Prayers

This topic is re-posted from a blog entry by GM Kana-Seiki Haruki as I feel it is a great topic for discussion in the forum and wouldn't want to see it \"lost\" in the blogs section. The original post was here:
http://templeofthejediorder.org/content/view/1703/109/
and was:


\"Prayers - By Kana-Seiko Haruki

August 2010

I thought I would give everyone something to chew on with this - It largely came about following a recent conversation with our beloved founder and patriarch GM BrJohn. Although I had previously thought about this before, it was the way John put it to me that sparked the desire for me to post this and to hopefully get sdome of your thoughts on the matter - im sure at the end of this, we'll all realise that like many things, we all have our own individual points of view on this - although I suspect that for those Brothers and Sisters of the force who are Jedi of the various rites (such as Abrahamic, Buddhist and Pagan Rites - possibly Pureland too) that this question will seem trather simple.

John said to me something along the lines of 'Whilst I don't believe in a deity as such or prayers as such, I do pray'

SO my question is this, what do you consider to be a prayer - just as a helper if your not sure, here is the wiki link to their definition of prayer

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prayer

Now for my part - I too follow a similar frame of mind as BrJohn, that is to say I don't believe in the riualised prayers to a 'God' as such - however, I do believe that other phrases can be used to mean much the same thing - As a Jedi I believe strongly in the power of the mind and that with the help of the force, we can all 'pray' and achieve a desired result - such as is frequently used here, for example 'sending healing thoughts' to others.

So - Do Jedi, even 'Humanist' Jedi still 'Pray' ? or are we doing something different?

Or is it just a simple matter of names for the same thing

Lets share thoughts on this - I'm sure we can all learn from each others perspectives.\"

I would not say I pray in a traditional sense, I hope for possible outcomes and sometimes look inward to find how that I may make those outcomes possible, I do meditate and try to clear my mind and let go of the events of the past or future which in a way may be another form or type of \"prayer\" but I do not look to another being and ask for help in the traditional sense of prayer

Thinking more as I type... When I hear of another's pain or troubles though I do tend to wish them well, do what I can to help in what ways I can... and Focus myself and hope for the best outcome, Much like what I'm learning of Attunement in Reiki but in a different perspective. A transferring of positive energy in a sense, though a few years ago I wouldn't of believed in such things, this makes as much sense as anything nowadays

Along those lines I believe that our meditations and well wishes, energy transfers, could be viewed as prayer in another form, My own past misgivings about the current Christian religion tend to make me flinch a little at the term \"Prayer\" as I see it as asking for forgiveness, needs, wants, and not finding one's peace of mind, but in a way to some it may give the same effect as sitting in meditation, inner conversation, or whatever means one may use to grow internally and could very well be the same thing.

I think it depends on the person, ask a devout southern baptist if meditation and prayer serve the same person and see how that conversation goes ...I'll have to talk to a friend now who is what some would call crazy catholic and have that conversation.

In my opinion, prayer is a many-layered thing. Firstly I agree with the comments made previously - that prayer is a form of intentional thought. The old oriental adage states that \"where attention goes, energy follows\" and this is a fundamental principle of many practices, from the shamanic Tibetan practices of Bon through to modern-day \"cosmic ordering\". As we create an intention, this is reflected in the totality of the Force and can be manifested physically. Buddha said: \"with our thoughts, we shape the world\" and this is true of prayer - if we believe in the intention of our words, then they can be made possible.

There's also the element of honouring that can be a part of prayer. As a pagan Jedi, I sometimes appeal to an aspect of the Force as represented by a deity, elemental energy, or something similar. For example, if I am working with compassion, I may appeal to Aphrodite or Erzulie Freda. Or if I am conducting a sabbat (ritual festival to honour the seasons), I will invite the Lord (the representation of the “male” or physical energies) and the Lady (representation of the “female” or spiritual energies) to join the working. When I pray, I pray to the Force that it may manifest my desires and intentions. In doing so, I am honouring its existence as well as recognising the totality of the Force as an all-powerful, omnipresent concept that I am a vital part of. In doing so, I am also honouring myself and the life that I have been given, and the same for all life.

Even the traditional prayer position of hands pressed together is symbolic of opposites coming together, of connecting our physical and spiritual natures, of making our intention manifest. In many parts of the world it represents a sign of reverence to whoever it is directed, be it another person or to a notion of God. It echoes the word “namaste” - “the Force in me honours the Force in you”.

So prayer can be a focused intention, a humble appeal, a thankful honouring, and a self-empowering ritual. It can be any and all of these things and it may be different things to different people. If it feels right to you, then it IS right!

MTFBWY

I do not pray, or yes, don't know,
Pray is a need, because humans need to request something, or say thank you for something, there is always an intention in a pray, and I'm not sure, how good this is.

I see this in a different way, maybe because I'm a crazy guy, or maybe because is the way I feel better

I synchronize with the force, i do not ask, for anything, but synchronizing with it, make me feel part of all, its hard to explain, but I feel like my surrounding, in a way that I can not tell here with words, I can feel and be a tree, the wind, the water, share with them parts of me.

I do not pray in the regular way to do it. the force, as energy, don't need a pray
my intention is \"MAYBE\" try to become part of that force, more in deep, more raw energy

So, maybe I pray

I think it really is much simpler than all that even. For me, prayer is just a beckoning to someone or thing(or nothing in particular even) about something beyond your control. I pray that you receive my words favorably; I can't control that, but I'm not asking any deity or anything otherwise to make it happen. Many of my prayers are almost entirely subconscious come to think of it.

to me a prayer is simply a \"concentrated\" thought, directed at a person or and outcome or both… it should be instinctual and not done as a matter of routine

Wow this is all really interesting. I would have to agree with Atar_Axus that some of my prayer is subconscious but I sometimes pray out loud for a particular thing. I feel that stating intention out loud helps concentrate the intention, particularly if followed by a meditation upon it.
One more thing, that many of us say every day, 'May the Force be with you' Surely that's a prayer for general support in the infinite ways the Force enriches our lives.