Affirmative Prayer as Spiritual Practice
/As we meditate on the nature of God and study the wholeness, perfection, and completion of the Divine Order, our thoughts and attention help us reflect God’s nature more effectively in our own lives. Sufis meditate on the ninety-nine names of God. Christians explore the meaning behind the different names of God found in the Bible. Most spiritual traditions examine the nature of Divine goodness, truth, and beauty so that each person can develop such attributes within themselves. We can partake of the nature of God and align ourselves with the deeper Realities that lie beyond the veil and within the life we live on earth.
I have spent many years learning how to use affirmations and affirmative prayers as a spiritual practice. My practice is a more contemplative practice. I have learned that affirmative prayer can help me practice the Presence, live in a more positive mental atmosphere, and be open to answers that are often greater than I could have imagined, and yet come in surprising and unexpected ways. When I meditate on an affirmation, or create an affirmative prayer to address a situation that concerns me, it becomes a doorway into a more conscious way of living.
One way to say yes to life (and to God) is to practice affirmative prayer. Affirmative prayer is like being God’s dance partner. You keep saying yes to the universal flow and continually co-create your experience of reality with God. (Julia Cameron suggests that if the God word bothers you, consider it to be an acronym for Good Orderly Direction).
You can start with simple affirmations. And you can create a personal prayer of affirmation. First, take a deep breath and let go of all negative thoughts and fears. Next, recognize that God is the source of all good. Remember that you are connected to and a part of the source of good, and that a power greater than you loves and guides you. Visualize what you desire and speak words in the present tense that affirm that it is already yours. Use your imagination to picture and feel what it is like to live in that new reality. Then thank God and release your prayer to the infinite field of creative energy. Trust that God accomplishes this in ways you cannot yet imagine. Trust that it is so.
Here’s a sample to give you an idea of how you can create an affirmative prayer:
• Relax: Take a deep breath. Now let it out, letting go of fear, worry, and negative thoughts.
• Recognize: God is here and is the infinite source of all good, and is the source of all my good.
• Relationship: I am connected to and part of the infinite quantum field of possibilities. I am one with and connected to God.
• Realize: There is that within me which knows what to do and I clearly see the good I desire. I affirm that it is already so and I picture it with joy. As it becomes more real in my heart and mind, this good is realized in material manifestation.
• Rejoice: I thank God that what I desire is coming about under grace in perfect order and divine timing.
• Release: I release this prayer to do its good and perfect work. And so it is
If you want to know about this meditative approach to affirmative prayer, I am offering a 4-week class in-person and online. Thursday nights, 6:30 to 8:00 Central Daylight Time. Classroom is at Center for Spiritual Living Nashville and online via Zoom. June 2, 9, 16, & 23