The Prayer Thread is a collection of teachings and practical prompts to help as we learn to pray in community. This text was originally delivered on December 8, 2021 as a short teaching at our online weekly prayer sit.
Like most things, prayer has active and passive expressions. The passive expression transforms life.
When the discipline of slowing down and stilling ourselves shows up as an angry word-not-said, or a lashing-out-not-unleashed, we recognize that prayer transforms life. When a daily moment of gratitude flows into a deeply-felt sense of joy because of a beautiful sunset, we recognize that prayer transforms life. When the hard work of letting go of each distracting thought, feeling, and sensation, shows up in a calmer and gentler demeanor, we recognize that prayer transforms life.
The passive expression of prayer transforms life. The small, tedious effort that we offer expands and grows into an abundance beyond our own efforts that we dare not expect on our own.
