power of meditation— prayer - arlene taylorarlenetaylor.org/files/scriptual...
TRANSCRIPT
Presents
Power of Meditation—
Prayer
©Arlene R. Taylor PhDwww.arlenetaylor.org Brain References
Definition©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
The act of communicating with a deity (especially as a petition or in adoration or contrition or thanksgiving)
--The Free Dictionary, Thesaurus
A form of meditation
Any communication with a Higher Power
Incidence©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Written sources from 5000 years ago talk about prayer
A survey released in 2002 by the National Center for Complementary and AlternativeMedicine (part of the US National Institutesof Health revealed:
43% of Americans pray for their own health
24% pray for others' health
Your Prayer History©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
“Prayer does not demand that we interrupt our work but that we continue working as if it were a prayer” --Mother Teresa
What were you taught?What did you see role modeled?What did you learn?What was puzzling?
Your Prayer Life©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
What do you like and dislike about prayer?
What triggers discomfort?
Are you ambivalent about prayer?
Do you think it even works?
What is your favorite prayer style?
Can’t say “yes” --until you can say “no”
Prayers Offered©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Prayers may be:WrittenThoughtVerbalizedChanted or sung with or without musical accompanimentIndividual, group, corporate
Prayer Frequency©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Periodic (e.g., morning / eveningprayers, grace said over food, weddings, funerals, presidential inaugurations, graduations)
Seasonal (e.g., Advent, Easter, Christmas, Pentecost, Hanukah)
Ongoing throughout the day
Prayer Postures©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
• Standing• Sitting• Kneeling up / down• Eyes open / closed• Head up / down• Lying in bed
• Prostrate on floor• Hands folded, clasped,
upraised, waving, straight down, or holding hands of others
• Laying on of hands
Prayer Actions©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Anointing with oilRinging a bell, singingSilence, fastingBurning incense, paper, or candlesGesturing (sign of the cross, genuflect)Facing a specific direction (e.g., towards theEast or Mecca, looking up or down)Dancing (Native Americans), Whirling (Sufis), Swaying back and forth (Orthodox Jews)
Prayer Types ©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Ritual – Recited from memory, read froma book of prayers, or written on flags orprayer wheels
Extemporaneous prayers – composed spontaneously on the spot
A combination of extemporaneous and ritual – spontaneous prayer followed by reciting a prayer (e.g., The Lord’s Prayer)
Types, Cont’d©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Petitional – Requesting a favor for yourself
Intercessory - Requesting a favor on behalf of another or something in the external world
Colloquial – Asking guidance or forgiveness
Thanksgiving – Giving thanks, praising
Types, Cont’d©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Meditative – Pondering, meditating, thinking about spiritual things, and listening
Studies have indicated that personal meditative prayer provides the greatest personal benefits
I've seen prayers answered but often, in myexperience, if you get what you pray for, you've really shortchanged yourself
–Anne Lamott
Benefits to Plants©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
27,000 randomly selected plants were prayed for by 156 different individuals –700 different types of tests were performed
⎯Reverend Loehr (minister and chemist)
Outcome: Prayed-for plants showed a 52.71% advantage in growth althoughall other growing conditions remainedthe same
Benefits to Person Praying©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Lowers blood pressure and decreasespulse and breathing rates
Slows the aging process (reduces brainwave activity which decreases brainmetabolism and oxygen requirements)
Heightens learning ability and creativeproblem-solving
To Person, Cont’d©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Improves coordination of electrical patterns between the cerebral hemispheres
Improves the efficiency of body functionsin runners who meditate/pray while they are running
Benefits To Prayed-For ©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Prayer for beneficial healing and quick recovery in a 10-month study of 192 cardiac patients⎯Randy Byrd MD, SF General Hospital, CCU, Double Blind
Prayed-for Group had fewer complications
No intubations3 required antibiotics6 had pulmonary edema
Control Group had increased complications
• 12 required intubations• 16 needed antibiotics• 18 had pulmonary
edema
Prayed-For, Cont’d©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Seven groups around the world prayed for 150 angioplasty patients ⎯Mitchell W. Krucoff MD
(Duke U Med Center, NC), Double-Blind
Prayed for specific patients by name duringangioplasty procedures - patient-prayergroup match was not based on denomination
Patients who were prayed for had far fewer complications
Prayed-For, Cont’d©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Prayer for pregnancy in 199 women receiving in-vitro fertility treatments in Korea
--Rogerio A. Lobo, MD, Columbia U, S of M, NYC
Half the women were randomly assigned toChristian prayer groups in Canada, USA, and Australia
The pregnancy rate was doubled among the women who were prayed for
Research on Prayer©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Hundreds of research studies have shown benefits of religion and prayer on one’s health
A literature search by Dr. Dale Matthew of Georgetown University found 212 studies on the medical influence of religion and prayer to human beings
Conclusions©Arlene Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Prayer has been found to be effective and beneficial in the clinical treatment of patients
When we pray, we reap tremendous physical, emotional, and spiritual benefits... we may also reap the benefits from the prayers of others on our behalf”
--Mind/Body Health Journal
“Em” Energy ©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Electromagnetic energy is generated by neurons in the brain and heart
Heart Em energy is 5000 times stronger than brain Em energy
Em energy forms a field that radiates out 12-15 feet from the body – strongest within 3 feet
The Power of “Em”©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
A form of radiation energy, Em energy may never be destroyed
Brain waves synchronize to heart rate and vice versa when people engage in caring touch (e.g., hold hands, arm around shoulder, massage)
May explain laying-on-of-handsLikely too slow to explain prayer
Your Triggers©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
What prompts you to think about praying?
Learned habits
Socialization / societal rewards
Expectations (self and others)
Disasters / Catastrophic events
Past personal experiences
Be Positive©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Never use a negative thought in prayer – only positive thoughts getpositive results --Norman Vincent Peale
Negative or positive habitual prayer style?Typically whine and moan?Usually ask for things? Generally use words of praise and gratitude?
Positive, Cont’d©Arlene Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Constant rehearsal of mistakes and errors (or the use of pejoratives) can ingrain themeven more deeply in your mind – actuallythe reverse of what you probably want!
I don’t want to yell at my children versus
I speak kindly to my children
Prayer Models©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Our God in heaven, help us to honoryour name. Come and set up your kingdom, so that everyone on earth will obey you as you are obeyed in heaven.Give us our food for today.Forgive us for doing wrong, as we forgive others. Keep us from being tempted and protect us from evil.
⎯Matthew 6:9-13 The Promise
Prayer Models©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
Father, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
⎯Matthew 6:9-13 NIV; Luke 11:2-6 NIV
Favorite Prayers
Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can;and wisdom to know the difference.
--Reinhold Niebuhr
Do you have one?
Bottom Lines©Arlene R. Taylor PhD Realizations Inc
No two brains are ever identical in structure, function, perception – or in approach to prayer
Give up all expectation of another human brainever understanding yours
Prayer is a personal journey
Find your own prayer path –one that works for your brain