It is crucial to realize that death is not the end of our soul connections with loved ones. Prayer often opens the door to show us that connection, as we sense that the soul of our departing loved one is not actually departed at all, even after they have left their physical body once and for all.
Many of us wonder, does prayer work?
Studies on prayer are typically inconclusive, but challenges in proper experimental design have been difficult to overcome. How exactly does one conclusively demonstrate that a divine entity has intervened on one’s behalf?
Centering prayer has been described as a “return to the heart, finding one’s deepest center, awakening the profound depths of our being.” Such a practice has silence at its focus, serving as a reprieve from internal mind chatter.
It is difficult to prove beyond doubt, yet there is a great deal of experiential evidence to support the value of prayer. When praying for someone, assume that the loving energy of your prayers will help you connect with their soul. Trust that the highest and best good will occur for all involved, no matter what the outcome.
Remember that our existence does not end with the death of the physical body. Complete recovery from an illness is not necessarily the end goal. If such recovery allows for growth in understanding our soul group’s intended life lessons, then it becomes possible. It is crucial to realize that death is not the end of our soul connections with loved ones.
PRACTICE
A useful approach to prayer is simply to express gratitude for blessings already received and to invoke a trust in knowing that “all is well.”
RESOURCES
Healing Words by Larry Dossey
The Heart of Centering Prayer by Cynthia Bourgeault
I think we all need that reminder over and over that death is not the end, just of the body. When I did autogenic tapes from Norm Shealy in the 90’s, I remember the tapes saying the same things, “I have a body, but I’m not my body.” Many experiences followed this concept during that time. Life moved on. Now, I’m back at that time period with these ideas/concepts becoming ever present. It’s so easy to get caught up in the physical universe and forget who we truly are.
If you’ve prayed for something in the past and it was something that aligned with God’s will but you did not receive it, then please read this. This was the most remarkable thing that I’ve ever experienced. This is the exact moment in my life that I discovered the power of prayer, and it was the first time in my life that I felt like I spiritually connected with God. Note: I wasn’t in church and I wasn’t saying the same things as everyone else. Instead, it was personal, intimate and sincere, and it was coming from my heart and in the privacy of my bedroom.
Isaiah Chapter 58 tells us that “merely external worship does not avail with God; it must be joined to internal sincerity.” I truly believe this is the key to spiritually connecting with God.
As a child, I attended a catholic grade school and high school. I attended Mass in church hundreds, if not, thousands of times and I don’t ever remember spiritually connecting with God? From my experience, I think it’s hard to pray with sincerity in Church due to all of the distractions. I recently went through a divorce after 32 years of marriage. It was heartbreaking. A few months after my spouse and I separated I was laying in bed one night and found myself screaming at God (in my head) looking for answers as to why it happened? I was screaming in my head that I was a good person, with a good heart and that I’ve always helped people and I didn’t understand why this was happening to me. I told God that I needed him in my life and that I needed him in my life RIGHT NOW. I fell asleep and woke up a couple hours later to use the restroom. I couldn’t go back to sleep so I turned on the television and opened the YouTube app. The strange thing is I never really watched YouTube on my television. My daughter and her boyfriend were recently visiting me and they were showing it to me. Something lured me to click on the YouTube app.
When YouTube loaded, right there in front of me was a video and I was amazed with what I saw. The first video that appeared on my television was a video from a God Ministry Channel. A video that was uploaded two hours ago which was the exact time I was yelling at God. If you’re not aware, YouTube shows when videos were uploaded underneath the video. There was a picture of Jesus on the video, and the caption on the video said “My Child, I heard your Prayer and I want you to know everything is going to be OK…” At that very moment, the hair on my arms stood up and I felt this tingling sensation all throughout my body. I clicked on the video and there was a picture of Jesus telling me that he seen and heard everything that happened and he told me he was sitting right beside me and he assured me that everything was going to be OK. I was instantly at peace with myself. Keep in mind, I didn’t say anything out loud when I was talking to God. I was literally yelling at him in my head and he heard every word that I said to him.
Shortly after this happened I started receiving more videos addressing things that were happening in my life and I also received videos addressing the thoughts I was having in my head. On one occasion I woke up on a Sunday with the intention of working on my business. I was self employed at the time. Instead, for some unknown reason I sat down with a notebook and started writing. I had no intentions of doing this when I woke up. I found myself writing “This is My Destiny.” I found myself writing several pages about my destiny. All of it was about helping other people. People who were suffering from something they had experienced. Just like me. When I was done writing, I put the notebook in my filing cabinet and began working on my business. About two weeks had passed and I grabbed the notebook out of my filing cabinet and began reading what I had written down about my destiny. Later that evening, without even thinking about it I put my notebook in the Bible as a place holder and went to bed. The next morning I was having a cup of coffee, I turned on the television and switched it over to YouTube. Right there in front of me was a video with a picture of Jesus on it. The caption on the video said, “My child, I am proud of you, I know what you want your destiny to be and I am going to help you achieve it…” I could list another dozen videos that I’ve received. It’s the most amazing thing that I’ve ever experienced.
After several of my encounters with God I started reading the Bible and found the following verses that directly related to my experience.
Matthew 6: 5-6 (Prayer)
When you are praying, do not pray like the hypocrites who love to stand and pray in synagogues or on street corners in order to be noticed. I give you my word, they are already repaid. Whenever you pray, go to your room, close your door, and pray to your Father in private. Then your Father, who sees what no man sees, will repay you.
Mark 11:24 (Cleansing of the Temple)
I give you my word, if you are ready to believe that you will receive whatever you ask for in prayer, it shall be done for you.
Sirach 2: 6 (Duties toward God)
Trust God and he will help you; make straight your ways and hope in him.
John 4: 23-24 (The Samaritan Woman)
Yet an hour is coming, and is already here, when authentic worshipers will worship the Father in Spirit and truth. Indeed, it is just such worshipers the Father seeks. God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in Spirit and truth.
Philippians 4: 6-7 (Joy and Peace)
Dismiss all anxiety from your minds. Present your needs to God in every form of prayer and in petitions full of gratitude. Then God’s own peace, which is beyond all understanding, will stand guard over your hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus.
Matthew 7: 7-8 (The Power of Prayer)
“Ask, and you shall receive. Seek, and you will find. Knock, and it will be opened to you. For the one who asks, receives. The one who seeks, finds. The one who knocks, enters.
I was self-employed when all of this was happening. It’s been over 15 months now and I closed my business and decided to work in God’s ministry. My goal is to build homeless shelters one day. I know with God by my side that anything is possible.
God Bless You!
When you meditate, you link your mind with your soul. When you can get your soul to link with other souls, you can effect prayer: your soul tries to influence the souls of others, which is to achieve a goal, which is prayer
Well put Bart. Am also learning that within the science of Quantum mechanics to heal our bodies, but send remote healing to others by raising our levels of consciousness into space where there is no you or me just the one whole! So when you are there and have the intention of what you want it is like just sending that out with the exhale and receiving the healing back thru the inhale into your heart which will expand and send message to brain to send the message to the relevant cells!
it takes a lot of practice of course to reach that level, but there are many many such people amongst us with those gifts/achievements.
My husband passed on September 12th. We adored each other. Had similar issues in common. A very strong connection.
I struggled with prayer and the concept of God. Someone once said to me, God’s got your back. I prayed but, I was very disassociated.
Now because of people in my life, Eben and Karen’s influence, I pray to my husband and my higher power I choose to call God. I get a lot out of my prayers now. Also I thank God and my husband for good things that come together for me.
Finally, I most days will speak to my husband about anything and that keeps me closely connected and helps me thru the grieving process.
Blessings to all! May light and love surround you for this day and always.
Anne,
Just a thought. Have you tried praying to God and asking him to give you “His own Peace.”
Philippians 4: 6-7 (Joy and Peace)
Dismiss all anxiety from your minds. Present your needs to God in every form of prayer and in petitions full of gratitude. Then God’s own peace, which is beyond all understanding, will stand guard over your hearts and minds, in Christ Jesus.
I personally struggled with depression for 20 long years. I told God in prayer that I was struggling and I needed him in my life right now. He heard me and instantly gave me his own peace which is beyond all understanding. It was the most remarkable thing that I’ve ever experienced. 20 years of anxiety and depression was completely gone in a matter of seconds. It’s been almost 16 months now and I am completely at peace.
God Bless You!
The lesson on Life Review led me to remember an encounter I had following the funeral of my paternal grandmother, who was a favorite of mine. She was a sour but loving old woman who was sadly attracted to the likes of Jerry Falwell & his repulsive ilk. At the funeral, as I prayed w/ the others at one point in the service, it occurred to me that she probably had no idea what to do or what would happen after she died. At least, I never heard her talk about the transition & her massive stroke was not anticipated. So, on impulse I prayed that she seek my help if she felt lost in her new state. That night, as I drifted off to sleep, I was aware of her asking me in non-verbal terms, “What do I do now? What is this place?” To my utter sorrow, I couldn’t find a way to explain what I had read about after-life experiences to her, & quickly went off to sleep! I hope I will see her at my end & can tell her I am so sorry to have failed to help her.
Maybe you did help her. We do so much in our sleep that we don’t and probably shouldn’t remember. If we remembered every single thing we dreamed about or accomplished in that state, we would never be rested. I helped someone transition while I was asleep…like I was their guide, and though I do remember some of the process, I don’t remember well enough to know who it was, lol!
Doctor, this is your best piece yet!!! Thank you♥
Early on it was explained to me that prayer is talking to God and meditation is listening to God. Since I do a lot of both, I’m not sure where one begins and the other ends. As a child, I loved the prayer “And if I should die before I wake … ” I asked Grandma, “Can I die in my sleep?” She said, yes, sometimes people do. I would fall asleep excited, hoping I could go back to my real life and job. The hardest thing about being a child was not having true work to do and being looked down upon by adults who assumed that a kid doesn’t know anything. Since I remember clearly two OBE’s before the age of 5, I just wonder … as a newborn, I had surgery on my neck. There were cysts on my vocal cords. The doctor didn’t give me any anesthesia—this was 1948 out in the panhandle of West Texas—and I just wonder if I had a NDE I don’t remember because, even though I would not rush it, I am looking forward to going back. But I am now also content to stay here as long as I need to because since the early 1990’s, I have not been confined to this realm. I can keep my body here and go all over the inner-verse.
As I’ve been doing this 33 day course I’ve read your very interesting replies but this one interests me most! Can you share any tips for astral traveling? I’ve for so long & many times get so close yet I’ve never experienced conscious separation. Any tips are greatly appreciated! The more detailed the better! For example, is it necessary for one’s eyes to be open? Better if arms at sides or doesn’t matter? Etc? 🙏 in advance!
Hi Reni,
I have astral travelled many times.
The technique is to 1) while ur awake during the day, frequently ask yourself am I asleep or am I awake?
2) before you go to sleep have the intention of waking up in your dream (you may remember to ask yourself whether ur asleep or awake inside the dream)
3) once you have arrived at a lucid dream, and understand that you are dreaming, look at your hands.
4) you should shoot out!
I think there are other things you can do like look at your feet, but I just remember the hands. I did this when I was a lot younger 30 years ago. It scared me! And I quickly got back into my body. My advice, enjoy it. There will be a physical sensation near the chest while your out. If you can stay out for a while as the moment you think about your body, you’ll be back in.
I’ve left my body many times unintentionally too through trauma/pain and also in dreams.
Have fun!
I also like the idea of prayer for me because it is a behavior I rely on as a ‘check-in’ with myself as in “How am I doing? Have I been kind?” Praying for myself or someone else is very helpful for silencing ‘mind chatter’ which is NEVER time wasted.
Prayers work wonders. God knows even before we pray and many times the healing is already started before we finish our prayers, so remember to always pray with gratitude, knowing it’s already happening or happened. Always remember to thank the Lord and Angels for all their wondrous help with blessings and unconditional love…..Thank you, thank you, thank you. Thank you also Eben and Karen. ……..Blessings, love and light Sandie
This is a beautiful topic and judging from all the comments truly heartfelt by all.
Prayer is the Universal method of connecting with a Higher Power/God/Consciouness or whatever we wish to call Him/Her/It. Some form of prayer has been practiced throughout all of time by every different people on Earth.
The most important aspect of prayer is that it engenders a deep sense of humility. Not humility before a church, a priest or any person, an idea or any other conceived thing but humility before The Creator and Maintainer of the Whole Universe, the Conscious Power that can accomplish literally anything at any second. There are as many methods of praying as there are human beings on Earth but very often people will kneel down or prostrate themselves – a physical expression of this humility which enables the whole person, body, mind and spirit to be involved in the process. Most people in the modern western world would feel embarrassed or self conscious doing this nowadays even when alone which says something about us, I feel.
It is only through a feeling of humility that Spiritual Energy can flow into us from Our Higher Consciousness and then flow out into our world around us. If there is the slightest sense of arrogance, separate individuality or self important ego then this simply cannot happen. The more we pray with sincerity the closer we become to God until eventually as was said by God through the Prophet Muhammad “When I love someone I become the ears with which he hears, eyes with which he sees, , the hand with which he grasps and the foot with which he walks, if he asks Me for anything it shall be given and he seeks refuge in Me I shall protect him”. When this happens we truly become God’s representative on Earth, the role we were originally created for.
The best form of prayer is to praise God with all our being, acknowledge His Infinite Wisdom in everything, ask Him to keep us on a straight path in accordance with His Will and to ask for His blessings in our own lives and the lives of our family, our friends and our loved ones. The rest is up to Him and He knows best in All things. If we do not understand certain things in life or reasons why some things happen we can pray for understanding and if God Wills then understanding will most surely come to us at some point.
It is only through prayer that the Spiritual World can begin to manifest itself here on Earth and we can literally begin to create Heaven on Earth……..this is the sole purpose of human life. The birds, animals, insects, plants and rocks already know how to do this and are constantly singing God’s praises throughout their life by being who they were always meant to be – no hypocrisy or false pretence there!
I have had a quote on my website for several years and whenever I read it I feel this utter calm–“All shall be well, and all manner of thing shall be well.” –Julian of Norwich
Very recently I started a prayer circle for my British cousin’s grandchild, aged four, whose cancer had gone into remission but which has now returned. I had never done something like this before, but what was compelling is how because of the Internet the friends I contacted could join at the same time each day though they were in different parts of the U.S., in the U.K., and in Ukraine. Then one friend’s relatives came in, too, from Brazil. So each day for a few minutes we send prayer energy together to the child we have never met. It feels as if we are the ones being blessed.
I trust that child healed? Lynne McTaggert has proven scientifically that such intentions do work and the power of 8 will do just as well. This afternoon about a 100 + people joined in prayer to help 2 of our community members heal and come out of ICU due to the pandemic. We were urged to pray as often as we can individually too. We do this a lot and sometimes it helps the soul to be relieved of pain and passing and many have recovered too. thanks to the zoom we can do this jointly but even doing it at a set time as u and your friends did can work. Also in the past 4 months a very young junior priest’s robes caught fire and we sent donations and prayers from all over the world and the boy has recovered and now someone has decided that the clothing should be made with fire retardant material as a safety for all our priests who have to do the fire rituals in all major prayers.
Today on 12/12, I awoke to the feast day of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the 26th day of the journey into the Heart of Consciousness is Prayer. Every visitation from Mary, Our Lady of Fatima, Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of Medjugorje, etc… (the Divine Mother) calls us to pray for peace. I thank God for prayer because it releases the mighty power of God in action.
I wish everyone can be healed… free from cancer, poverty, war, hatred, fear, suffering, etc…
The victorious words to the Lord’s Prayer seed divine fruit that no human power can interfere with.
Lead me from the unreal to the real
from darkness to the light
from death to immortality
Essentially you seem to be suggesting that despite all the drama happening in our world today, and seemingly to others, so that it seems that life on earth is extremely hazardous, we should cultivate a sense of profound trust since praying for something ‘positive’ is pointless really? Being trustful in this sense, means really that if bad stuff happens to us, or what we judge to be bad, it is purely that- a judgement call – based on little or no understanding of God’s more universally relevant thoughts about why bad things happen as they do? My personal feeling or hope, really, is that depending on your breadth of knowledge, quality of your intelligence, foresight, age, life experience, role, & more, you can live your life more safely or healthily or as lovingly as you choose, but the very nature of being human, means that we are probably here to facilitate our own & others’ growth. As much as I dislike the idea of having to be part iof someone else’s lesson in becoming more enlightened, I guess it’s unavoidable. I like the idea of trusting in the Universe or God to keep me safe from what I see as others’ stupidity & ignorant choices, ( all judgements, I realise) but I can also see how ‘bad’ events or occurances, could be used by God as vehicles for enlightenment ot ferrying people away from the earthly dimension. So yes it seems prayer is pointless. Perhaps if we realised that we are here to help each other overcome our deep-rooted prejudices, vices, bases for dislike, to become even more considerate of others, more compassionate, understanding, more loving, less judgemental, racist, exclusionary – we would live our lives differently & then maybe there would be no need for this earthly existence.
interesting point of view….I had experience with prayer that it has helped other people and results in a greater connection to my own noble efforts of being human. My life has been full of challenges ie. with cancer…Karen
I wonder what life would be like if we lived it instead of thinking about living it. I believe we are already whole. Just have some mental cleaning up to do and let life/God express through us.Long ago in a dreamlike state, I was sitting beside a bed , my mother who had died was sitting on it. She was in her late 80’s when she died. and that is who I saw/she sad “excuse me , I have to go to the bathroom”. She left, when she came back a few minutes later, she was a very transformed young adult.
I know I get caught in thinking of living but not actual living life. I would compare it to going to dress rehearsal but then it ends.. similar to some dreams I’ve had. I would miss my mother terribly.. if she passes. and one day this will be.
Many years ago my grandmother was diagnosed with throat cancer. The treating doctor asked me if I wanted to know how bad it was. I said no. I took her for radiation treatment every day for the maximum allowed. I prayed very hard for her, for she was like the mother that I never had. After her last treatment and examination the doctor was amazed to find that she was cancer free. He told me that he did not believe that cancer that bad could be eradicated. I believe that my prayers did help.
I appreciate listening to Eben and Karen’s ideas on spirituality. What do you guys think of energy healing, such as Reiki? It might be a little off topic, but it’s similar because it’s a way of trying to help someone through mind and energy.
Reiki and other forms of energy healing are ways to become more aware of the energetic parts of ourselves, beyond the physical body. The general idea is to tap into universal energy and then become a conduit of that energy while focused on yourself, another individual (both in-person or from a distance), usually for a healing purpose. There is some interesting research on many different modalities here: http://www.noetic.org/research/projects/mapping-the-field-of-subtle
Actually energy healing is not off topic at all. It’s about guided love. I am always a bit reserved about asking for specific ‘miracles’ but every day thank the Greatness for guidance and protection throughout the coming day. As one who channels Reiki I rely on it for calming, insight, wellness and if it is in the Universal plan for someone then healing beyond wellness is possible, as well.
I like prayer for specific issues, challenges and overall body wellness because it cuts through all the ‘stuff’ that can on any day get tedious and time consuming. And praying with intent can set in motion energies of such broad magnitude that we have little or no idea about.
I particularly pray every morning and evening to the Holy Spirit…I figure that when Jesus said somewhat like ‘ …I go to prepare a place for you that where I am you may be also….I will not leave you comfortless…’ he meant that the Holy Spirit would be available for help. So, this presence is my second best friend next to Jesus who is busy preparing that ‘place’ and running things on the other side. AND the Holy Spirit is an energy of immediate access, limitless wisdom and love.
Prayer is simple and straightforward. Gratitude always keeps me in perspective and reminds me that I may be the Captain of my Ship but am not in charge of the winds and the waters. And it greatly takes away the ever so present Ego temptings that I might be alone and need to fight my way through a situation.
prayer is talking to God , meditation is listening which we should do more of obviously with 2 ears.
Lol
I agree with Elizabeth and Bill, prayer can be an appreciation of a beautiful flower, a conversation with higher self/God or set prayers. From my own NDE, I took away, prayers in groups are like a pipeline to the divine and they work because of the intentions are set for one person(s) if it is for the highest good for all. Only God knows the whole picture with possibilities and probabilities. I listened to the World Summit on Integrative Medicine and one of the speakers was Lynne Taggart who had research / performed studies and saw miracles were happening to people. My take, More prayer, the More Love is directed at that person with intention. “ALL WE NEED IS LOVE” . God’s Love is so intense we can not handle all of it in our physical life. Margaret, prayers are being sent to you with long distance Reiki and with much blessing and healing intentions.
At this time, my prayers center around two thoughts: Not my will but Thine be done…and Let me be a conduit for the descent of Divine Fire.
Yes. I agree. Not my will, but Yours. My heart is surrendered.
That is how I encounter God in my prayers it is acceptance. Period when my sister was dying of cancer this is how I prayed . There was a little dilemma in that though because my sisters concept was to pray to be healed. In a physical body. So I prayed for her healing in whatever transformation the divine had in mind for her.
I grew up in the Catholic Church environment with a curious mind that questioned and debated the idea of a God fearing approach to life. Many years ago I was struggling with the idea of prayer and the practice of a prayer ritual. As I was walking the beach in “mediation” it came to me that prayer is actually the act of thought and intention. A “formal” prayer ritual isn’t about kneeling in a church or repeating a set “prayer” such as a Hail Mary. Prayer takes place via our thoughts and intentions and can occur at any moment and any place. Having loving / caring thoughts about someone is a prayer. Holding the intention of compassion is potentially as powerful as demonstrating compassion. Becoming aware of my thinking allows me to access intentional prayer more frequently.
Once we come to understand that God truly is All That Is and we come to truly recognize that God resides within our eternal soul, only then can we realize that the only way for any and all of us to make contact with God is by going within ourselves and making such contact through prayer.
It’s no different than the way we come to understand anything, we do so by going within ourselves and forming a dialogue of communication with ourselves. We contemplate, we deliberate, we meditate, we pray.
It’s how we behave as humans. It’s how we are one with God. Oneness!!!
Dear Bozenna, what an amazing story, I think that it is evident, your granddaughter, on a higher level, put herself forward to be an example of Gods love and protection and answer to prayer. Perhaps you all could pray for me please? I was woken this morning with an attack of Cystitis, feels like a really vicious strain, am in agony and sent message to friend to help when pharmacist opens. I always link in every morning, almost like saying Good Morning to God and if I need help, either for myself or others, in some way or another, support and healing comes. Keep well, all. Love Margaret.
She is the one who as 3-4 years old during an eyes exam answer the doctor’s question “What do you see?”: “I see dead people”
I’m glad to see the recommendation of Cynthia Bourgeault’s book. Please correct the spelling of her name.
Prayers work in our daily lives. I’ve seen the power of prayers in a making on December 9 (Friday), 2016. Two or three weeks prior to Dec. 9 I saw my Mama in dream/trance/vision I’m not sure. She was in a small pitch black container wearing a short dress (my Mama would never wear such a short dress). The only reason I was able to see her dress was the fact that the dress had a white rim around. She was very serious and tensed but without signs of panic. She looked directly at me and I new that this wasn’t a good news.
I didn’t know what to expect so I prayed every day, please not my children, not my children ……I can deal with every thing but not my children, please not my children ….every night. On Dec. 9 afternoon I became sick, sick to my stomach. I couldn’t verbalize what was wrong with me. In the evening my husband became so concerned that he wanted to take me to ER, I was pale like a piece of paper. The night was a nightmare. Saturday at noon we received the news. My 17 years old granddaughter on Friday evening shortly after 10:0pm was in a car accident. She was the passenger and her 18 years old schoolmate was the driver. The police who arrived at the scene and shortly after the paramedic didn’t expect to find anybody alive coming from the car wreckage. They’ve seen much less damaged cars with death casualties inside. My granddaughter walked out from the accident with a small stitched wound on her right hand, an unidentified hard bump on her right wrist (it disappeared untreated a few months later) and some bruising here and there. The driver with minor concussion, some bruising and scratches here and there. No broken bones, no internal damage, no trauma.
My granddaughter graduated with honors from high school and in September 2017 started Environmental Science program at Thompson River University in Canada.
Prayers work! Miracles happen! We just need to have faith, hope and love. The greatest of these is love.