Prayer is Human
What if we lived as if every cell in our body, every breath we take, every thought we think, every emotion we feel, every movement we make, every struggle we wrestle with, every being our path connects to, and every moment we share with our own soul ,or that of another, is sacred? (Sacred meaning, “of the Divine Creator”). How might it change us? Might we be kinder, more accepting and forgiving of life, of others, of ourselves? Might our lives become prayers?
What is a prayer? What does prayer mean to you? Is prayer religious? Spiritual? Human? Why do we pray? Why don’t we pray?
I share a definition of prayer by the late poet and activist, Ernesto Cardenal. This prayer is shared by theologian and spiritual teacher, Mathew Fox in his daily meditations. Cardenal teaches us that a prayer does not need to be made of words…
“Prayer is nothing more than getting into intimate contact with God. It is communication with God, and as such it need not be expressed in words, nor even articulated mentally. One can communicate with a glance of the eyes, with a smile, with a sigh, as well as by a human act. Even…the painting of a picture, or a look toward heaven on the taking of a drink of water [can be prayer]. Prayer is praise; it is thanks. As Matthew says, “Prayer is a radical response to life.”
“A radical response to life”… how do Mathew Fox’s words resonate with you? I taste them, I want to dance them, sing them. They call me to live full-out, as I am. Can a prayer take action?
I find in the prayers of native spirituality, a depth of humility, of understanding of the sacred that soothes my soul, that embraces the limits of my humanity. In a native prayer I feel the embrace of the sacred within all of life.
There is something about a prayer another has spoken or written from their soul to our creator, in earnest, from humility, in trust, that acts like a portal for others to reach out through and enter the Oneness that we are. There is something about joining another in wordless prayer as well, such as in meditation, or in the creating of art or music…the silence of meditation, the flow of creativity, act as portals to our Creator…
This morning’s prayer is from the Sioux chief, Yellow Hawk.
“Oh Great Spirit, whose voice I hear in the winds, and whose breath gives life to all the world – hear me – I come before you, one of your children. I am small and weak. I need your strength and wisdom. Let me walk in beauty and make my eyes ever behold the red and purple sunset. Make my hands respect the things you have made, my ears sharp to hear your voice. Make me wise, so that I may know the things you have taught my People, the lesson you have hidden in every leaf and rock. I seek strength not to be superior to my brothers, but to be able to fight my greatest enemy, myself. Make me ever ready to come to you, with clean hands and straight eyes, so when life fades as a fading sunset, my spirit may come to you without shame.”
“Our thoughts are prayers” is a part of the prayer from Unity ministries. May our thoughts be prayers…may we raise our hearts to our creator, with complete compassion for our own humanity and that of others, for the uniqueness we each bring to creation, to the beauty and necessity of diversity, to the wholeness and balance of All.
In Peace,
Anisha Zo