Prayer

Prayer works.

It does not matter what religion you are, or even if you don't belong to any particular religion.... It works.

There are some studies that show that people who pray tend to be happier and healthier then those who don't. It is essential to sobriety.

Of course, on some things like terminal illnesses, prayer doesn't seem to work all that well most of the time. That's why it is important to believe there is life after death, I believe. Some people who are ill just want to "move on," after all. Most of us are seeking a better life then what we have here. Oh, truly, prayer can bring about miracles. But, I honestly believe that God and Goddess answer the prayers that are in our hearts. If someone really wants a better life then what they have here, God and Goddess will take them away to a better place. Our "work" here often isn't as important as we think it is.... It doesn't need to be "finished" a lot of the time -- or at least not as badly as we tend to think it does....

I know the religious context is not as important as the act of praying. I used to pray to the Universe. I've prayed to the Goddess. I've prayed to Great Spirit. I've prayed to God. I've prayed to Jesus. I've had most of my prayers answered. I've even done "magic" to get what I wanted -- which is just another way of requesting our heart's desire. I've gotten what I needed most of my life. And when I didn't get the basic necessities of life, it was because I was irrationally rejecting them.

Of course the resources have to be available for whatever we are asking for. If there isn't food available -- we aren't going to get fed unless we are very faithful and really willing to believe in miracles.... Even then, our idea of a miracle might well be terrifying to someone else... God doesn't want to terrify people. But if the resources are there -- we will get what we need.

Some people (predatory types, mostly) will go directly against God to terrorize others too. It is hard for God/dess to remove those people from our lives at times, because they defy God's will. Sometimes they are even secretly Satanic... It isn't God's will to take away our free will -- and with predatory types this has a down side, unfortunately.

I got a car once because I prayed for one. (The prayer, at the time, was to "the Universe.") It was reasonably priced and mostly reliable.... I did end up selling it. I got tired of myself with a car. I did, and it was too expensive. I stopped walking places when I had that car. I took the easy way out. I wanted the instant gratification....

I don't get down on my knees when I pray. I don't use "canned" prayers very much. I don't like the residual feelings of shame that come along with getting down on my knees. I was abused when I'd get on my knees as a small girl, and I don't like the way I feel. It draws an uncomfortable parallel between God and my stepfather -- and I don't think my stepfather wants anything to do with God. I talk to God, Goddess and Jesus conversationally quite often... I pray a lot for world peace. For good leaders who don't believe in warmongering. Perhaps I am asking for a lot, but so be it.

I went on a Spiritual journey once. I really wanted to get closer to the Great Spirit. I did not do the traditional thing of going off into the woods and/or the mountains and being alone. I had heard of people travelling about surviving on the kindness of others alone. I figured that was a good way to travel, learn about faith, and get closer to the Spirit. It felt like the right thing to do at the right time. I prayed that, the entire time I was out on my journey, that I would find safe shelter every night. I was gone a month. I did not have a sleeping bag -- just a few clothes. I did find safe shelter every single night of my journey. It really strengthened my faith, in Great Spirit and humanity.

Shortly after that journey, I found out about the relocation of the Navajo for a coal mine. With writing being my "mode," I set out to write an article about the relocation. I prayed for them all the time. I prayed a lot that the coal mine get shut down. I did rituals to protect them. I left my young daughter behind with the foster family to go down to their reservation and write the article. After I wrote the article, I wrote a synopsis of it and sent it to every powerful entity I could think of. I found out the coal mine was operating illegally. It had been shut down by a judge who also was a minority. The court order was being ignored. I gave some speeches about it. I followed my "intuition." I prayed all the time. Miraculously a couple of years after I wrote my article the mine was shut down and the relocation stopped.

Thank you God and Goddess!

I don't thank the Spirit enough. I don't thank God and Goddess enough. I don't thank Jesus enough.... But I do pray all the time. I talk to God/dess all the time. And most of my prayers are answered -- even the big ones. I just need my faith.... It will all work out!