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===True Prayer===

===True Prayer===

1. Prayer is a way offered by the Holy Spirit to reach God. It is not merely a question or an entreaty. It cannot succeed until you realize that it asks for nothing. How else could it serve its purpose? It is impossible to pray for idols and hope to reach God. True prayer must avoid the pitfall of asking to entreat. Ask, rather, to receive what is already given; to accept what is already there.

1. [[Prayer]] is a way offered by the [[Holy Spirit]] to reach [[God]]. It is not merely a [[question]] or an entreaty. It cannot succeed until you [[realize]] that it asks for nothing. How else could it serve its [[purpose]]? It is impossible to pray for [[idols]] and [[hope]] to reach God. [[True prayer]] must avoid the pitfall of asking to entreat. Ask, rather, to [[receive]] what is already given; to [[accept]] what is already there.

2. You have been told to ask the Holy Spirit for the answer to any specific problem, and that you will receive a specific answer if such is your need. You have also been told that there is only one problem and one answer. In prayer this is not contradictory. There are decisions to make here, and they must be made whether they be illusions or not. You cannot be asked to accept answers which are beyond the level of need that you can recognize. Therefore, it is not the form of the question that matters, nor how it is asked. The form of the answer, if given by God, will suit your need as you see it. This is merely an echo of the reply of His Voice. The real sound is always a song of thanksgiving and of Love.

2. You have been told to ask the [[Holy Spirit]] for the [[answer]] to any specific [[problem]], and that you will [[receive]] a specific answer if such is your need. You have also been told that there is only one problem and one answer. In prayer this is not [[contradictory]]. There are [[decisions]] to make here, and they must be made whether they be [[illusions]] or not. You cannot be asked to accept answers which are beyond the level of need that you can [[recognize]]. Therefore, it is not the [[form]] of the question that matters, nor how it is asked. The form of the answer, if given by [[God]], will suit your need as you see it. This is merely an [[echo]] of the reply of His [[Voice]]. The real sound is always a [[song]] of [[thanksgiving]] and of [[Love]].

3. You cannot, then, ask for the echo. It is the song that is the gift. Along with it come the overtones, the harmonics, the echoes, but these are secondary. In true prayer you hear only the song. All the rest is merely added. You have sought first the Kingdom of Heaven, and all else has indeed been given you.

3. You cannot, then, ask for the [[echo]]. It is the [[song]] that is the gift. Along with it come the overtones, the harmonics, the echoes, but these are secondary. In [[true prayer]] you hear only the song. All the rest is merely added. You have sought first the [[Kingdom of Heaven]], and all else has indeed been given you.

4. The secret of true prayer is to forget the things you think you need. To ask for the specific is much the same as to look on sin and then forgive it. Also in the same way, in prayer you overlook your specific needs as you see them, and let them go into God's Hands. There they become your gifts to Him, for they tell Him that you would have no gods before Him; no Love but His. What could His answer be but your remembrance of Him? Can this be traded for a bit of trifling advice about a problem of an instant's duration? God answers only for eternity. But still all little answers are contained in this.

4. The [[secret]] of [[true prayer]] is to forget the things you think you need. To ask for the specific is much the same as to look on [[sin]] and then [[forgive]] it. Also in the same way, in prayer you overlook your specific needs as you see them, and let them go into God's Hands. There they [[become]] your gifts to Him, for they tell Him that you would have no gods before Him; no [[Love]] but His. What could His answer be but your [[remembrance]] of Him? Can this be traded for a bit of trifling [[advice]] about a [[problem]] of an instant's duration? God answers only for [[eternity]]. But still all little answers are contained in this.

5. Prayer is a stepping aside; a letting go, a quiet time of listening and loving. It should not be confused with supplication of any kind, because it is a way of remembering your holiness. Why should holiness entreat, being fully entitled to everything Love has to offer? And it is to Love you go in prayer. Prayer is an offering; a giving up of yourself to be at one with Love. There is nothing to ask because there is nothing left to want. That nothingness becomes the altar of God. It disappears in Him.

5. [[Prayer]] is a stepping aside; a letting go, a [[quiet time]] of [[listening]] and loving. It should not be [[confused]] with supplication of any kind, because it is a way of remembering your [[holiness]]. Why should holiness entreat, being fully entitled to [[everything]] [[Love]] has to offer? And it is to Love you go in [[prayer]]. Prayer is an offering; a giving up of yourself to be at one with Love. There is nothing to ask because there is nothing left to want. That nothingness [[becomes]] the [[altar of God]]. It disappears in Him.

6. This is not a level of prayer that everyone can attain as yet. Those who have not reached it still need your help in prayer because their asking is not yet based upon acceptance. Help in prayer does not mean that another mediates between you and God. But it does mean that another stands beside you and helps to raise you up to Him. One who has realized the goodness of God prays without fear. And one who prays without fear cannot but reach Him. He can therefore also reach His Son, wherever he may be and whatever form he may seem to take.

6. This is not a level of [[prayer]] that everyone can [[attain]] as yet. Those who have not reached it still need your help in prayer because their asking is not yet based upon [[acceptance]]. Help in prayer does not mean that another [[mediates]] between you and God. But it does mean that another stands beside you and helps to raise you up to Him. One who has realized the [[goodness]] of God prays without [[fear]]. And one who prays without fear cannot but reach Him. He can therefore also reach His Son, wherever he may be and whatever form he may seem to take.

 

7. Praying to [[Christ]] in anyone is [[true prayer]] because it is a gift of [[thanks]] to His Father. To ask that Christ be but Himself is not an entreaty. It is a [[song]] of [[thanksgiving]] for what you are. Herein lies the [[power]] of prayer. It asks nothing and [[receives]] [[everything]]. This prayer can be [[shared]] because it receives for everyone. To pray with one who knows that this is true is to be answered. Perhaps the specific form of [[resolution]] for a specific [[problem]] will occur to either of you; it does not matter which. Perhaps it will reach both, if you are genuinely [[attuned]] to one another. It will come because you have realized that [[Christ]] is in both of you. That is its only [[truth]].

===The Ladder of Prayer===

===The Ladder of Prayer===

1. Prayer has no beginning and no end. It is a part of life. But it does change in form, and grow with learning until it reaches its formless state, and fuses into total communication with God. In its asking form it need not, and often does not, make appeal to God, or even involve belief in Him. At these levels prayer is merely wanting, out of a sense of scarcity and lack.

1. Prayer has no beginning and no end. It is a part of life. But it does change in form, and grow with learning until it reaches its formless state, and fuses into total communication with God. In its asking form it need not, and often does not, make appeal to God, or even involve belief in Him. At these levels prayer is merely wanting, out of a sense of scarcity and lack.