The CPR of Prayer
A Powerful Tool
In times like these, we could all use some prayer power in our lives. Whether that means you pray to a specific deity such as God (any of the various names of God), to the universe, to a higher power than yourself, or to the highest part of your Self, the act has been known to calm your nervous system, get you out of fight or flight (or freeze or fawn) response, and make you less reactive to negative emotions.
…And those benefits are only some of the ones that have been officially measured! In this blog, I will break down three major categories of value that we receive from the act of prayer.
Connection
The first major benefit we receive from prayer is connection. Prayer allows us to connect with a power greater than ourselves, our true highest Self, and the support of others. When we pray to a higher power (however that looks for you), we find connection there. When we pray about other people, we connect empathically with them and strengthen the bonds of the relationship. When we pray about ourselves or to ourselves, we find Self-connection.
This connection is an antidote to the disconnection we face with polarizing media, daily conflict, and addictive behaviors we may experience to escape our lives. It eases our resistance toward ourselves and others, as well as to the universal energy at large, within and all around us.
Protection
A lot of times when we pray, we are praying for protection. We encounter fear in our lives on a day-to-day basis, both chronic and acute. We look for some kind of safety, and many times what we’re really looking for is safety from our own negative emotions. Along the lines of the famous FDR quote, what we’re often afraid of is really the fear itself.
When we pray for protection, we release this fear out of our hands and into the hands of a higher power. We put trust in forces greater than ourselves to keep us safe and help us through our challenges. We allow ourselves to stop fixating on the fear of circumstances and make a switch to the positive empowering emotions of feeling safe and Loved.
Reflection
Another great benefit of prayer is the reflection that it facilitates. This takes place in both meanings of the word. First of all, it gives us perspective to contemplate more deeply about what we’ve prayed for. Speaking out loud (or silently to yourself) about the situations that matter to you gives you the ability to process them more directly than having them ruminate in your subconscious mind.
The second type of reflection is the actual output of positive energy into the world. From prayer, we receive the benefits ourselves, and once we’re filled up, we reflect outward the additional positive energy like a universal mirror of Source energy. In this way, we share the tremendous value of our own prayer with others.
Not Just for Emergencies
The CPR of Prayer is a powerful tool, indeed, and this type of “CPR” is not only for emergencies! Prayer is a beneficial act anytime, anywhere, for just about anything at all. So long as the intentions behind the prayer are positive, praying is great in times of stress, times of elation, and any time in between.
Remember The CPR of Prayer anytime you’re looking for “something more” in life. It will bring you connection, protection, and reflection to add real value to your life.
Much Love,
Noel Neu