Presence Through Prayer

How effective is your prayer practice? Has it become mere routine and ritual, or is every experience a beautiful journey deeper within? With a conscious approach, you can make your prayer practice a powerful catalyst for change, for personal growth and for communion with the Divine.

It’s all too easy to fall into the trap of routine and ritual, particularly when we have maintained a practice for an extended period of time, and especially when we’ve been performing this practice for years or even decades.

Yet a daily prayer practice is an essential tool to catalyzing spiritual development, maintaining a life of balance and preserving focus in a world of endless distractions.

In fact, a daily prayer practice such as the five daily prayers known as salah which is performed by Muslims and Sufis can be an invaluable exercise in cultivating presence, the essence of spiritual practice that leads to awakenng and transcendence of the self.

By being mindful of and applying the following five pillars of prayer practice, you can instantly transform your daily discipline from mere routine into a powerful experience quickening your spiritual evolution. After all, this is the purpose of prayer.

1. Set and Declare Your Intention

The value of an action is determined by the intention. — Prophet Muhammad (S)

By consciously declaring your intention for the few minutes you will be spending in prayer, you set your focus and thereby determine the value of the practice. This can make a significant difference in the experience, and a prayer session which is begun with a clear and conscious intention can be infinitely more valuable than one that is performed unconsciously. Additionally, by declaring an intention, you automatically bring yourself into presence during the exercise as it becomes a valuable activity in itself rather than just a ritual to be performed for the sake of getting it done.

Use an intention which feels good and effective to you. It’s important for this to be personal and based upon your understanding and personal experience. Here are a few examples:

“Great Lord of Heavens, I am going to stand in your Divine Presence in a state of prayer. Envelope me with Your light.”

“I am going to allow myself to melt and dissolve into the will of the Universe. I am letting go.”

“I am re-connecting with the Source of all goodness, beauty and light. Creator of all that is, shelter me.”

Such intentions can be incredibly powerful tools for exponentially increasing the value and joy of your prayer practice. When setting your intention, always make sure it is reflective of a belief in a reality which is based in benevolence.

2. Enjoy the Experience

Rush is from Shaytan. — Prophet Muhammad (S)

Once you’ve set a beautiful intention, one which feels good to you and aligns you with your most pressing need in the moment, now allow yourself to enjoy the experience.

Do not rush. Slow down. There is no need to exaggerate this — simply perform your prayer fully enjoying and experiencing every posture, every movement, every verse. Fully experience each posture, moving on only when it feels right to do so.

Become aware of any tension within yourself, and let it go. These are a few minutes in your otherwise busy day where you can treat yourself to a rejuvenating and relaxing experience, reconnecting with your Divine Source.

Simply perform your prayer for the act itself and not to complete it. It will complete itself. And you will be refreshed and rejuvenated.

3. Don Your Divine Dress

Perhaps nothing communicates to your subconscious who and what you are more quickly than does your physical appearance and attire. There is truth in the statement, “The clothes make the man (or woman),” and for this reason, it is recommended when possible to wear clothes that communicate to you your divine nature and origin, clothes which are reflective of nobility, beauty and truth. A good choice in clothing is conducive to spiritual practice and presence, and can make a significant difference in your state of consciousness.

Proper spiritual dress can be equated to royal regalia, reminding oneself of the honored position humanity has been granted in creation. Following are some articles of clothing which have been historically noted as especially conducive to a state of spiritual presence and effective energy flow, often referred to as sunnah clothing, each one of significance and increasing one’s immersion and the manifestation of sublime character:

4. Engage Your Senses

Your visual and olfactory senses are some of the most powerful mediums with which to increase the efficacy and immersion of your prayer practice.

By controlling the lighting in the room and adjusting it so that it feels appropriate in the given moment, you facilitate the natural harmonizing of your soul with your current needs. Pay attention to what feels right and conducive. Brighter? Dimmer? More natural light? Adjust the light in the room accordingly. Your soul knows what you need in every moment, and it is always seeking presence, peace in the now, so pay attention and accelerate your spiritual development and healing.

Also, aromatherapy can be a very effective tool to cultivate greater immersion and presence during your prayer. Traditional natural scented oils are ideal, and scents such as rose, jasmine, sandalwood and the like are best. Either apply to yourself or evaporate with a diffuser. Alternatively, incense may be used. Use as natural quality as possible so as to not create an unnecessary burden upon your system from artificial chemical products.

5. Leverage Your Environment

Create a space conducive to spiritual practice and presence. An altar, relics and artwork are great tools to use. With artwork, tend towards more abstract forms rather than definitive material representations which will subconsciously re-inforce egoic identity by equating consciousness with physical forms.

Here are a few suggestions:

In Summary

Set your intention. Relax and enjoy the experience. Dress appropriately. Engage your senses. Leverage your environment. And make each experience unique and special, as if it may be your last.

To your divine success.

0 Responses

  1. Thank you for providing real strategies that can be used to improve our daily prayers. I am especially going to focus on Pillar 2 through application of the other four pillars. I often rush through my prayers as if they are just one more of the many tasks that have to be done in the day. I am going to slow down, “engage my senses”, take in the environment, and enjoy the time as a spiritual connection between me and my maker.

    Thank you for the enlightment.

  2. Salamu-Alakum sisters and brothers I think that every muslim should listen and follow these pillars of prayer in order to get full hassanat(good deeds) for their prayers.

  3. Salamu-Alakum sisters and brothers I think that every muslim should listen and follow these pillars of prayer in order to get full hassanat(good deeds) for their prayers.We should all take our time and take prayer seriously.

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