How can prayer be made more effective?
- It is the emotion that counts. Not the amount of time spent praying.
- The words/mantras/chants may mean nothing to us, but the One who needs to understand, will.
- Having a 1-1 conversation with the higher power helps. In the language you are most comfortable in.
- Practise, leading to a habit, improves effectiveness – especially when it is most essential.
- Pray with family. As is said, “the family that prays together stays together”.
- Offer something in return. This is particularly useful for out-sized material wants (money, job, health of a loved one etc.). Promise in advance, that once fulfilled, you will do something meaningful – like feeding a number of homeless children, giving up your favourite food, donating a sizeable amount to a chosen charity etc. Remember, give big, get big (usually bigger!).
- Pray for others, significantly more than for yourself. You will find good things happen to others, and great things happen to you.
This is not about religion. We can even just pray in gratitude to the power that sustains life in this universe, and the spark within each of us. This is selfless, and perhaps the best kind of prayer.
We’ve all been in tough spots before, and life being what it is, we may find ourselves in similar positions again. Prayers do work. The proof is in the trying. Prepare to be amazed!