Why this prayer?

Intelligence remains a mystery. For a very long time, we neither understand nor see that something might exist, nor do we even suspect it. Then, in an instant, a truth becomes fully present in our minds. It guides us where there was once no path. That is what this prayer is for me. I discovered it in Baird Thomas Spalding’s book, Life And Teaching Of The Masters of the Far East (Book 2, Chapter 2.2), and I have since modified it. What I would like to share here is my understanding of this prayer.

The words which I now speak outline to You that which I desire.

As a seed it is planted in the soil of my soul and moved upon by Your quickening life in my spirit.

It has to blossom, it has to manifest itself.

For that reason, I allow only You Spirit - Wisdom, Love and Truth - to move in my soul.

The first stanza immediately confronts us with this All, invisible, formless, and yet omnipresent, as the ocean might be to a fish. Does a fish perceive the ocean as the substance that sustains its own life, or merely as an empty space in which to move?

In order to be in unison with the All, we must first strive to calm the restless flow of our thoughts. Then, it becomes possible to feel this immutable, silent, and watchful presence outside as well as in every cell of our body, this vibration that is life. This is an experience that does not reveal itself immediately. We must calm ourselves to enter into resonance.

You are the life of my mind, the support of my soul, the intelligence of my thought.

I am expressing You in my body and in my affairs.

You are the beginning and the end, the very All of the good which I can express.

The second stanza further elaborates the connection that binds us to this All. It is present both within and without us. It is the mystery of life within us. It makes it possible for us to move and think instead of just being a stone. And we are also It here, in the sense that everything we do is ultimately meant to express It in our existence, whether we want it or not. Because we are ignorant of this relation, we express It clumsily. The result is our persistent feeling of dissatisfaction, no matter how much we achieve.

The desire of my thought which is implanted in my soul is quickened by your life in my spirit.

In the fullness of time, through the law of faith, it is brought into visibility in my experience.

I know that the good I desire already exists in Spirit in invisible form and but awaits the fulfillment of the law to be made visible and I know that already I have.

The third stanza sheds light on this ignorance that leads us astray.
Just as the law of gravity acts on matter, there is a law of the mind that cannot be escaped. This law states that a desire held in our thoughts long enough will eventually manifest itself in our existence. And we know, that in order to obtain something, we must first desire it intensely.

 The law of desire and faith is a great power that each individual inherits. It gives us the privilege and great freedom to shape our lives. By forgetting that this power is constantly active, we use it indiscriminately. Desiring everything and its opposite create chaos within us and around us.

The words which I now speak outline to You that which I desire.

As a seed it is planted in the soil of my soul and moved upon by Your quickening life in my spirit.

It has to blossom, it has to manifest itself.

For that reason, I allow only You Spirit - Wisdom, Love and Truth - to move in my soul.

In order to use this power wisely, we must get accustomed to cultivating and sustaining a single great desire in our minds. This is what the fourth stanza invites us to do.

The last line is important. It emphasizes the effort required to develop self-vigilance. Vigilance means monitoring the flow of our thoughts to allow only one beautiful desire to blossom. Vigilance keeps us on the authentic spiritual path. And only our intuition can guide us toward an intimate understanding of the Truth.

I desire only that which is good for all and I now ask You to bring it forth.

O heart of my being, O All, within me I ask to express Wisdom, Love, Strength and Eternal Youth.

I ask to realize Harmony, Happiness, and Abundant Prosperity.

I ask that I may have the understanding direct from You, of the method of bringing forth from the Universal Substance that which will satisfy every good desire.

But that I may have the understanding and love so that I may be of service to everyone, who is within You.

The fifth stanza expresses the greatest desire that one can form in one’s mind. It is threefold: to become perfect for eternity and to eternally repay the goodness received abundantly.

If we seek the truth underlying all our desires, this is it. Without false modesty, but with humility, we must dare to clearly express the desire to become perfect. This is so that we can continually express wisdom and love and help each individual find harmony and happiness. By helping each individual, we work to ensure that the essential qualities of the All—Wisdom, Love, and Truth—manifest themselves abundantly in the multitude of experiences of each individual.

The sixth stanza remains silent. According to one’s heart, it is a secret prayer addressed directly to the All. A suggestion is provided in the downloadable version of the prayer on the home page.

That which I desire is now made clear. I form in mind only that which I desire.

As a seed begins its growth underground in the quiet and in the dark, so does my desire now take form in the silent, invisible realm of my soul.

I enter my secret room and shut the door.

Quietly and confidently I now hold my desire in mind as already fulfilled.

O heart of my being, O All, I dwell united in you in peace and await the perfect manifestation of my desire.

The last stanza brings us back to the law of desire and faith. We have been able to form and sustain a great desire in our minds for a moment. This law will now act in relation to harmonize what is inside and outside of us. Thanks to our faith, our desire will manifest in our existence—that is, in our experience of life. We can remain confident.

It’s unusual. However, upon further consideration, since the law of desire is indeed effective, why limit oneself to forming unclear and self-centered desires? Our lives are not that long. Isn’t it important to form the greatest possible desire in one’s mind right now? Ultimately, our desires define us.