I hold it true that thoughts are things, they're endowed with bodies and breath and wings, and that we send them forth to fill the world with good results or ill.   That which we call our secret thought speed forth to earth's remotest spot, leaving its blessings or its woes likes tracks behind it as it goes.  We build our future thought by thought, for good or ill, yet know it not.  Yet, so the universe was wrought.  Thought is another name for fate; Choose then thy destiny and wait, for love brings love and hate brings hate."

-Ella Wheeler Wilcox  

Effective Prayer

Prayer can be a very controversial subject, since many hold the belief that there is no "right" way to pray.  While I too believe this, I know that there are definitely wrong ways to pray.  So, what I want to do is simply provide you with some guidelines  that you may find effective.  This will allow you to define and personalize your own style.  

This is the point at which I should include a disclaimer.  I try to not advocate for any particular religion, I have found truth in them all.  I am however more familiar with Christianity than either Islam, Judaism, or any of the traditionally eastern faiths which are too numerous to name.   I choose to draw from a variety of these rich teachings since I know that God is total and all-encompassing.  Prayer works no matter what faith you practice.  

The guides shared here will be included in greater detail in my soon to be released book "Spirit Wise." 

Right Relationship

Faith is the main ingredient of prayer.  A knowingness that whatever you ask for is done even before you make the request.  

Why?  As I stated before God is total, that means you are part of that totality by necessity.  God is neither divided or opposed.  So God will not withhold from you because doing so would be to withhold from Itself.  God will not judge you unworthy of what you desire, but will fill your cup in accordance with your faith.  If your deepest thoughts say you don't deserve it, guess what.  If your deepest thought says it will take a long time, guess what.  Check out not what you try to convince God of, but what your deepest beliefs are.

I need to digress for a moment to help you understand how intimate this is.  God is not in you, you are in God.  It is what you are.  You've heard that God is everywhere present right?  Well that means It is not just in a certain space, God is the space as well.  Every cell of your body is animated by God.  Acts 17:28 says ". .in God I live move and have my being."  So get this analogy:  you are to God like a drop of H2O is to the ocean.  That is intimacy!  Know that you are worthy, deserving and heir to what you desire.  It will happen.  

Ok, so having said that here are a few brief pointers.

• Every thought you think is a prayer.  Do you want to experience what you are thinking?  Look around you, everything you see was once a thought.  Thoughts are powerfully creative.
• Every word you speak is a prayer.  God said "Let there be. ." scripture says "the word became flesh."  The spoken word is powerfully creative.  Are your words reflecting the experience you desire? 
• Prayer is not just about getting what you want.  It is about aligning your mind with the divine.  
• Prayer changes things, but most of all it changes the person praying.  There is nothing impossible, thinking does make it so.
• There is no order of difficulty for God.  God can give you $1,000 as easily as She can give you $10, He's not on a fixed income.
• You get what (or as) you give.  There is a flow to the universe you take part in it, how is the question.   
• Pray the solution.  If you focus on the problem you give it power - focus on the solution or create a space for the solution.
• Expect an answer, even before you asked it was answered.