DIFFERENT TYPES OF PRAYER

If we are confused or uncertain as to who or what God is for us, we will face a definite obstacle to prayer. If we conceive of God as seated on a throne in a Heaven located somewhere beyond the skies, we may be inclined to pray in a loud voice accompanied with vigorous gesticulations and activities that would make us more noticeable. However, if we felt that our God was close by or within us and even in our consciousness, a mere redirection of our attention would be all that is required for prayer. If we feel that God has certain likes and dislikes similar to ours, we would try to win favour by offering him compliments and things we feel He likes. If we took him to be like a superhuman father figure, we could even resort to tears and lamentations to sway him to attend to our desires, just as a child would do to gain the attention of a parent. On the other hand if we consider Him to be impartial and just, we would only make requests that are in harmony with justice and equality. Some people have an impression of God that is so majestic, powerful and abstract that they become too intimidated to attempt any direct contact. Such people naturally would resort to ‘channelling’ their prayers to God through intermediate spiritual beings such as angels, saints, ancestors, avatars or cosmic masters.

- Extract from the publication, ‘The Mystic at Prayer’ in ‘The Rosicrucian Heritage - September 2014’ by Kenneth U. Idiodi, FRC