Spiritual Prayers

What are spiritual prayers?

The practice of prayer can be found in all religions in one form or another. Put simply, prayer is a way for a person to communicate with God.

Spiritual prayers can be conversations with God, taking no particular form or style (I say conversation loosely, as it often appears very one-sided and the responses do not tend to come in the usual manner...). They can also be a certain collection of words, similar to a poem, that are repeated at various occasions, sometimes daily.

Why do we pray?

There are many reasons why someone might want to say spiritual prayers. We can share with God what is on our mind and ask for guidance or intercession (direct action) from God. We can repeat set prayers to build a momentum of devotion to God - a storehouse of positive energy that the angels and cosmic beings can use to help mankind.

So how can I pray?

Prayers spoken aloud have a great deal more power than silent ones. This is because when we speak we are using the energy of our throat chakra (energy center located in the area of the throat) and projecting that energy out into the world. It is that energy itself which will create whatever it is that we are affirming with our words. (A reminder that we should watch what is coming out of our mouths generally!)

The power of spoken prayer is known as the Science of the Spoken Word. For further reading about that, check out spoken prayer is more effective than silent prayer.

So, having established that we're going to say our spiritual prayers out loud, what are we going to say? This is the fun part - you can make it up!

Dear God, thanks for helping me out yesterday, that was awesome...

Lord, please send your angels to comfort my friend...

Etc.

If making it up sounds a little daunting or you want to feel reassured that you're "saying the right thing" (there isn't any right or wrong in praying but I can understand the feeling) then here are a few set prayers you might like.

Saint Francis offers us a beautiful, simple prayer, well-known in Christian-based countries.

The Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi (from Christianity)

Lord,
Make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred let me sow love;
Where there is injury, pardon;
Where there is doubt, faith;
Where there is despair, hope;
Where is darkness, light; and
Where there is sadness, joy.

O Divine Master,
Grant that I may not so much
Seek to be consoled as to console;
To be understood as to understand;
To be loved as to love.
For it is in giving that we receive,
It is in pardoning that we are pardoned, and
It is in dying that we are born to eternal Life.

When I first came across the Metta Karuna Prayer I was struck by the similarity of its message to The Prayer of Saint Francis of Assisi...

Metta Karuna Prayer (from Buddhism)

Oneness of Life and Light,
Entrusting in your Great Compassion,
May you shed the foolishness in myself,
Transforming me into a conduit of Love.
May I be a medicine for the sick and weary,
Nursing their afflictions until they are cured;
May I become food and drink,
During time of famine,
May I protect the helpless and the poor,
May I be a lamp,
For those who need your Light,
May I be a bed for those who need rest,
and guide all seekers to the Other Shore.
May all find happiness through my actions,
and let no one suffer because of me.
Whether they love or hate me,
Whether they hurt or wrong me,
May they all realize true entrusting,
Through Other Power,
and realize Supreme Nirvana.
Namo Amida Buddha

My favorite prayer is the Hail Mary from the New Age Rosary, which is similar to the traditional Catholic prayer but with a more positive ending - affirming that we are sons and daughters of God on a path leading to victory, rather than the 'miserable sinner' theory.

In this spiritual prayer, we are addressing not only Mary, mother of Jesus, but also the feminine aspect of God, the Divine Mother. Mother Mary is one of many representatives of the Divine Mother.

Hail Mary (from New Age Spirituality)

Hail, Mary, full of grace
the Lord is with thee.
Blessed art thou among women
and blessed is the fruit
of thy womb, Jesus.

Holy Mary, Mother of God
Pray for us, sons and daughters of God
Now and at the hour of our victory
Over sin, disease, and death.

Click here to follow along with the Hail Mary
as part of a rosary.

For a beautiful printable booklet explaining all about Mother Mary's Rosary for the New Age, including the full set of rosary prayers, click on the picture above. The spiritual audio and booklet are provided by The Summit Lighthouse.