Tranquility of heart and contentedness of spirit are the ideal modes of existence. To achieve this blissful state of being, we must practice prayerfulness, patience, and peacefulness.
Prayerfulness is living always with the awareness that you are in the presence of your Lord. Prayer itself can take many forms, but no matter how it is conducted, prayer is, really, touching the blueprint of reality. We are at the core spiritual beings. We are not just our bodies; we are intelligence, love, abundance, and so on. We are reflections of God, vessels of the light of God. Prayer, or commitment of spiritual intent, taps into that core energy, and realizes the presence of God. The classic misinterpretation of prayer as a way to make requests of “God up there” often results in disappointment when one does not receive what one has asked for. But if we switch our awareness of God to focus on the constant presence of the divine within our hearts, then we can get in touch with It, and take a more active role in using this core energy to make requests of the universe. To accompany our efforts in prayer, we can also engage in meditation. If prayer is a way to connect our hearts with the core essence of Reality, then meditation cultivates our awareness of our place within this Reality. It helps us sharpen our awareness of reality, even as it lets our separate self dissolve, and returns our consciousness to the Source. This allows us to remember, on the deepest of levels, who we are and what our plan is on Earth. Meditation releases our minds from the circumstances of our lives, so we can better recognize both the guidance of our guardian angels, and our ability to follow it.
Therefore, when we connect our efforts in prayer and meditation, we can both clarify our goals, and reaffirm our innate ability to realize them.
Patience is having trust that at the end, everything will be fine. Even when our hearts and minds are fully committed to achieving the goals we have set for ourselves, it may take some time before we see the results we desire. It is important to acknowledge that instantaneous results are not an everyday miracle. If we have faith that ultimately we will see the results we seek, then we can spend our time not angsting for results, but looking forward with joyful anticipation. It is also important to have patience with ourselves as we cultivate our mental and spiritual practices. As we practice tapping into this power, we must remember that accessing its full potential requires repeated application of effort. No skill is instantly acquired. For example, a musician practices for hours before a concert, a marathon runner hits the road regularly before a race, and the same is true for anyone trying to achieve excellence in any discipline, be it arts, sports, or professional occupations. If we have the patience to practice well, we will be rewarded with high quality of performance in the future.
Peacefulness means having a sense of inner calm that can be accessed in moments of stillness, silence, and gratitude. It is a type of harmony with God. When our daily lives swirl with activity and buzz from interaction with other beings, we expose ourselves to varying degrees of physical and spiritual noise. Cultivating the ability to step away from this commotion into a special interior space reserved for calm quiet helps maintain mental balance and gives us access to immediate respite. No matter the chaos around us, if we can access peacefulness in our hearts, we can choose to remain in control of our emotions. We can reset our patience, and remember to choose a prayerful approach to overcoming obstacles.