Mystical Forms of Prayer — Part 1

Spend at least as much time listening to the comforting inspirations of Spirit as you do speaking. Don’t expect the Infinite Spirit to speak to you in words. The occurrence of words during quiet moments of prayer generally indicates that you are imagining responses to your prayer, that you are not in mystically elevated consciousness. Most responses to transcendental prayer are:

• Revelations—flashes of direct perception which prove to be true in the outer world.
• Assurances—the comforting knowledge that your prayer has been received by Spirit and has been answered.
• Experiences of light, wholeness, wonder and/or holiness.

Arati means “the waving (or weaving) of light.” In Arati Prayer, you take the person for whom prayer is requested— or the problem for which you are praying—and circle your right hand in a clockwise motion, mentally surrounding the person or problem with Spiritual Light and Perfection. Visualize that the Infinite Spirit permeates and entirely fills the person or problem, bringing transformation, healing and wholeness.

Then, when you sense that Spirit fully abides within the Arati Circle and that Its loving will is fully manifested, relax your hand. Think or say:

Dear Lord, You are in (name the person or describe the situation). Your loving will is fully and freely expressing.

Then exhale and chant Om, Amen or Thy Will Be Done.

Three — INSTRUMENT PRAYER

As you pray, you may wish to think of yourself as an instrument which God is using. As you make your prayer, think and feel that the Spirit of God pours—or sweetly flows—through your mind, heart and body outward to the person or circumstance you are praying for.

Be sure to keep your personal will and desires out of your practice of prayer, especially this form of prayer. Prayer is not a bullying form of communication. Don’t try to impose your will upon a more loving and wiser will. Rather, seek to align and attune with the Higher Will as you pray.

A deep sense of communion with Spirit often leads to profound Instrument Prayer.

Four — TAP AND PRESS PRAYER

If, in your selfless and loving thought, it appears to you that the person for whom you are praying is blocking their own happiness or the happiness of others, you may choose to visualize this person and mentally tap or press on his/her forehead. Mentally tap or press lightly on the lower central forehead above the juncture of the eyebrows (which mystics call the Third Eye center). As you tap or press, chant God is love, or God is good, or God loves you.

Your attitude must be one of love and helpfulness, not judgment or correction. Use this method of prayer only on rare occasion. Pray first to be sure the Lord wishes you to use this method. Be sure you practice Tap and Press prayer with compassion and an openness to God’s will.

Five — KARMA AND MERCY PRAYER

Awareness of Karma, the law of cause and effect, often guides and enriches prayer.

After you attune with Spirit, you might wish to pray in this manner:

Beloved Lord, this problem is the result of a cause. May the cause of this problem now be revealed and fully understood. May all that is to be learned from this situation be fully comprehended and dealt with constructively.

Lord, may Your mercy and grace guide through this matter. May new spiritual causes now be initiated to bring forth Truth, Beauty and Goodness.

Six — SLEEP AND WAKE UP PRAYER

This is a marvelous form of prayer for people in such intense stress or profound grief that they seem impervious to prayer. For such deeply suffering persons, pray for them at night or very early in the morning while they’re sleeping. If, for some reason, you cannot pray for them while they are asleep, ask that your prayer take effect while they’re asleep and more receptive. First, pray to attune with God, then pray as follows:

Dear __________, by God’s grace may you sleep in awareness of your soul and in the strength and presence of God. May you sleep in the assurance that God loves you and wake up aware of God and your soul. When you awaken you will realize that God loves you, that all is well, and all will be well.

Then release your prayer to Spirit’s loving action as you chant Amen or Om.

Seven — DEVOTEE PRAYER

Sometimes you may not know how to pray or what to ask for. If so, simply approach the Lord in devotion and pray in this manner:

Dear Father/Mother/Lord, I don’t know what to ask for. I don’t know how to pray to You about __________. All I ask is this: May Your love and will fully and freely express in the life of __________. Amen (or Om).