Prayer has been a part of spiritual worship since the beginning of time. What is prayer? I like to think of it as a conversation with god. As with any conversation, it shouldn’t be one-sided. There are times that we are speaking and there are times that we are listening. Many times, we forget about the listening part. It can be difficult to determine when we are actually hearing the voice of the Divine as opposed to the some other voice such as our Ego.

This is a very basic model and probably not entirely inclusive, but I think there are four basic formats of prayer. These are as follows:

1.    Formal

These are the prayers that are part of every organized religion. The Salaat of Islam, the Our Father of Christianity, the formalized Shabat ritual of Judaism. These prayers are suffused with an eternal power and strength from long-use by countless generations. The repetition of them, both by the individual and the communities that perform them, creates a vibrational resonance that creates comfort and performs miracles.

2.    Conversational

These are the prayers in which we talk to God. Many times we are asking for something that we want – either for ourselves or for others. Sometimes these are known as intercessory (asking for something for others) or petitional (asking for something for ourselves). Many times they are prayers of Thanksgiving and gratitude for our many blessings. Sometimes they are prayers asking for guidance to do the right thing in a particular situation. They are just as the name conveys, conversations with the Divine, the source of ourselves and all that is.

3.    Centering

This is a style of prayer that is common in almost every religion and spiritual practice. Usually it is a meditative-type prayer in which a word is repeated over and over again either silently or aloud. In Sufism, this is called Remembrance and it is the name of God, “Allah” that is repeated or “La ilaha ilallah” – meaning there is no God but God. In the Christian form of Centering prayer, it can be any word of your choosing. The purpose of this type of prayer is to clear all of our mundane thoughts and keep focusing on God, Allah, the Divine. It is a very calming sort of prayer. Wayne Dyer mentions that the “AH” sound is the sound of the Creator, hence, all of the names for God in various religions or sacred sounds of various spiritual paths have this sound in them. For example, “ohm”, “Allah”, “God”,”Yahweh”, etc.

4.    Listening

This one is more complex but just as, if not more, important than the others. In the other forms of prayer we are communicating or focusing our intentions on something. However, at some point in the “conversation” we need to remember to step back and listen. This can be done in a myriad of ways including silent meditation, mindfulness practices, journaling, dreamwork. Many of us get those flashes from that still, small voice at the least likely moments, such as in the shower or driving to work!

All of these types of prayer serve different functions. I like to incorporate all of them in my daily spiritual practices. It is much like working out your body. You need to do exercises that are cardiovascular in nature to increase your endurance and heart strength, you need to do weight-bearing exercises to keep your muscles strong and you need to do stretching exercises to remain flexible. Some of these types come easier to some of us than others and yet, they are all important.

See if you can commit to a week of doing at least 5 minutes of each of Formal and Centering prayer; and intersperse Conversational and Listening forms throughout your day. You can set a timer a certain period of time to remind yourself to step back and have a conversation with your Divine source.

Of course, don’t be hard on yourself if you find even these few minutes a day difficult. Just remember the words of Meister Eckhart, “If the only prayer you ever say in your entire life is thank you, it will be enough.”

This article was written by Patricia Selmo, an Interfaith seminarian, certified life coach, spiritual healer, teacher and guide. She is the co-founder of the International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders: www.iawsl.com.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you commit to leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, and include the following byline: The International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders was founded to support spiritual women in living abundantly while serving their unique missions. We invite you to download-as our GIFT to you-the 5 Secrets to Creating Abundance Through Your Calling. You will also be registered to receive our weekly newsletter full of information and tips for supporting you in your calling. Just click here: www.iawsl.com

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This week we are celebrating Eid-al-Adha, the “Festival of Sacrifice” or “Greater Eid” which is a holiday celebrated by Muslims around the world to commemorate the willingness of the prophet Ibrahim to sacrifice his son Ismael as an act of obedience to God. This is the most important feast of the Muslim calendar.
Eid al-Adha annually falls on the 10th day of the month of Dhul Hijja of the lunar Islamic calendar. Towards the end of the Hajj (the annual pilgrimage to Mecca in Saudi Arabia by Muslims worldwide) the pilgrims descend from Mount Arafat to the Valley of Mina. This is when Eid-al-Adha occurs. It is approximately 70 days after the holy month of Ramadan.
By sacrificing an animal such as a cow, ram or camel, Muslims re-enact Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son. Traditionally, the meat is divided into thirds. One-third is eaten by the immediate family and relatives, one-third is given away to friends, and one-third is donated to the poor. The act symbolizes the willingness to give up things that are of benefit or close to the heart, in order to follow Allah’s commands; and it reinforces the ties of friendship and the idea of helping those who are in need. It also reinforces the idea of “oneness” in the community.
If we take a look at the meaning of the word sacrifice in the Merriam-Webster dictionary, we find the following definition:

Main Entry: sac•ri•fice
Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin sacrificium, from sacr-, sacer + facere to make — more at do
Date: 13th century
1 : an act of offering to a deity something precious; especially: the killing of a victim on an altar
2 : something offered in sacrifice
3 a : destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else b : something given up or lost <the sacrifices made by parents>
Eid al-Adha is a fitting time to consider what all of us are asked to sacrifice. Sacrifice does not necessarily have to be the sacrifice of an animal. In fact, check out the third definition above…the “destruction or surrender of something for the sake of something else”. Consider the idea that what we are asked to sacrifice is something that is in the way of our spiritual progress and growth.
As women spiritual leaders our time is constantly filled. It could be activities such as our ministry, healing, or helping others in our community. It could be singing, sleeping, running errands. However, even if we are relaxing, our time is filled with something. Even when we think it is filled with nothing it is filled with our knowledge, it could be filled with our thoughts, it could be filled with our feelings, concerns, or worries.
Now, in order for something new, of a higher energy to come in, another thing of a lower energy needs to be released. If you have a cup full of water, but what you really want is hot tea, then you will have to “sacrifice” the water in order to receive the hot tea. More dramatically, a trapeze artist at the circus must let go of one trapeze in order to latch on to the next one.
How do you know what it is you need to sacrifice? In order to properly determine what needs to be let go of, you must have a clearly defined set of values. Every decision should be weighed against your value system. We are never asked to sacrifice something that matches our values for something that is not in accordance with our values.
So, what things, people, activities, or beliefs in your life do you need to let go of in order to get closer to the Divine, to your spiritual nature? Are you holding on to old beliefs of unworthiness or the belief that money is evil? Are you holding onto activities that are not moving you towards your calling or purpose? Perhaps you need to sacrifice some activities that are draining you or are not in alignment with your values. Have you said “yes” to too many requests for your time? Maybe some of your relationships are not healthy and supportive for you? Do you need to sacrifice a relationship for the greater good of your health, well-being and growth?
Consider if now is the time to take stock of what is holding you back and make a sacrifice to your higher good so that you can freely move forward in your work, serving the purpose and mission you are divinely guided to fulfill.

This article was written by Patricia Selmo, an Interfaith seminarian, certified life coach, energy healer, mother and entrepreneur.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR EZINE OR WEB SITE? You may, as long as you commit to leave all of the links active, do not edit the article in any way, and include the following byline: The International Association of Women Spiritual Leaders was founded to support spiritual women in living abundantly while serving their unique missions. We invite you to download—as our GIFT to you—the 5 Secrets to Creating Abundance Through Your Calling. You will also be registered to receive our weekly newsletter full of information and tips for supporting you in your calling.

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