Exercise Twenty-Four

July 20th, 2006

Living Life as a Prayer

Living as a prayer is much like trying to understand a poem or a koan. To do so, the prayer must be felt, and intuited rather than understood.

EXERCISE

In exercise eight it was stated that "Unconditional gratitude and Love becomes the constant song we sing in prayer to the Field of Infinite Creation." In this new exercise, you are encouraged to become more radical in your prayer. You are encouraged to extend prayer into a constant state - to live your life as a prayer.

• May this be for the Highest Good.
• choose a favorite prayer - we are using one of Dr. Hawkins in this exercise.
• begin in a quiet space, be certain you will not be interrupted.
• say the chosen prayer*, To Thee O Lord do I surrender my being".
• take a deep slow breath.
• feel the intention of the prayer.
• open up, allow your self to open like a flower blooming in radiant sun.
• surrender is what the sugar does when stirred in warm water.
• you are giving what you understand to be you to God.
• you are willing to do this.
• feel the freedom surrendering your being gives, if fear or discomfort arises, use exercises 9 and 11 to release it.
• feel the surrendering, the giving, the extending energy of this prayer.
• To Thee O Lord do I surrender my being.
• surrender is how the bird sings or the cat purrs.
• surrender encompasses, includes and opens.
• feel the willingness to surrender you, and be the prayer.
• feel the resistance.
• allow both to be there.
• intend to offer your being.
• notice the part of you resistant to that offering.
• notice the part of you most willing.
• be the prayer noticing willingness, and reticence and by allowing both.
• offer to let go the 'who' and the 'what' and the 'how' you believe yourself to be.
• To Thee O Lord do I surrender my being.
• continue to offer.
• continue to hold the intention of this prayer.
• continue to be willing to do so allowing whatever comes up to rise within you without resistance.
• hold that feeling, that 'living prayer feeling' for longer and longer periods of time.
• hold to that sense of surrender for as long as possible.
• be radical in your intention.
• when you feel you have moved out of the being-a-prayer space, take a deep breath and begin the exercise again.
• living as a prayer means you ever increase your willingness.
• make it a practice of continuous willingness.
• "To Thee O Lord do I surrender my being."

* any prayer you feel deeply about can be chosen, [see exercise 8 for other examples]

The Buddhist prayer of peace:

May I become at all times, both now and forever
A protector for those without protection
A guide for those who have lost their way
A ship for those with oceans to cross
A bridge for those with rivers to cross
A sanctuary for those in danger
A lamp for those without light
A place of refuge for those who lack shelter
And a servant to all in need.