Harmony’s Peace of Mind
To hate.
To reject.
To destroy.
To pray.
To worship.
To make fervent request.
On and on it continues,
these crossroads of mind,
with prayer seldom pursued
outside the worship of a God,
even as meditation for some,
contemplation for others,
unknowingly seek the same inner peace
of quiet echo.
This personal spirit communication,
knowing something listened to
is often not heard,
seeks but to embrace simple entreaties,
imploring the quiet,
welcoming weary chaos,
consoling soul's guileless honesty.
For is not valid prayer but resonance made visible,
resounding its quite big bang
with no concern for source or object,
merely the wonder of nothingness
amidst the containment of everything?
Yet…
Prayers to acquire,
prayers to relieve accountability,
prayers by rote,
sadly abound.
Few listen and hear
their prayerful answers living freely within,
for like the "lotus flower rooted in mud
while blossoming over water,"
genuine prayer knows not to exile negative affection,
but to balance independence and belonging.
Might such freedom of want
come not by formal effort,
but by allowing
one's innate essence of harmony
to forever guide one's quest for
peace of mind?
Love ya!
Jane
prayers to relieve accountability,
prayers by rote,
sadly abound."
This stanza illustrates what I don't like about prayer. It seems like prayer is always invoked to try to achieve some kind of miracle. But I find in reality, miracles are more a matter of happenstance or coincidence rather than something acquired by prayer.
I don't pray and don't consciously meditate. But my lifestyle leaves me alone for long periods of time and in those periods my mind is actively and calmly thinking through things and coming up with alternate futures for myself. When I write, I try to help others come up with alternate positive futures for themselves and others. Negative thoughts, as you so eloquently point out, set us back in the course of human development and freedom.
Ron