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    The Universal Power of Prayer

    Being Frank
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    According to the dictionary, prayer is defined as a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or an object of worship; a religious service, especially a regular one, at which people gather in order to pray together; an earnest hope or wish. As a Catholic and ex-seminarian, I was taught to pray as a way of asking God to help those in need, or to intercede when assistance was needed to address a seemingly insurmountable challenge be it physical, emotional or spiritual. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve observed the effects that prayer can elicit in others and oneself. And although most would speak to its influence occurring through the intercession of a higher power, I’ve observed an additional link; that of the impact of prayer through our connection to our nature.

    Beyond the religious overtones or its numerous denominations, prayers elicit a sense of connection, comfort, security and peace. You don’t have to be religious to feel the effects of prayer. But you do need to believe in the power of good and its potential to aid in healing physical, emotional or social wounds. And that means being brave and open enough to allow yourself to feel and care for someone other than yourself.

    So this brief commentary is on the belief that prayer is an earnest wish or hope. When we wish someone well or hope for their recovery, we are sending positive thoughts. I know, I know; that is the ultimate in threadbare platitudes that have been abused to the point of insult. But if we can escape that instinctual revulsion for a minute, think about what you’re doing when you wish or hope for something or someone. You’re eliciting a prayer; a hope that somehow, some way, that supplication will find its way to a form of aspiration realized.

    The realm of quantum physics is grappling with the fact that everything is made of energy at the elemental level. Everything. And beyond Kirlian photography or other forms of supposed physical evidence as to the existence of energy (some which drag along mountains of skepticism), we know that it’s what literally keeps our molecular structure together. I won’t go into the studies or schools of thought regarding energy as it relates to our physical world. Suffice it to say that it exists, but there is still much for us to explore and understand before we can create a credible link between energy and its relationship to prayer.

    But most everyone has felt that sense of comfort; that feeling of peace and synchronicity when we either pray or merely wish for something positive. Is this real? Is it merely a psychological reaction to the concept of hope? Who are we to say if any of this is unequivocally right or wrong? How many things have been born of hearsay, dreams, or flights of fancy that are now considered scientific fact? After all we’ve been through as a species, we should have learned by now never to say never and be mindful when saying when.

    In today’s world where we are encountering less regard for human life and dignity; where we have ascribed more value to our material wealth rather than our intrinsic worth, I think we’re all due for a prayer. We should all take a moment to pray – to hope – for a greater measure of kindness and humility. We should wish for everyone to see the world through the eyes of their children, and not just through someone else’s vision of social ideation. Pray for peace; pray for happiness. Hell, pray for rain. Just pray. Because each time you do, you’re creating positive waves of energy. And since energy has a ridiculously long shelf life, I’m sure that the intersection of conjecture and reality will eventually meet. And when we prove the quantifiable existence of prayer as a form of energy well, that energy – your prayers – will have finally found a safe haven in which to openly help heal the world.

    2 responses to “The Universal Power of Prayer”

    1. Maria Potter Avatar
      Maria Potter


      I found this particular article and subject matter very thought-provoking. 

      I was raised without a formal religious construct even though my grandmother was a woman of strong faith who practiced all the tenets of catholicism.  Also,  my grandfather had been  a seminarian during war torn Spain and  had a very complex relationship with the church.  So while here,  I must confess that  I never learnt formal prayer. 

      However, in past years, many times I’ve found myself in fervent prayer. Not for things that I wanted, but for healing blessings for family and friends. More interestingly, my prayers have  always been directed at loved ones who have  passed, not God.  

      So if I don’t pray to God, does that make me a pantheist? Well, I don’t know. And no, I am not a hippie nor do I talk to the stars. However, I do believe in the universe, in its energy, and that all that exists within the context of earth and nature is divine and sacred. 

      So as I read your words Frank, it suddenly dawned on me that you hit the nail right in the head when you said “prayers elicit a sense of connection, comfort, security, and peace” and then, I understood. 

      Prayers are not just for others. They are also for ourselves, for how it makes us feel. It centers our heart and attention on what is of importance in our lives. It requires that we continue to cherish and connect to what our eyes cannot see and reinforce the meaning of our relationships. 

      Thank you for delivering enlightment through your writings. Keep them coming!

      Maria

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      1. Being Frank Avatar
        Being Frank

        Maria – this is such an insightful and beautiful response; thank you so much for sharing. In my Welcome page, I express my hope that visitors will be inspired by the contents herein to “…awaken a desire within you to ponder the world from your vantage point – one that should be driven by reason and not by the opinions of others…” So I was very pleased to see that this came to pass as you were reading my commentary on prayer. The act of prayer – of hoping – is such a personal endeavor, and it will be different for everyone. While in seminary, my spiritual advisor told me that prayer was a private conversation with God; a way to share insights, fears, concerns, and hopes. He said that he, as a priest, was nothing more than an intermediary between God and the faithful. But that did not preclude an individual from conversing directly with God. Even the act of confession (from a Catholic’s perspective) could be done without the priest so long as the penitent made an honest act of contrition. So prayer is a supplication, a hope for something that will bring peace, comfort, and healing in every sense of the word. It’s an exchange of energy, and it is directed everywhere. You don’t have to be religious for that; pantheists, atheists, agnostics, fundamentalists, christians – all have an inherent right and desire to hope and wish for the betterment of others or themselves. Like you, I pray to those loved ones who have passed. It’s a way to connect energy to energy; to reach out and touch them with the love we shared in the hopes of providing some sense of connection – to let them know that they are loved and still a part of the collective energy of life. That is a prayer; a hope. And when reaching out to that collective energy of life, we are also touching the very essence of what we understand to be God. What better way to pray? What better way to achieve peace? Thanks again, Maria – thank you for your heartfelt insights.

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