Unexpected Freedom

Prayer and Devotionfrom affliction.’ ‘May I be free from suffering. May all beingsbe free from suffering.’ To say those things with consciousintent was truly gladdening. I remember it inspired me tolook a little further and in so doing I began to come up withmy own words. That was a significant step on a path towardsa meaningful prayer life, which I recognise with hindsight tohave been something of importance that was missing fromall the spiritual exercises that had been a part of my life asa monk up to that point.The Dynamics of PrayerTo find our own words to express our innermost wishes canbe of great significance when it comes to finding out how totake responsibility for our own hearts. It opens a pathwaywhereby we connect with that which is deepest within us; allaspects of our being are gathered together, focusing intent. Itis also a way of investing a form or an outward gesture withspiritual power. When I light incense, I silently make thisprayer, or some variation on it: ‘May the fragrance of thetruth permeate all aspects of my being, activity of body,activity of speech, activity of mind.’ When prayer is madewith feeling and emotion, made with intention, becausebody, speech and mind are all involved, there is power in it.In that moment of offering something is done. I can’t sayprecisely what this something is, but it is of relevance to thepath. In connecting consciously with that which one longsfor, beyond the realm of casual concerns, one’s life is givendirection. Mindful prayer, informed by wise contemplation,is a way of revealing our most treasured aspirations andallowing them to guide the rest of our life.When I lived in Thailand, I noticed that there wassomething in common between the Buddhist monks and the131