Visual Prayer

I would like to continue the conversation about prayer.   In the past post, I talked about what prayer was for me.  This time, I would like to talk about how people (myself included) pray.   The actual process of prayer.  Or at least one process that I use.

I want to make clear that there is no wrong way to pray.  Any conversation with a power greater than one's self is just as good as any other.  

However, here is one other possible option, praying visually.

This way to pray may take take a little explanation.   Praying visually is to literally picture the working of God in the lives of the people for whom we are praying.  You can include words if you wish.  I usually picture the Spirit of God working directly on people.  

It is like I am eavesdropping on the actual working of the Spirit.   Sometimes, this vision helps me to appreciate that what God's Spirit is doing is actually assisting that person in becoming what they wish to become, or to feel or experience what they choose to experience.  I do not visualize what I want God to do for them.  I just picture what they want God to do for them. 

If I do not know what this is, then I simply visualize the peace and understanding for which our spirits always yearn, to surround them and clothe them.   Sometimes I imagine peace and unconditional love as a warm and calming spring shower, filling them with that comfort and peace.

            When it has to do with praying for myself, then I can get specific.  Again, I can picture the energy, the Spirit of God flowing and penetrating, infusing and energizing my very being. 

My spirit can be pictured as a warm flame and the Spirit of God as the wind which causes that flame to grow and shine forth.   If I need peace, that peace becomes a light and God's Spirit the electricity that keeps that light shining.   Though the flame analogy can be used here as well.  

If it is something in this world (physical) that is the object of the prayer I visualize that there is a connection between myself and that object, or that person, or that group, company, etc.  Since God is everywhere, and there is no place that God is not, then God is equally in the thing that I concentrate my prayer on and in the vessel doing the praying (myself).    Visually, I create the gossamer strands of spirit that connect these things.  With this in vision, I see those strands affecting the object of my prayer and myself, changing both and bringing both to a place where they may participate as partners to bring about the desire of my Spirit.

It does not matter if, when you pray, it is different than this.  Actually, I would love to know how you may pray.  Whether visually, with words, with gestures, liturgy, ritual, with Holy Texts, with song, dance, in silence, or any other way you may pray.