Pioneering Mystics on Prayer

And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray.–Luke 11:1

Just a Feeling
The following essay was found among the papers of a wonderful gentleman, Kenneth MacKenzie, who had passed to the other side in 1989. His daughter Rebecca granted us permission to share his beautiful description of the effect of an active daily prayer life, which causes one to reside in the golden silence.

  It begins at your feet and slowly rises up your spine until it reaches the back of your neck. Now it seems to radiate to every part of your body, to the end of your fingertips, to the top of your head. It’s not the same feeling you have when shivers run up and down your spine, when you are cold, or you’ve been listening to a ghost story. It is different. Really, it is more of an emotion than a feeling. It makes you feel warm and comfortable inside of you. Some people have told me that they have experienced it, and some have no idea what I am talking about.
  The first time it happened to me was when I was a teenager. I was in church. The service was just beginning. My Mom and Dad were not with me that day, so I felt quite alone. The organist had just finished the prelude with a tremendous chord of music. Suddenly the sanctuary was silent. Then gradually the feeling came over me and I somehow felt close to someone…God I guess.
  It did not happen again for some time. As far as I can remember, it was not until I was married and my first child, my daughter, came into this world. At the time of her birth, I was not allowed to hold her because she was in an incubator and I had to return to Camp Blanding. It was during the war [WWII]. Six weeks later, my wife joined me and when she got off the train she said, Here…hold your daughter. Somehow God seemed very close at that moment and that feeling overwhelmed me.
  Another time I had this feeling was in 1969 when my wife and I returned home from our first sojourn in Texas and we sort of went out of our way to do it, by way of the Grand Canyon. After we arrived at the Canyon camp grounds and had set up our campsite, we walked to the rim of the Canyon and sat down on some rocks to enjoy the view.
  Believe it or not, a small mouse popped his head out from behind a large rock. We both happened to have a bag of corn chips with us, so I tossed a chip to the mouse. He picked it up with his mouth and then scurried out of sight. Soon he returned, and we repeated the process over and over. Gradually he came out further and further. Suddenly, I realized that this little mouse’s body stood out in profile against the awesome beauty of the Grand Canyon. Again this feeling overwhelmed me as I viewed one of God’s smallest handiworks and one of His largest creations together.
  The last time that I had this feeling, my wife and I were conducting a vesper service at a women’s retreat. We had planned to end the service just at sunset and the timing was perfect. If you have ever sat in the outdoor chapel at Bridgeport, you will recall that as you sit in your seat, the altar is directly in front of you. Behind the altar is a full size wooden cross and behind the cross lie the shimmering waters of Lake Bridgeport. Picture if you will, this scene and then add to it the blazing sunset directly behind the cross as only Texas sunsets can be. Women were sitting there with tears running down their cheeks as they listened to the beautiful Word of God. Once again the feeling possessed me.
  So many people talk about being saved, of finding Christ, of being reborn. And for some it lasts a lifetime. For some it lasts for a little while, but later other feelings push it into the background. Is this the feeling they have? I don’t know. As I said before, this feeling is more like an emotion, and that may be all that it is. But it has directed me down the “Jesus Path.” Sometimes I wonder…could it be…these moments…could it be…that He reached down and touched me?

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Speaking the Word in Prayer
Linda Mihalic, June 1985, Cleveland, OH.

  Some people grow up being familiar with prayer, then begin meditating, sometimes to the exclusion of a prayer life. In meditation you get quiet and listen to what God has to say, but usually hear your own idle, racing thoughts. The problem with meditation is that you can rest yourself to death before you hear anything! Prayer consists of praise—praise to our Creator, praise for the way His Light operates in your life—and gratitude. If you really want to fuel the flame of your desire in a positive direction, if you want miracles heaped upon miracles to manifest in your life, you must begin with gratitude and praise for all that God has already given you. Edna Lister said, “Appreciation is a love affair with God.” Appreciate what you already have, and praise God for the perfect miracles you hope are yet to come.
  The real difference between meditation and prayer is that meditation is passive, receptive, whle prayer is active and dynamic. In prayer, you learn how to become a co-creator with God. God did not send you out here to be an automaton, or just to take orders. He sent you sent here with freedom of choice; you are free to choose what you will be, what you do, and what you will create.
  Man’s greatest creative tool is the spoken Word. The Creative Fiat, “Let there be Light,” which opened the Creation, was delivered on the spoken Word, the “Logos,” the Christ emanation, as St. John explains in the first chapter of his Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
  These three verses describe the great principle of speech. God gave us many gifts, yet His greatest gift, which no other mammal on earth received, is access to the mind of Christ and the ability to create with our thoughts and words. We can speak the Word to create perfection after the degree and kind of our understanding of perfection. God’s great injunction to Abraham was, “I am the Almighty God. Walk before Me, and be thou perfect.”–Genesis 17:1. Jesus said, “Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.”–Matthew 5:48. Perfect, not just good! Perfection is the ultimate challenge in becoming like unto God, which we call ascension of consciousness.
  The One perfection is always manifest in this universe—as the white Light of the Christ, the Light of the Living God. Light will create perfection, after its own degree and kind. Further, God called His Creation “good” seven times in Genesis, seven declarations of “good” (Genesis 1:4, 10, 12, 18, 21, and 25). This we can do also. The most powerful declarations you can make in everyday life are “This is good! Let there be Light!” No matter what kind of negative person or situation you faces, you can, by calling it good, create that perfection in your life. “This is good!” “Good” is one of the lost names of God. It’s how you can put the ultimate Power of the universe into motion through any negative situation. “This is good! Let there be Light!”
  Doing this, you have not preconditioned the result, but have moved out of the way and spoken the Word as a co-Creator with God. You cannot break a law or misuse divine substance doing this. You have simply become an open door in the time-space continuum for the Light, the Power of God to move through, cleanse, and it creates perfection wherever it goes. Experiment with this: For one week, when something negative comes, attempt to remember and say, “This is good! Let there be Light!” Then expect a miracle.
  Most of us have heard of, if not used, “affirmations” to effect change in our life. If you affix “let” to the beginning of a positive statement (“Let this…be”), you will not be using your own soul substance to create the desired result, but opening the door for divine substance to fill the mold of your burning desire. You won’t run “out of gas,” feel tired or rundown physically, emotionally or mentally because you are not letting self use the Power. You, the soul, are acting as the conduit for divine Light in action.
  “Walk before Me, and be thou perfect” is God’s will for you. You must fill yourself first, or you will lack the energy to speak the Word for another. Say, “Let there be Light moving through me, Father,” whenever you want to treat a situation with prayer or with a metaphysical statement or affirmation. And never forget to thank God a thousand times an hour for answering your prayer and bringing the miracle to pass!

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Perfectly Powerful Prayer
Linda Mihalic, November 13, 2005, Osiyo Tea House, Cleveland, Ohio (This outline is based on Edna Lister’s for June 4, 1961, speaking from my personal experiences using her technique.)

  How does prayer work? All prayers are based on desire. You don’t pray unless you desire something. Your desire must be sharply focused. Your prayer always works according to the state of your consciousness. Power works, but it must have something to work with and it works on the vibration that you establish. If you are too comfortable in a chair, prayer works, to arms of the chair, on the vibration you establish.
  When does prayer work? Always. God neither slumbers nor sleeps. Our motto is “Not I but my Father does the work.” Most people ask two questions regarding prayer: How do I know my method of prayer is working? How am I to know if I am praying the right way? Continue praising no matter whether your prayer seems to be working. Power works on the level of your own state of consciousness. To be successful, you must offer prayer on a love vibration.
  How do I recognize the answer to prayer? Do I stand and say, “Father, thank You!” when the right answer to prayer comes? Can I stand and say, “Father, thank You!” when the right answer to prayer doesn’t come? Do you want what you are praying for? Are you wording your prayer with thanks? Am I a person God can trust with answered prayers? No matter how God answers your prayer, despite the form it takes, can you stand and say, “Thank You, Father, this is good”? This is how you become a person for whom God can answer prayer. Are you willing to give up manmade ideas and say, “This is good” to every blow.
  How do I know if I am praying the right way? People usually pray for miracles, small or large, but often give up before they appear. Do not use force in your words or attitude toward prayer. Sometimes people make the mistake of telling God what should happen—“Heal Joan”—instead of saying “LET Joan be healed.” “I will I won’t, I want, Give me.” Your every “I” expresses self-consciousness. “I AM” expresses soul-consciousness. “Let Power fill all my molds today!” See each mold clearly at least once a day. Never use forceful demands such as “I want that.” Never create negatives such as “What have I done wrong?” If you ask why or tell the Father of yesterday’s guilt or disobedience, you waste time, effort and soul substance.
  Why didn’t my prayer work? God does not answer prayer to make you feel good. Do not look around to see if God is answering your prayer or you tear it to pieces. Leave it to God. Day and night, rejoice and hold open the door for a speedy return. If a door closes, know that God has planned a better place and has another door ready to open. Rejoicing is Divine Activity. Without rejoicing you create a roadblock in your own consciousness. Rejoice! For “I AM,” the voice of your soul is asking, not the “little me” of self.
  How do I ask? “Father, Let Thy desire for me manifest.” Ask God to pray for you and through you. Some say, “Don’t bother God with little things” in prayer. This attitude is abortive, for nothing is small. How can you bother God? Do you bother the water company when you ask them to turn on the water? Turning on light does not bother the electric power utility, so how can you bother God?

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