Prayer Power

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[David Orange]

Since everyone likes to speculate about what kinds of things O-Sensei did and how he did them; and since so many people want to incorporate the things he did in their practice; I'm wondering how many people spend much time in prayer?

More than any other aspect of his life, I think O-Sensei put the number 1 emphasis on his prayer life.

Ideas?

David

[jennifer paige smith]

Since everyone likes to speculate about what kinds of things O-Sensei did and how he did them; and since so many people want to incorporate the things he did in their practice; I'm wondering how many people spend much time in prayer?

More than any other aspect of his life, I think O-Sensei put the number 1 emphasis on his prayer life.

Ideas?

David

Wow. Did no one answer this post until now? How provocative.
I spend a great deal of time in 'prayer'. The breadth of what I would describe as prayer has expended greatly through out my life. The inner stillness of practice is a registerable condition within me that leds to insight, connection, and a firmer feel of the 'spirit'. So in this respect my life has become a 'living prayer' whereas prayer was contained in a much more traditional form in my past. This is also synonymous with my aikido practice. There used to be only distinct techniques and practices that were a fragmented group called 'aikido'. Now it is all that and the fullness of my everyday experience of the same flowing sound that I hear from my practice on the mat. So, now that is aikido. In fact, I would say that i am more aikido than jen and that paradoxically that makes me more of the me i was brought into this world to be. It is the same for prayer. It is all a prayer and the question is 'what am I praying?'.

Wow. I worked up a sweat on that one.

Jen

[tarik]

Since everyone likes to speculate about what kinds of things O-Sensei did and how he did them; and since so many people want to incorporate the things he did in their practice; I'm wondering how many people spend much time in prayer?

More than any other aspect of his life, I think O-Sensei put the number 1 emphasis on his prayer life.

Ideas?



No time at all, in the classic sense. Although I was taught several different forms of prayer by family members of different religions and belief systems, I do not seek to commune or communicate with any deity or spirit.

Now in a certain sense of living my spirituality and living my philosophy (perhaps Jen's "living prayer" idea, perhaps not) of self-questioning analysis and constantly searching for more knowledge and an understanding of existence, I do spend a lot of time in study, contemplation, meditation, purposeful thought, and living my current beliefs, but none of it is strictly prayer in the sense of a theistic or spiritualistic attempt to commune with the Deity.

While certain fundamental aspects of me are unchanged, I am an extremely different person today than I was 5 years ago. Actually, I believe those few who know me well might agree with me when I say the last 2 years have wrought immense change in who I am or perhaps more accurately how I actualize that. I cannot imagine who I will be in another 5 (or even 2) years, but I am looking forward to the experience.

Regards,

[Erick Mead]

Actually, I believe those few who know me well might agree with me when I say the last 2 years have wrought immense change in who I am or perhaps more accurately how I actualize that. I find that, typically, having kids can wreak this kind of change. It reinforces the fact that our lives are not really our own, begging questions, if then, whose it may actually be. Certainly, there can be other reasons, but this is among the most common, and none other, apart from knowing death in war (not suprisingly) as profound in personal experience.

[tarik]

I find that, typically, having kids can wreak this kind of change. It reinforces the fact that our lives are not really our own, begging questions, if then, whose it may actually be. Certainly, there can be other reasons, but this is among the most common, and none other, apart from knowing death in war (not suprisingly) as profound in personal experience.

Your observations miss the mark in this case. ;)

Regards,

[Chuck.Gordon]

If every moment is not a prayer, you're not living. If every moment is spent entreating a mythical entity, you're not living.

Celebrate life and existence, be thankful and aware, and let the gods (gods love 'em) sort themselves out ... after all, they're only reflections of ourownselves in the end.

[Chuck Clark]

If every moment is not a prayer, you're not living. If every moment is spent entreating a mythical entity, you're not living.

Celebrate life and existence, be thankful and aware, and let the gods (gods love 'em) sort themselves out ... after all, they're only reflections of ourownselves in the end.

Hallellujah!!! Make a joyful noise in celebration of the "way of things." Great Faith Tempered With Great Doubt and the feeling of gratitude and thankfulness for Being and that things aren't worse than they are... and able to take part, to face the unknown with courage, making decisions, being responsible, and learning to actualize our original self each instant while being quite comfortable in saying, "I don't know" but still be looking and loving ...

Ain't it GREAT!