The Power of Prayer
A Brave New World Within
By Jacob Glass

In 1985 I was living in West Hollywood, standing right in the middle of the first wave of the AIDS crisis in a community that was devastated by the blow. Very quickly, perhaps because there was nothing more tangible to do at that time, spiritual groups began to spring up to deal with the thousands of wounded, as well as those of us who were simply afraid or devastated by the casualties. Louise Hay, Marianne Williamson, Sally Fisher, Sandy Scott, and so many others were meeting several nights a week to hold a light in the spiritual community during some very dark days. Los Angeles really became a City of Angels at that time because there were spiritual support groups with hundreds of people meeting at them every day of the week.

What I remember most clearly about those days, is that the message was pretty much the same no matter which group you attended. We were reminded over and over again that there was another power, which was greater than the power of disease. We sat together and actually called that power into action into our bodies, into the bodies of those around us, and into the world itself. We hugged each other tightly. We sang together and sat in healing triads. We had candlelight marches. Constant encouragement was given to not fall into self-pity or to surrender into the forces of fear. Louise always began her meetings by saying, "We aren't here to play, ain't it awful?" The primary purpose of these groups was to bring us all together so that we could join in consciousness at the level of miracles, rather than meeting at the level of the problem. We acknowledged the problem, but then quickly moved into the realm of answers.

Time went by, many died, drugs were developed and slowly things began to change. In fact, things changed so radically, that there was a tremendous temptation for people to turn their backs on the spiritual awakening that I believe opened the door for the discovery of the drugs and therapies, which have helped so many. We prayed in the beginning perhaps because we didn't know what else to do. But, the mistake we then made was in not recognizing that the drugs were a part of the answer to those prayers. Therefore, the spiritual groups disbanded, people went back to their old ways, and we can see that the numbers of AIDS cases seem to be growing again. How quickly we tend to forget about Spirit when things are going our way.

Since September 11th, we as a nation and as a world are faced with another devastating crisis. Again, we are at a loss of what to do on a physical level. The answers are not easy. We have again been brought to our collective knees and we've turned to that Light to help us. People have joined together. Prayer meetings and vigils abound. We had a national day of prayer! God, in all Its forms and names, is out of the closet in America today. This is a time for all people of faith to stay awake in divine consciousness. We want to know enough of the facts of what is happening so that we can focus our intentions and prayers, yet not become so mesmerized by the facts that we are rendered powerless by our fear and sadness. It is time for spiritual companions to be alert!

However, I do not believe that this is a time for spiritual warriors. The new paradigm shift is one in which the idea of warriors is out-dated, old-fashioned thinking. The new paradigm is one in which war, and therefore warriors, become obsolete. Marianne Williamson always used to remind us not to fight the disease, but rather to stimulate the forces of healing. She would have people write letters to their disease and ask it directly what its purpose was - what it came to teach us. In the same way, we are asked to stimulate the forces of peace within us, rather than get lost in the intricacies of war. Perhaps we can learn something essential about love in the midst of this tremendous loss. I think that we have already seen a tremendous increase in loving interaction here in this country since the attack. This coming together reminds me of my experience in Los Angeles in the 80's. And, just like then, each of us has an opportunity to do some deep healing work. We all have our own battlegrounds within. These are the places where we attack ourselves or others with our thoughts, judgements and prejudices. We ultimately win, not by fighting against these thoughts, but rather by increasing our own capacity for loving-kindness and compassion. This is the teaching of the Dalai Lama, who is often quoted as saying that kindness is his religion.

I have heard so many people say over and over again since September 11th, "I didn't know we were hated so much - why do THEY hate us so much?" To me, a better more meaningful question is why do we hate each other so much right here within our own country? Perhaps you and I personally may not think that we actively hate, but there is certainly plenty of judgement and intolerance to go around. Right in this country, have we not had neo-nazis groups and white supremacists burning down churches in the south? Was Matthew Shepard not crucified right here? Do we not have our own local teenage suicide terrorists who shoot up their own high schools? Aren't women right here in the United States beaten, raped and murdered every single day by men who supposedly love them?

Still, because of the miracles and healing I witnessed during the beginning of the AIDS crisis, I have great hope for this country. I am a witness to the power of prayerful intention. I know that we have more divine aid available to us than perhaps ever before in history. Light is desperately trying to come through; it only needs the willing conduits to call it forth from within. The question now is not so much how can we protect ourselves from our enemies, but rather how can we stop being an enemy. This comes from a commitment to let the Self be changed deeply by this inner light.

We have entered the holidays, a royal and glorious season of light. Now, more than ever, we need a stronger relationship to our inner-light. But, don't kid yourself; it needs each one of us as the vehicles for it to shine through. What greater gift can we offer the world during this holiday season, than to surrender our will to the inner light and bravely transform ourselves into a peace filled living prayer?

In Love,
Jacob

A gift from Jacob's book Invocations:

The Centering Prayer

I now turn inward to the Center of my Being where God abides.
I go the well of Infinite Goodness and Wisdom.
There is a perfect Presence within me that now radiates love
throughout my entire being - I am at home here.
I invoke and awaken the Christ Consciousness within me.
I dip into the Divine Center of Infinite Supply.
Calmness, peace and tranquility are mine. The Father and I are One.
Nothing can pull or distract me from the truth of the Spirit within me.
I come inside where I am sheltered by God's love and warmth.
The Divine Presence within me now speaks to me of who and what I am.
All through the day and night I am reminded of the power that
is in all beings everywhere.
I choose from this moment on to see God in all things.
I now remember who I am and where I came from.
Nothing and no one can separate me from the love of God.
I am not alone for He is here beside me.
Every breath that I take heals my worried mind.
There is nothing to control. Nothing to change.
I accept the perfection of this moment just as it is.
I know that I am one with God and His voice
within me speaks to me clearly now.
I thank You Divine Father for hearing me and for the
manifestations of good which now follow.
I now release everything to the all-loving inner presence.
I surrender myself and all that I am to the Mother-Father God.
All is well. I am loved.
Thank You God.
And so it is.
Amen

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Jacob Glass, is the author of Invocations, a remarkable book of modernprayers. He is a highly dynamic, funny and insightful teacher and writer. He speaks regularly in San Diego and lectures throughout California at A Course In Miracles conferences and retreats. He lectured annually on Christmas Eves with best-selling author Marianne Williamson in Santa Barbara for several years. Jacob has given workshops at the Los Angeles Center For Living, worked with Terry Cole-Whittaker Prayer Ministries, and produced his own local TV programs in Santa Barbara and Los Angeles. Audiotape subscriptions of his talks are ordered from all over the world. Visit Jacob's website. Jacob's email address is Jaket36@aol.com.

Click here to order Jacob's book, Invocations.