Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Prayer is... (fill in the blank)

I feel drawn to learn how to pray for organizations. One place I want to start is deepening my understanding of what prayer is. In a broad sense, I understand prayer as conversation with the sacred. But, I want to get to know more creative and personal images of prayer. So, here is my request and challenge to you. Fill in the blank, in one sentence or less: For me, prayer is _____: To get us started, I put some statements about prayer in this video.

8 comments:

Jeanne said...

...a portal to Love: God, my enemies myself, the three hardest kinds of love to muster at times.

Michael Bischoff said...

From Mary Frances R.:

For me Prayer is that moment in my day when I acknowledge the presence of my God who is always present to me, and with whom I intentionally commune, if only for that moment....Hopefully, all of life is prayer, but consciousness is important for us humans who cannot hold that Presence every moment, as God can hold presence to me.

Michael Bischoff said...

From Liz O:

Prayer for me is a conversation between myself and God, where sometimes I get to say some hard things to God, and sometimes God gets to say some hard things back. God's way more gentler with me, though.

Michael Bischoff said...

From Marilyn B.:

For me, prayer is talking to a friend who always understands.

Anonymous said...

For me, prayer is connection...with God and to be in the stillness and listen to that gentle whisper (sometimes its a little louder, but most often hard to hear at all) . And prayer is often action for me, in really 'being' with others, with a fullness of presence and loving, rather in tears, laughter, or stillness, often in loving others, I experience God. I like the proverb, "pray with your feet."

Anonymous said...

Prayer is using or words or not words (hugging, dancing, drumming . . .) to talk to God and to be open to love. It's being exactly where I am.

Anonymous said...

For me, prayer is simply being in communion with God. It is more about listening and discerning God's presence and movement, than it is about saying or asking for anything. Every moment is an open opportunity to to pray - to be in communion. I just need to open myself to it.

Tom Allen

Shannon said...

For me prayer is like potty training. Sometimes you sit and wait, and sit and wait, and the big moment comes (e.g. the epiphany, the word of God, the pee-pee, the poop). Sometimes you sit and wait, and that's all there is: the waiting. My job (as parent, as the one praying) is to do the waiting--hopefully, expectantly--but without attachment to a particular outcome. My hope is in things (like pee-pee) not yet seen.