In the book Secrets of an Ancient Way of Prayer, Gregg Braden reminds us that knowledge is the bridge that connects the present to the past, allowing the legacies of our previous civilizations to shape the collective history we carry with us.
However, simply preserving information from the past is not enough; it is through the application of this knowledge in the present that we transform it into wisdom. The way we relate to what we have learned throughout history determines how it manifests in our lives.
For thousands of years, the power of prayer has been passed down from generation to generation. Our ancestors preserved this knowledge, not only in grand temples but also in humble tombs, through practices that have withstood the test of time. The words of prayer, however, are only the starting point. The true power lies beyond the language, in the intentions and energy we direct while praying. Just as a computer program has an underlying code that is more important than the words describing it, prayer has an essence that transcends the spoken words.
The mystic George Gurdjieff, in his search for truth, discovered this power when he devoted himself to exploring ancient spiritual traditions. His quest led him to a secret monastery, where a master revealed to him that he had found the ideal conditions to transform the desires of the heart into reality. This inner power he discovered is intimately connected to the practice of prayer. True prayer is not limited to words; it relates to the inner state and the deep connection we cultivate with our essence and the universe.
Saint Francis of Assisi, in turn, teaches us about the beautiful and impetuous force that resides within us, waiting to be unleashed. To access this power, we must first understand our relationship with ourselves, with the world around us, and with God. The knowledge we seek is, for the most part, already present within us; the key is to awaken to it and use it in a transformative way.
In The Prophet, Khalil Gibran speaks of the knowledge that already exists within each of us, suggesting that no one can truly teach something that is not already partially present in our consciousness. This power of communication with the divine is already part of our nature, but to access it, we must deeply understand who we are. When we connect with our true essence and align with what we truly are, we are able to experience the reality of our desires and prayers manifesting in the world.
Thus, as we reflect on the practices that our ancestors preserved over the centuries, we can realize that prayer is not just an act of faith, but a powerful tool for inner transformation. The secret lies in our ability to connect with what is within us, accessing the power of a deeper truth that transcends time and language.
