Prayer, Mantra, Affirmation and Gratitude

All cultures have their unique ways of communicating with the Divine, the Unseen Other, use of ritual spaces, and offerings to idols, murthis, statues of gods, saints, martyrs with their flowers, garlands, votive lamps, lamp-stands. Prayer can be specific offerings, pujas, worship with candle, flame, incense, dhoop sticks. In history, prayer has included sacrifices to the divine: birds, dogs, bulls as in the cult of Mithra, even humans. One can think of the god Moloch who demanded child-sacrifice.

A dictionary definition of prayer tells that prayer scopes to include worship, supplication, petition and thanksgiving as forms of prayer. Devotional prayer includes adoration, reparation, intercession and in the case of mysticism, immersion in the divine presence. Prayer observances can be public or private: public in the form of community worship at the temple or church on appointed days or feast days. These often take the form of specific rites, rituals, liturgies. Another form of prayer in common is the “Hours of the Church” where the faithful, the monks, the religious sisters and brothers open the breviary and recite the morning and evening prayers. Enclosed monks and nuns in monasteries and Priory might undertake participation in the Liturgy of Hours: Prime (first Hour = approximately 6 a.m.) Terce (third Hour = approximately 9 a.m.) Sext (sixth Hour = approximately 12 noon) None (Ninth Hour = approximately 3 p.m.) in addition to morning and evening prayers in common.

Private prayers may be offered publicly or silently at the temple or house of worship. Private prayers can also be offered in the home, or in interior spaces created in the mind where one repeats the prayer on the breath – called Prayer of the Heart (explained in the Philokalia), or as namasmarana (repetition of the Name of God) in other religions. This can be accompanied by prayer beads, rosary, japa, prayer wheels, like this.

Prayer has a noble history and accoutrements: one can have prayer bones, join a prayer breakfast, or use prayer cards. There are prayer carpets, prayer rugs and prayer mats (often seen in Islam and in Early Christianity). We can have a prayer circle or prayer ring where people pray together; or a prayer chain – a series of people each of whom receives a written prayer with an invitation to pass it or copies of it to others. Once upon a time, you could buy prayers – these were called Indulgences, and payment would get souls out of suffering into beatitude and Heaven. People wear prayer cloaks, prayer shawls, and prayer scarves. You will often see Jews at the Western Wall wearing the Tallit, the prayer shawl, and the orthodox will also be adorned on forehead with a phylactery – which contains excerpts of the Torah. In the East, we can find prayer bells, prayer wheels, prayer flags and prayer gongs.

 

Ascension is about the expansion of the human consciousness, awareness of higher dimensions, and emergence of psychic skills. There are many other definitions of Ascension, including reactivation of so-called junk dna, the rainbow children, (along with the diamond children, the crystal children, and indigo children). Another aspect of Ascension is the inner transformation from carbon to crystalline form in the etheric body. We will take this and admit there is a cornucopia of expressions of Ascension by light-workers and kindred souls. Another aspect of Ascension not to be overlooked is the transformation of life on Earth from aggression, conflict and violence to the Golden Age, an age of peace, harmony and cooperation among all who live on Earth. This is sometimes called the Event, the Golden Age, Sathya Yuga, the Age of Aquarius and other like names.

Mantras

The Mantra emerged in Hinduism and Buddhism as a word or sound to aid concentration in meditation. It derives from two syllables, man meaning mind and tra meaning vehicle or transport. In these religious systems, a mantra is frequently given by a guru or a master as a form of initiation. A mantra is divine power clothed in sound: ‘Shakti is present in mantra. The purpose of mantra is to rein in the mind, which is like a river in flood, and begin to channel the waters to flow between the banks of the river towards the ocean of the Divine.’

Other uses of mantras can be to manage the mind, to settle from disturbances and upsets. Many people who are not initiated into any particular discipleship or spiritual discipline use mantras to start their day, to train the mind to calm and peace; some recite seed mantras, others chant the single syllable OM. Others – who have the spiritual meridian in the body as the primary meridian – must begin their day with spiritual activity else, the remainder of their day is “out of whack” as it were. So the meditation, silent sitting, mantra, prayer, affirmation is an important practice for many.

The most important mantras include the phrase, “I AM”. Consider the following:

“I AM the Light”
“I AM the Love”
“I AM the Truth”
“I AM”

• This world is Light, this body is Light, the Soul is Self-effulgent Light, the Source of the All is Self-effulgent Light, brighter than millions of Suns. Chanting “I AM the Light” is a statement of soul strength and Oneness with the Source of the All.
• ‘Love is God; God is love. Love more and more people, love them more and more intensely. Transform that love into service. Transform the service into worship – that is the highest spiritual discipline.’ Chanting “I AM the Love” tells that you are in the Source, the Source is in You as Love.
• Truth is the basis of the Universe. Chanting “I AM the Truth” is a statement of Oneness with all that is – that is, the Universe and all forms of life, including multiple universes and parallel universes.
• “I AM” is the first name of the Divine (in several faith systems). It is a statement of the Oneness of reality, and Oneness with the Source of the All.

 

Affirmations

Moving on from mantras, we come to Affirmations. We become what we believe we are. Affirmations can be expressions of belief, of what we wish to become, what it is we wish to strengthen or transform in our personality. We can affirm our purpose, we can manage our minds with affirmations. Why? Neurons that fire together, wire together. Thought creates reality; as the feeling, so the result. Affirmations can be used for general wellness, affirming the health of and thankfulness for the body, or for spiritual advance.

Another definition of Affirmation is, Affirmations are statements that we say to ourselves that can shift our minds in ways that can make us feel better about ourselves and our lives. They don’t make our thoughts come true. Rather, they help us think in ways that make our lives better.

Examples:

“My mind is brilliant. My body is healthy. My spirit is tranquil.”

“I create my own path and walk it with joy.”

“My positive thoughts guide me to new heights.”

“My body is a temple. I keep my temple clean.”

“I hold the key to better health through eating better and exercise.”

“Good health is a practice, and I have patience.”

“My potential is limitless, and I choose where to spend my energy.”

“I surrender to the flow and have faith in the ultimate good.”

“I will speak with confidence and self-assurance.”

“My commitment to myself is unbreakable.”

Gratitude in the times of Ascension

“Prayer” has been distorted and abused over time, particularly by those who present us with a judgemental, demanding god that must be appeased by prayer, suffering and sacrifice. Prayer admitting sinfulness and repentance was imposed on the faithful in order to avoid an eternity of hell-fire and brimstone, never-ending pain and punishment for one’s sins and failings. The Reformation began with the sale of prayers for departed souls.

We may begin with confirming the Oneness of Reality, and that the Divine abides in the hearts of all persons: in fact, the Divine abides in the heart of all created reality. The mineral domain, the plant domain, the domains of water creatures, animals, and those that fly, burrow and crawl in the Earth. We can have thankfulness and gratitude for all that is, we can observe the presence of Source in all things, and we can nurture all life as we encounter it; and we can be mindful of life and all living things.

Gratitude is the highest expression of Love. As one understands gratitude, one feels Love on a higher vibration. We can have gratitude for what we are, for what we see, for what we experience. Source looks to the feeling behind all our actions, so any gratitude we have is known unto Source of the All immediately – for we are all embodiments of that Source.

People often pray for others in dire circumstances. We feel their stress, fear and suffering. Prayers in the public domain are frequently called for those living in oppression, for those suffering or killed in disaster or unwanton events, and those at the mercy of flood, famine and other extreme events in nature. What we are feeling at the time of prayer, the energy we have at that time of prayer – goes with the prayer. What vibration are you sending along with your prayers? Are you wallowing in misery and suffering in prayer?

As much as we are tempted to join – desperately praying for relief, release from suffering and disaster, the saving of lives, the repose of lives lost, we need to look to the energy that is being offered with the prayer. It is more beneficial to give gratitude for the healing of that soul, that soul group, and offer gratitude for the situation that has drawn our response. As the feeling, so the result. If we offer gratitude with our prayer, mantra, affirmation, then love and peace will be our result.

Gratitude tells that all are one, and that everyone has the same experience. Gratitude affirms that despite destruction, disasters and demonic people who commit unconscionable acts, all is part of the perfect plan taking all humans to this time, this place, this experience of Ascension. This is the time of Ascension, this is the Golden Age. the Age of Peace and Plenty. Gratitude is the highest expression of Love. As one offers gratitude, one feels Love on a higher vibration.

We have looked at Prayer and its accoutrements and the different applications of prayer in many nations. Mantras are powerful and are used by many – including those of no formal religious or spiritual affiliation. Affirmations are also a useful way to manage our minds and create our reality, leading us to make our lives better. Gratitude can be used with any – with Prayer, with Mantra, with Affirmation. As the Divinity – the Source of the All – looks to the feeling behind the act, our gratitude in response to need, in response to disaster and suffering, poverty and destitution are known and received by the Source of the All immediately. Gratitude is an important instrument of inner transformation and world transformation in these times of Ascension.

May we have Gratitude for All that Is.