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| Discipline is the highest form of devotion. |
Prayer is one of the most powerful spiritual tools at your
disposal. It has the ability to calm the emotions, focus the mind, and open
doors that can lead to immense spiritual growth. The proper utilization of prayer
can not only improve your life, but it may also add an enriching layer of
devotion to your spiritual practices. When you pray with an open heart and
mind, you are creating the perfect medium for manifestation of your spirits to
enter into your life and create opportunities for positive change.
There is more to prayer than simply folding your hands and
speaking to the empty air. You will find at the core of all spiritual belief
systems that there is a structure and discipline that outlines how to pray in
an effective manner. Applying yourself to fifteen minutes of prayer and
meditation daily will not only alleviate stress in your life, but also increase
the influence of your magical practices and strengthen the bonds and
relationships you have with your ancestors and spirits.
The opening of your prayer session will set the tone and
also alert your spirits that you wish to honor them. Christians may wish to use
the sign of the cross, while the mystic and magician may wish to use the
Kabbalistic cross:
Stand
upright and face east, touch your forefinger and middle finger of your right
had to your forehead and say, “ATOH.”
Draw
your fingers down to your sex and say, “Malkuth.”
Touch
your right shoulder and say, “ve Geburah.”
Touch
your left shoulder and say, “ve Gedulah.”
Fold
your hands in front of your chest in a prayer position and say, “le Olahm, Amen”
The
phrase “Atoh Malkuth ve Geburah ve Gedulah le Olahm, Amen,” translates to, “Thine
is the Kingdom, the Power, the Glory, Forever; Amen.”
You should feel a sense of calmness within yourself, as well
as, a sense of equilibrium in your prayer space. Now, you will wish to seat
yourself comfortably and relax your whole body. Allow your thoughts and worries
to gradually slip away. Don’t worry if you don’t feel completely relaxed during
your first few attempts, in time it will become easy to sink into your chair
and become relaxed in moments.
The next step in your preparations is an exercise known as
The Middle Pillar Ritual. This short ritual calls divine light into your whole
being utilizing Hebrew names of power.
Above
the crown of your head visualize a white sphere of light.
Say
or vibrate the name: "Eh-Heh-Yeh"
See
the light descend to a sphere at nape of your neck.
Say
or vibrate the name: "Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh El-O-Heem"
See
the light descend to a sphere in your solar plexus.
Say
or vibrate the name: "Yod-Heh-Vav-Heh El-O-Ah Veh Da-Ath"
See
the light descend to a sphere in your sex area.
Say
or vibrate the name: "Sha-Da-Ee El Sha-Ee"
See
the light descend to a sphere in below your feet.
Say
or vibrate the name: "Ado-Nayee Ha A-retz"
At this point you should feel full of power and at the same
time a great sense of inner peace. The time has come to offer your libations
and incense to your spiritual court. You may wish to do so by performing the ancestor ceremony, or by lighting your incense and pouring a few drops of water on
the ground for you court saying, “I give you libation and I sweeten the air for
you.”
It is always best to open your prayers with a short
confession. Confession does not mean recalling the guilt of “sins,” but rather
the unburdening of the mind and spirit of the knowledge of your actions that
may have been unjust to yourself or others. As we each have our own moral and
ethical guidelines it is impossible to address what is right or wrong in a
general sense, however, whatever brings you a sense of grief or guilt when you
recall it should be brought up to your spirits in an honest and direct manner. You
will find that your ancestors and spirits will not judge you, but in fact, love
you and forgive you for expressing such a great level of humility. The sense of
your burdens being lifted from your heart is a sign of their forgiveness for
the errors of your thoughts and actions. Also, you will find that when you can
forgive yourself, it becomes easily to let go of the wrong doings of others and
be able to move forward in your life.
Freed from the anguish of guilt you may move forward with
prayers of thanksgiving. Your ancestors and spiritual court are always at work
for you in ways you may not have realized. Every stroke of good luck, every coincidence,
and every blessing you have received comes through the actions of your
spiritual court. For these reasons you should immediately express gratitude and
appreciation. How many times have you seen your life appear to go off course,
but a sudden change of luck brought your day back on track? You might have
caught a nail in your tire and you think you are going to be stuck, suddenly a
stranger pulls up and helps you change the tire and get on your way. Such is
the influence of your spiritual court in your life, and not only should they be
thanked for the blessings they have given you but also the blessings to come.
With your gratitude expressed earnestly to your spirits, you
may now wish to spend some time making some requests for help in your life.
Perhaps you need some extra income so that you can get caught up with your
debts. Maybe you would like to bring some real love in your life from someone
that appreciates you. Or you may simply like some extra luck in your day to day
transgressions. Whatever it may be, you should be unafraid to ask for assistance.
Remember, you are not asking for help from strangers, you are addressing the
powers of your own blood and being, your spiritual court gains life through
your prayers and actions and they want you to be happy! Your experience is a
shared experience with them, and they do not wish for you to suffer. Speak
earnestly and directly with them and express yourself with a sense of honesty
in your desires, they will listen and they will seek to help you.
Finally, we reach the most important part of your session,
and for some this may be the most difficult because it requires you to listen.
Listen to the almost silent voices of your ancestors, they are speaking to you.
They are offering their advice to your needs, and they may also be expressing their
needs to you. Perhaps your great grandfather would like some Chivas poured for
him, or maybe your great great aunt would like some lilies on the altar.
Whatever it may be, it is up to you to interpret the messages being given and
execute them effectively.
It’s important to note that you are not expected to give
what you cannot afford, if money is tight then you should obligate them to
provide for you. There is no shame in asking your ancestors to bring some extra
income in exchange for offerings. In fact, that should be the foundation of building
a balanced relationship with any and all spirits. You might be surprised how
quickly things can manifest for you with the proper motivation.
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| Prayer creates a medium for inner peace. |
Once you feel that they have expressed themselves fully, you
may now close your session. Be sure to politely thank your spirits for their
time and for all that they do for is all that is necessary to end your prayers.
I like to conclude my prayers with this simple phrase, “Go in peace, let there
be peace between us, and please come quickly when I call upon you again.”
The prayers now closed you may wish to perform the
Kabbalistic cross again to balance and harmonize your energies. You may now go
about your business with the full knowledge of their presence of your spirits
in your life. Day by day, as you become more disciplined in your devotions you
will notice that new paths in your life will become open and you will begin to
develop a great appreciation for your life and all of its blessings.
For an excellent guide to prayer and devotion I recommend TheBook of Prayer by Jean Kent.
Kadosh Kadosh Kadosh Adonai
Sabaoth
