The Power of Prayer

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.

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