the right choices that I am guided to make as I tap into my Divine Nature.  And I give great thanks for a Divine Presence that knows only love for me and for my life.  I am so grateful for the perfect unfolding of each day, stepping out in faith as I follow the path I have chosen.

In faith and trust, I release my Word to the Divine Action of the Law, knowing it is already done in the One Mind.  My path is laid out perfectly and I need only start to walk.  And I let it be so.  And so it is.