The first Christians obtained their wisdom through detachment. They went into the desert, founded monastic and ascetic societies, and thusly detached from the material of civilization were able to focus on the immaterial.
Buddhist monks do the same; in fact, in all religions one can find that wisdom is generally found through detaching one's mind from the present material and sending it into the immaterium of deep thought, prayer and contemplation.
I believe prayer is vital to spiritual health. I also find it very hard to pray; this is a personal issue I wish to resolve. In general terms, however, it is contemplation of the self and prayer to the divine, God, from which our human wisdom comes.
Let me suggest that all of you seek and learn detachment, if only for an hour or two a day. Find an hour in your schedule to lock the door, sit on your bed, close your eyes, and pray, contemplate, or just think about yourself, your environment, and how they interact with the spiritual.
I find that many who 'pray' simply speak and that ends the prayer. I personally believe prayer should occur within deep thought. If it helps you to say it out loud, then do so. True prayer, as described in the Bible, however, is that which occurs when you are alone, "in a closet". I dislike open prayer simply because I don't want to prove to others how spiritual I am. "I am holier than thou" isn't something I like to say. I prefer private, contemplative, prayer.
Read some Thomas Merton sometime. He's a wonderful Christian writer from here in Kentucky.
Thanks for reading.
-patrick
Comments (5)
i find detaching from everything even words and thought is the best way to cope with things.
Hahaha. I've actually heard that cover of "Toxicity." It sounded like they recorded it at a mall. She doesn't even sing the words, she just garbles. Oh well, her career is down the crapper anyway.
Good to hear from you!
Or, as one person put it to me, "Prayer is like a conversation. You have to listen just as much as you talk if not more". Of course, it can be hard being certain how much of what you hear is from God and how much of it is you talking to yourself. Or at least I always had that problem... Inside my head, I couldn't be certain what was real or not.
That's always been one of my major problems going to church, is that everyone prays aloud, and in public, though Jesus obviously taught otherwise...
Christians seem to have a penchant for picking and choosing what parts of the Bible they will and will not follow. Sadly enough, the teachings they choose not to follow usually apply to them, and the ones they choose to follow are used to judge others, going against everything Christianity is supposed to be about.
Not trying to offend anybody, that's just my perception.
I know, I've had xanga since about 2003. MySpace and Facebook are fairly new, maybe three or so years. I miss xanga! It's so much simpler.
I'm just getting through damned school. The baby keeps me busy, and the boyfriend works all the time. He works hard for the money, just like the song says, hah.