Monday Meditation #041910: The Practice of Prayer

I LOVE to pray. I feel an illuminated sense of peace and well being when I open my heart to speak inside of spirit through prayer. Most times, it only takes me a few moments of quiet meditation and deep breathing to get me to a place of powerful prayer. However, when I'm at a loss for words, I look to the prayer traditions of people from around the world. I am comforted by the fact that no matter what our differences are, an overwhelming majority of the world prays.

Recently, I have enjoyed the utter beauty in Sufi prayers. Led to Sufism by RUMI, one of my favorite poets, I have found prayers that offer some of the most beautiful descriptions of God that I have ever seen. I also find the prayers to be inclusive of all aspects of the Divine without limiting "God" to a masculine model. The prayers are full of sweet surrender. Of late, I have started my day with the following prayer. Enjoy.

Invocation
Toward the One,the Perfection of Love, Harmony, and Beauty,the Only Being,United with all the Illuminated Souls, Who form the Embodiment of the Master,the Spirit of Guidance.

Morning Prayers
I. Saum
Praise be to Thee, Most Supreme God,Omnipotent, Omnipresent, All-pervading, the Only Being.

Take us in Thy Parental Arms, raise us from the denseness of the earth,

Thy Beauty do we worship, to Thee do we give willing surrender.

Most Merciful and Compassionate God, the Idealized Lord of the whole humanity,

Thee only do we worship, and towards Thee Alone we aspire.
Open our hearts towards Thy Beauty, illuminate our souls with Divine Light,
O Thou, the Perfection of Love, Harmony and Beauty, All-powerful Creator, Sustainer,
Judge and Forgiver of our shortcomings, Lord God of the East and of the West,
of the worlds above and below,and of the seen and unseen beings:
Pour upon us Thy Love and thy Light, give sustenance to our bodies, hearts and souls, use us for the purpose that Thy Wisdom chooseth, and guide us on the path of Thine Own Goodness.
Draw us closer to Thee every moment of our life,

until in us be reflected Thy Grace, Thy Glory,Thy Wisdom, Thy Joy and Thy Peace.

Amen.

II. May the Message of God reach far and wide.
(Repeat eleven times.)

III. Pir
Inspirer of my mind, consoler of my heart, healer of my spirit,
Thy presence lifteth me from earth to heaven, Thy words flow as the sacred river,
Thy thought riseth as a divine spring,Thy tender feelings waken sympathy in my heart.
Beloved Teacher, Thy very being is forgiveness.
The clouds of doubt and fear are scattered by Thy piercing glance.
All ignorance vanishes in Thy illuminating presence.
A new hope is born in my heart by breathing Thy peaceful atmosphere.
O inspiring Guide through life's puzzling ways, in Thee I feel abundance of blessing.
Amen.

V. Prayer for Peace
Send Thy peace, O Lord, which is perfect and everlasting, that our souls may radiate peace.
Send Thy peace, O Lord, that we may think, act, and speak harmoniously.
Send Thy peace, O Lord, that we may be contented and thankful for Thy bountiful gifts.
Send Thy peace, O Lord, that amidst our worldly strife we may enjoy thy bliss.
Send Thy peace, O Lord, that we may endure all, tolerate all in the thought of thy grace and mercy.
Send Thy peace, O Lord, that our lives may become a divine vision, and in Thy light all darkness may vanish. Send Thy peace, O Lord, our Father and Mother, that we Thy children on earth may all unite in one family.

Amen.

For more Sufi Prayers: http://www.sufiorder.org/prayers.html

The art was found at the following site: http://www.superluminal.com/cookbook/index_gallery.html I may have to look into this cookbook!!