In the quiet moments of reflection, when the heart speaks more profoundly than the lips, we are reminded of the true essence of prayer.
It is not merely the words we offer but the sacred connection of our being with something far greater. Shortly after relocating to Eureka Springs, I came to understand this, and my life has been forever changed. With each prayer that has followed, I have felt that same change ripple through me, drawing me closer and closer to the divine, and I give thanks.
In the world today, many of us have encountered prayer in various forms.
Whether it is at the dinner table, alone in solitude, or in the presence of others, we have all felt the need to call upon something higher. But in our fast-paced lives, we often mistake prayer for a mere recitation, believing that by simply speaking words, we have fulfilled our spiritual duty. Yet prayer is so much more than words. It is the language of the soul, expressed not just through our voice but through the deep feelings within us.
Consider this: words, while powerful, are limited. They are a tool given to us to help access something much deeper — our feelings. We have been taught that by speaking words, we have prayed, but the true power of prayer lies in the feelings those words evoke.
God, The Divine, The Higher Power, The Source — whatever name we give it — does not understand human language as we do. It is the energy of our feelings by which it understands us.
I have come to understand that there are many ways to pray:
The informal prayer, when we say, "Now I lay me down to sleep."
The petitionary prayer, when we ask for help or guidance, like my dear grandmother Josie, who would pray to find her keys or purse.
The meditative prayer, when we sit in silence, attuned to our breath and heartbeat, simply being.
The ritualistic prayer, as we offer grace before a meal.
But there is another mode of prayer, a mode so powerful that it transcends all others: the prayer of feeling. This is the prayer that connects us directly to the divine through the purest expression of our emotions.
Let me share a story of a farmer in the heart of America. In the midst of a severe drought, he did not simply pray for rain. Instead, he walked into his barren field, barefoot, and with deep feeling, he imagined the sensation of mud between his toes, the rain falling upon his skin, and the corn rising tall around him. He did not ask for rain — he felt it as if it were already there. His prayer was not words alone; it was the embodiment of faith, trust, and gratitude. That very evening, rain fell upon his fields.
This, my dear friends, is the true nature of prayer. It is not the words we speak but the feelings we invoke. When we pray, we must pray as though our prayer has already been answered. We must feel the healing, the love, the abundance as if it is already present in our lives. This is the prayer that moves mountains, the prayer that opens the heavens.
So how can we pray in this way?
First, make a declaration. Speak your intention, but do not stop there. Allow those words to move you, to stir your heart. Let your emotions rise, and with them, engage all your senses.
Feel the prayer as though it has already happened. If you are praying for healing, feel your body whole. If you are praying for peace, feel it deep within you. If you are praying for abundance, feel it surrounding you.
And then, give thanks. Gratitude is the final step in this powerful form of prayer. When we give thanks, we affirm that we have already received what we have prayed for. It is in this moment of gratitude that the divine responds, for it has heard not just our words but the energy of our faith.
This is not merely an abstract concept; it is something I have lived. Here, in the tranquil beauty of Eureka Springs, I have often felt the power of this prayer. Whether sitting at the foot of the Christ of the Ozarks statue or by the peaceful waters of Little Lake Eureka, I have experienced the profound connection that comes when praying with my whole being.
We have the power, each of us, to shape our lives through prayer. But we must first move beyond words and speak with our hearts. We must summon our deepest feelings and offer them to the divine, trusting that they will be heard. When we pray in this way, we are not just communicating with God; we are co-creating with Him.
When we engage in feeling-based prayer, we are not asking for something to happen in the future — we are feeling the outcome in the present moment. We feel the joy of abundance, the peace of healing, the love of a restored relationship, or the rain falling on a dry field. We immerse ourselves fully in the sensation of gratitude, as if our prayer has already been answered. In doing so, we align our energy with the outcome we desire, creating a powerful resonance with the higher field that draws the answer to us.
So, I invite you to enter into this sacred practice. When you pray, feel as though your prayer has already been answered. Give thanks. Trust. And know that the divine listens not to the words we speak but to the love, the faith, and the gratitude that we pour forth from our souls.
To pray in this way, begin with a clear declaration of your intention. Speak it aloud or in your heart, but then move beyond words. Close your eyes and feel the reality of your prayer. Engage all your senses. Imagine the sensations, the sights, the sounds, and the emotions you would experience if your prayer had already been answered. Feel it as real in the present moment. Then, offer gratitude — not for what you hope will happen, but for what has already been delivered in spirit. Close your prayer with a deep sense of trust, knowing that the Divine has already heard you and is moving to bring your prayer into form.
In the end, the prayer of feeling is not about asking for miracles — it is about becoming a living, breathing miracle yourself. When you pray with feeling, you embody the divine, and in doing so, you bring heaven down to earth.❤️
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