Of the many programs, processes and spiritual principles we share in Celebration Circle, I believe that one of the most powerful and important is Affirmative Prayer, a process of praying from God Consciousness, rather than to a God. It is certainly not The Only Way to pray, nor do I claim it is The Best Way. But it is a valuable, straight-forward, and time-tested way of sustaining ourselves and others in prayer consciousness, and it is the central practice that we use in our Prayer Circle, on behalf of all those who have asked to be included on our weekly prayer list. It's a way of affirming the truth of what is, not "trying" to make something happen, it is a process of being established in the Presence, more than addressing a Being that is separate from you.
Of course, it is much easier to say this about Affirmative Prayer than it is to actually practice this process, much less describe it fully in concise words. But that doesn't keep me from trying to share it anyway, because it's one of the most helpful spiritual tools I know, which is why I've spoken about this process a number of times in recent years, and did so again last Sunday morning. In the course of doing so, I shared some step-by-step guidelines arranged in an easy-to-remember list, using alphabetically-ordered keywords that I have learned and evolved over the years, with the generous support of several mentors, especially my dear friend, Rev. Linda Martella-Whitsett, who has written and taught extensively on this subject. Several people have asked for this list, so I share it here, in hopes that you might find it helpful, too:
AWARENESS: Before praying for others, it is important to become fully aware of yourSelf. Take a moment to remember and affirm your Oneness with Life, before extending your consciousness to embrace another in his/her situation.
BREATHE: Get centered in your breath. Find peace in the specifics of your current location and situation, whatever that may be.
CONSCIOUSNESS: Invoke the presence and power of Spirit/God Consciousness in the way that works best for you. Whatever words you chose, this invocation is about opening your consciousness to the presence of Spirit, rather than asking Spirit to change in any way to accommodate you. Example: "O Holy One, I open our hearts and minds to the largeness of Life, to the free flow of the Divine Light shining in and through me in this moment."
DETAILS: Whether you are praying for yourself or a loved one, briefly review the details involved in the situation. There's no need to linger or elaborate on them too much. Our goal in Affirmative Prayer is to lift the details/names up into the Light, and to see through them to the Truth of the Divine working for the Highest Good of All.
EXPERIENCE: Ideally, you will have the experience of Spirit in action. Some people experience Spirit most readily through bodily sensations, some as emotional movement, some as imagery. There is no one Right Way. Simply allow yourself to be guided to pray Your Way into the experience of Spirit. Embrace the names/details of those for whom you are praying.
FOCUS: Bring your prayer to a point of focus in the present tense. Remember, you are not praying for a desired outcome sometime in the future; instead you are silently affirming the power of Spirit moving through the situation at hand in the Now.
GRATITUDE: As your prayer is drawing to a close, take time to express gratitude for the Highest Good For All unfolding in the present moment, and in the days/weeks to come.
I hope you will find these guidelines helpful when praying with yourself and/or for people on our Prayer List. On the other hand, it's also important to remember that these are only guidelines. The most important thing to focus on is your own willingness to be fully present and available to be an expression of the Divine made manifest. Listen for the Still Small Voice and trust Love to lead you through this time of prayer.
With gratitude and blessings,
Rudi Harst
THANK YOU for holding the Circle in your heart by visualizing a generous flow of financial abundance. Thank you for supporting us as we continue our work of fostering a creative, inclusive approach to spirituality. We are deeply grateful.
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