Rachel George journal 1-30 phenomenology of prayer

 1-30 phenomenology of prayer

 From the beginning of chapter 1, the introduction, there is some explanation about what prayer is...

My highlighted explanation was: the moral and spiritual discipline that introduces and directs us to the sacred dimension that infuses and undergirds all that is.

Prayer is the connection to the divine, an experience that not only shows devotion but it’s humbling of one's self. Often associated with “the stripping the soul of its pretense.” When praying to a God, there seemed to be no secrets or vail to hide upon because the acceptance of a divine is to know there is an omnipresent force that knows all, sees all and is all. This allows a participant in prayer to show up fully and authentically because there is nowhere to hide. 

Prayer is an experience, but not always is it an individual act. In some cultures, it’s collective, but another part of the prayer is extremely intimate.

As I’m reading as I’m journaling… I’m thinking.. prayer is a hard experience to truly define. It’s complex and subjective, but at the root, there is a similarity. Is that the phenomenon?? Or is it a paradox?

On page 8, there is a quote that resonates with me. It speaks of prayer being an Incarnational activity. “Praying Delivers us into rather than out of our flash so that we can bring the infinite to bear within the time it is the best and incarnational activity that enables us to embrace and love the world as a divine creation. The world is given to us as a gift. Our task,  maintained in the life of prayer, is not It went to redeem and love it.” This quote to me symbolizes the realization of us being part of the divine creation of the world. It’s a holistic, all-encompassing view. That everything is divine or spirit. Each blade of grass, snowflake, and human are all part of this big beautiful world. (Spiritual beings having a human experience) .

Are meditation and prayer so moving because it’s the act of being ABSOLUTELY PRESENT, and it’s directing one's attention/intention and heart to one moment in time to connect? 

Page 18-20 reflect on the idea of dares sing god as a servant and praising them. 

I believe gratitude is important... however, I don’t know If I love the idea of the relationship between myself and God being master and servant. Or referring to a God as a gender.

Silence is an important part of prayer. It offers a better space for reflection. 

Honestly don’t love this reading; it’s too much. Prayer is too complex for there to be a how-to manual. But in its complexity, there is some simplicity. It’s a freaking paradox that is making my head hurt. 

Common themes are showing up without expectations and putting freedom in the hands of something greater than ourselves our trust so that we can really be set free without attachments. This is no easy task.

“The Lord gave the lord takes away.”

“Gods will”

It all sounds like the surrender to the unknown by mere humans conceptions. 

Eros: romantic sexual love 

Agape: UNCONDITIONAL GOD LOVE

“ Self is not its own origin. It does not make itself but rather receive what is given to it, putting itself at the disposable of the gift. It is the gift that makes the That’s possible.” 

“So the paradox of prayer is that it asks for a serious effort while It can only be received as a gift.”


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