The Energy of Prayer: How to Deepen Your Spiritual Practice - Softcover

Nhat Hanh, Thich

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1888375558 ISBN 13: 9781888375558

Publisher: Parallax Press, 2006

Synopsis

In The Energy of Prayer Thich Nhat Hanh looks at the applications and effectiveness of prayer in Buddhist and other spiritual traditions and closely examines the question of why we pray. The Energy of Prayer introduces the reader to several meditation methods that re-envision prayer as an open, inclusive, and accessible practice that helps create healthy lives through the power of awareness and intention.

Life’s fast pace leaves little room for reflection and attention to the present moment. To seek relief from stress and pain, we often turn to consuming in order to forget our suffering, but we soon find that material wealth is not enough to bring true happiness, and always leaves us searching for something more. The Energy of Prayer shows how prayer and meditation can offer a beneficial way to reconnect with ourselves while satisfying the basic human need to make a connection with something larger than our everyday self. Whether used as a daily practice, during times of crisis, or to express gratitude prayer serves many functions, and does not need to be tied to a particular religious or spiritual affiliation to be effective.

Prayer has played an increasing role in the practice that Thich Nhat Hanh offers to his students. Rather than viewing it as dogmatic obligation, Buddhism views prayer as a form of energy, a way of communicating with one's higher self, one's ancestors, or one's God. Prayer is redefined not as being about asking some external force for what we need but about creating an internal environment in which it is easier to manifest positive outcomes in our lives. 

The Energy of Prayer includes visualization and breathing exercises and concludes with a rich sampling of a broad range of prayers, chants and invocations from the Buddhist tradition.

About this title

About the Author:

Thich Nhat Hanh is one of the most revered Zen teachers in the world today. His best-selling books include Happiness and Peace Is Every Step. He lives in Plum Village in southwest France, where he teaches the art of mindful living. Introduction by Larry Dossey, M.D.

From Publishers Weekly:

Starred Review. Hanh, the Vietnamese Zen master and author of more than 60 books, asks: "Why is prayer successful at some times and not at others?" Other questions also animate this brief primer on prayer: How can we pray for healing, say from lung cancer, when that disease is the natural karmic result of our own choices (e.g., smoking)? And to whom do we pray, especially since Buddhism teaches that there is no separate, distinct being called God who exists apart from creation? Hanh has a winning style, nimbly mixing deep philosophy with personal anecdotes and helpful illustrations. He also introduces spiritual practices, including the expected (reciting sutras, bowing, or performing walking and sitting meditation) as well as the unusual and ecumenical (praying to the living as well as the dead.) He also dissects the Lord's Prayer line by line. The book closes with five simple meditation exercises to increase awareness and calm, and some short Buddhist prayers. (May 15)
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About this edition

• Publisher: Parallax Press
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 1888375558
• ISBN 13: 9781888375558
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 3
• Number of pages: 120