"When we prayed together we were somehow a greater opening than we would have been praying alone. That we did it together made it all the more empowering: We became spiritual witness for each other's successes and growth. We didn't have to face our obstacles alone because we had a partner who would pray with us and for us, a partner in Spirit who held the 'High Watch'." --August Gold and Joel Fotinos, "Prayer Partners"
Throughout the ages, saints, sages and spiritual masters from every faith tradition have taught that with prayer comes the blessing of knowing we are not alone. Ultimately, prayer unifies us with our Higher Power, regardless of the name by which we know It. What I like about the aforementioned quote from "Prayer Partners" is that it points out yet another way in which we are not alone when we partner in our prayers with another person. The benefit in having a prayer partner lies in knowing that where two or more are gathered with an intention of sharing an awareness of Spirit's presence, there is also an increased level of "prayer power." Perhaps this point is made self evident in the subtitle of the book, How Praying with Someone Can Multiply Your Blessings.
I have two prayer partners with whom I have weekly met by phone for the better part of 20 years. Knowing that there is someone there who spiritually "has my back" in those moments when I am challenged by the vicissitudes of life is a blessing beyond measure. As Gold and Fotinos infer, a partner in Spirit is one who holds the "High Watch" in those times when we are perhaps unable to do so for ourselves because we are too close to, and enmeshed in, the problem at hand. It is important that we don't mistake the time spent with a prayer partner as a counseling, therapy or complaint session where we tell our "stories." The last thing we want is for the person praying with us to get caught up in the drama of our stories. The time we spend with a prayer partner is sacred in nature, where we can be open and transparent with ourselves and them.
Being open and transparent doesn't mean we should file a litany of complaints by focusing on what is wrong with our lives; it means we can safely share enough about what our needs and desires are to request affirmative prayer support from our prayer partner, allowing them to affirm in prayer what is right about us and Life. In other words, a prayer partner is someone who can know the spiritual truth about us in those times we may tend to go a bit unconscious, forgetting the truth about ourselves. What is that truth? Whether we know it or not, or remember it or not, the truth remains consistent: We are one with Infinite Presence irrespective of what may be going on in our lives. The remembrance is we are one with the source of all good, and having someone stand with us in those moments of uncertainty, affirming this truth about us and with us magnifies the power of that shared agreement.
Often our prayers have a request attached to them, and sometimes our prayers are simply our way of deepening our relationship with the Infinite, experiencing a sense of connection and oneness with something larger than ourselves. I think we can all find comfort in prayer. As we evolve in our relationship with Life, perhaps our intentions and the content of our prayers do as well. Prayer partnering can make the journey of spiritual deepening life transforming. Whether we are currently experiencing a challenge or we simply have a desire to continue knowing and affirming how blessed our lives are, shared agreement with another person creates a compelling energetic force that moves in mighty ways.
If you don't have a prayer partner, I encourage you to open yourself to the value and power a prayer partnership can bring to your life. If you need some assistance, in their book Gold and Fotinos do a remarkable job of guiding us through the process of developing a prayer partnership and making it a mainstay in our lives. It also includes a marvelous and detailed 90-Day Prayer Partner process that makes it easy to stay on purpose with your prayer partner. Who can be your prayer partner? It might be a family member, your significant other, a neighbor, a friend from your spiritual community or even someone you connect with on Facebook who shares similar core values and spiritual beliefs as you. The key is to be willing to ask. Someone has to initiate the process, so why not you? Why not now?
It is an empowering thing to know you are never alone. This is the literal truth and having a prayer partner makes the experience even more palpable and powerful.
Where two or more are gathered ... indeed.
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Yet no number of Christians or other believers have ever successfully gotten their god to make a rabbit appear out of a hat by prayer.
Looks like the guy entertaining at some kid's birthday party is the more powerful one.
"Whether we are currently experiencing a challenge or we simply have a desire to continue knowing and affirming how blessed our lives are, shared agreement with another person creates a compelling energetic force that moves in mighty ways."
In other words, this article is as much about relationship and mental science as it is anything else. Irrespective of one's bent toward or away from religion, when two or more people come together, affirming whatever their beliefs are, there is power in shared agreement. I suppose the larger question to be explored could be, upon what are you agreeing?
With great respect to all who have shared there opinions here, I say thanks for the conversation.
Peace, Dennis
Grace, Mercy, and Peace to you and all yours........in abundance.
"by definition"???
Please point me to a dictionary that says atheism requires faith.
Sorry, but, by definition, atheism is the lack of belief in god/s.
Not believing in god/s takes no more faith than not believing that extraterrestrials are living among us. Do you believe that ETs are living among us? If not, considering many people do, why not, and how much faith does that require?
I'm guessing that you don't believe in all of the many gods that people have believed in throughout the ages. So, you are an atheist when it comes to thousands of gods. I just dis-believe in one more god than you do.
Non-believers do not have faith that a God does not exist; we lack a belief in one. For example, a jury may find a defendant not guilty. The jury does not necessarily believe the defendant is innocent; they are simply not convinced of his guilt.
On this topic, there seems to be lack of any open discussion, Just divide. The definition of atheism varies between scholars. Your definition - lacking a belief in God - only recently came into vogue as the lone definition.
Dictionary definitions usually include positive claims of disbelief. You believe faith and reason to be mutually exclusive, i.e., faith is unreasonable. Many good scientists believe in “intelligent design”. I think Faith and Reason can build upon each other. Faith is something I experience myself.
As far as the 1st amendment, the intent, according to the addendum's I read, was to keep gov't out of places of worship, not vice-versa. That is, it was not meant to keep religion out of gov't.
That said, I respect your beliefs - as well as everyone's. I have been on this site for one day. I came here to address a different topic and learned I had to set up an account. I planned to remove my account, but it seems this site wont let me. So I looked around.
In any case, this site only saps my energy - I am not a computer person. Prefer real over the inanimate And the anonymity of the computer leads to unnecessary vitriol - of which I too have succumbed. Be well.
"This young man did not have to die. What killed him wasn’t malice, it was a bad idea about the universe: a bad idea kept alive by gaggles of Christians who, themselves, keep irrationality alive by renaming it faith."
I didn't become an atheist until I was well into my adulthood, and am now in my 50s.
Yeah, I only wanted to "fit in with the crowd", because here in Texas, all of the "in" crowd are atheists (especially in my age group).
And, we get together every month for a big BBQ ... featuring delicious, succulent ... baby.
I wonder if most atheists realize that by definition, to not believe requires a leap of faith - just as with believers. Further, I believe atheism requires a bigger leap of faith than with believers.
I do not know many atheist personally so maybe I am wrong as to the following. To me, there are 2 types of atheists. Those who cant believe a God would allow tragedies, and those who are so condescendingly sure God does not exist. that to believe in a "fairy tale" is pure stupidity. The latter really irk me - think Bill Maher. The former - while I think the reasoning is a little simple-minded - seem to be genuinely nice people.
The joining together of one's faith with another, as in worship...........and prayer..........powerful.
Just as soon as it shows up, I'll be wailing, prostrating myself on the floor, and facilitating the molestation of altarboys along with the most pious of them.
Good luck with that.
Prayer has no power, so the answer is clearly "NO".
I doubt that there is any benefit, prayerwise, in praying in stereo. Nothing wrong with it, mind, especially for those people who are more comfortable praying with someone else. I just prefer to go off by myself and pray without any assistance.