Step 6… We Pray
Blessings, Dear Friends,
Welcome to Step 6… We Pray.
As we continue our mysterious journey upward through the Chakras and the Spine, we arrive at the third chakra, the Solar Plexus Chakra, or the Manipura, located in the upper abdomen, just above the navel. This sacred energy centre governs personal power, confidence, and self-discipline, serving as a vital source of inner strength and transformation.
This chakra invites us to stand in our power with courage and clarity, embracing our authentic selves and the unique light we bring to the world. It encourages us to cultivate self respect and healthy boundaries, empowering us to take decisive action aligned with our highest good. When balanced, the Solar Plexus Chakra fuels our motivation and resilience, helping us navigate challenges with grace and confidence.
Prayer
Prayer has always been a mystery to me, difficult to define and yet deeply felt. In my heart I believe that I am a walking, living prayer, where every action I take becomes an expression of love and an expression of prayer. I find my strongest connection to prayer in moments of silence and through creative expression, where the spirit flows freely and authentically. I have been learning that, in order to truly pray, we must first allow ourselves to be loved by God.
I was chatting with Father Joseph about prayer, and when he opened the book of the Catechism, it landed on a meaningful paragraph that resonated with me. I would like to share it with you, as it offers insight into the heart of prayer.
“Prayer and Christian life are inseparable, for they concern the same love and the same renunciation, proceeding from love: the same filial and loving conformity with the Father's plan of love; the same transforming union in the Holy Spirit who conforms us more and more to Christ Jesus; the same love for all men, the love with which Jesus has loved us.
"Whatever you ask the Father in my name, he [will] give it to you. This I command you, to love one another."
He "prays without ceasing" who unites prayer to works and good works to prayer. Only in this way can we consider as realizable the principle of praying without ceasing.”
Inspired by these words this month, I warmly invite you all to reflect on what prayer means to you personally and how you might weave it more intentionally into your daily life. Whether prayer is already a cherished part of your spiritual practice or something you are seeking to dedicate more fully, I encourage you to explore new ways to deepen your connection. Ask Jesus to be a gentle companion on your journey, guiding you through prayer with love, patience, and grace.
I pray that this month’s journey opens your heart to experience the healing power of prayer, nurturing a deeper union with God and inviting a loving presence into everything that you do.
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. “My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one— I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.
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138. Open my Soul’s Secret Door
I am crying in a wilderness of loneliness. With eyes closed I have long knocked at doors of darkness, praying that they will open and reveal Thy light. With a million thirsty cravings of my heart, I long for Thee. Oh, wilt Thou come?
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I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
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Hear me, Lord, my plea is just; listen to my cry. Hear my prayer— it does not rise from deceitful lips. Let my vindication come from you;
may your eyes see what is right. Though you probe my heart, though you examine me at night and test me, you will find that I have planned no evil; my mouth has not transgressed. Though people tried to bribe me, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent through what your lips have commanded. My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not stumbled. I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. Show me the wonders of your great love, -
Affirmation: I am a living prayer, open to receiving and sharing Divine Mother’s love.
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After spending some time in reading, reflection and journaling … Refer to the Visualisation & meditation and when you have finished, if you feel too… You can offer your gratitude and devotion to Jesus Christ by drawing art or writing poetry or finding your own meaningful hearts way.
Niyamas Santosha(Contentment)
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True art must be evidence of happiness, contentment and purity of its authors.
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The divine law is that whenever you try to make yourself happy at the cost of others’ welfare, everyone will want to make you unhappy. But if you try to make others happy, even at the cost of your own contentment, everyone will think of your welfare. Whenever you think of your own necessities, remember the needs of others, too. As soon as you feel concerned for their well-being, you will want to make them happy. The unselfish person gets along beautifully with his family and with the rest of the world. The selfish person always gets into trouble and loses his peace of mind.
Pray with me: “Heavenly Father, bless me that I develop all the seeds of spiritual power and success that are within me, and that I use them to please Thee, whom I love more than all Thy gifts. Be Thou mine evermore.”
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Contentment is often praised by yogis as the supreme virtue. If one can oppose with deliberate contentment the tendency of the heart to reach outside itself for its satisfactions, one feels joy inwardly unceasingly.
Every worldly satisfaction is possible only because of a joyousness in the heart. Without inner joy, external fulfillment is impossible. If one has inner joy, however, and knows that it is within that the source of joy truly lies, he can enjoy all things innocently as reflections of that inner consciousness. Purity and cleanliness mean freedom from the need for anything, in the realization that one already is everything. This realization brings supreme joy to the soul. The soul realizes that it is joy.
But joy cannot be found by merely waiting for it to come, as if it, like outward fulfillments, were hiding somewhere over the horizon in futurity. Joy is always right NOW. Divine states have a way of coming (in the words of Jesus) “like a thief in the night.” We should not pray, “Lord, why don’t You give me Your joy?” We should pray with joy, and we shall discover in the very act of expressing joy that we have opened our channels to Divine Joy.
Do not merely say, then, negatively, that you are not attached to this thing or to that person. Affirm always positively in your heart, “Whatever comes of itself, let it come, but I am ever content in my inner heart.” This practice, Patanjali says, leads ultimately to the realization of Divine Bliss in every atom of creation, even beyond creation.
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Contentment teaches and encourages us to appreciate what we have and find joy and happiness in the challenges we face, without the need to change, simply accepting what is. True contentment brings us inner peace, peace of heart and peace of mind, teaching us not to let anything from the outer world affect us, so we remain calm regardless of what life brings.
Contentment helps us to value and focus on the blessings within the challenges in our lives, with positivity and gratitude. It nurtures our inner self, opening the door to a more peaceful and contented way of living.
Visualisation (3rd chakra - Solar Plexus - Manipura Chakra) by Prashanti
As we consciously align our faith, trust, and speech with the eternal words of God, let us mindfully direct our devotion toward the third Chakra, honouring our vital source of inner strength, standing in our divine light with power and with courage. Let us now take a quiet, peaceful moment to gaze thoughtfully at the image before us, gently connecting with the deep, rich, vibrant colour yellow that beautifully represents this chakra.
Focus your full attention on the third Chakra. With each gentle and mindful breath, calm and steady in rhythm, begin to slowly close your eyes, maintaining the focus of the third Chakra firmly within.
Feel a warm, soothing yellow light gently filling your entire body, radiating confidence, strength, and power throughout every fibre of your being. This luminous energy awakens your inner strength and invites a quiet, gentle calmness to settle deeply within you. Notice the soft, peaceful calmness transforming into gentle ocean waves flowing up and down your spine, inviting you to relax more deeply with each breath. Cherish this inner stillness that surrounds and supports you. With every inhale and exhale, feel your connection to this quiet strength deepen, grounding you to your true power within. Allow yourself to remain here for as long as you need, fully embracing the gentle flow of deep inner peace and empowerment that fills your whole entire being.
Now, let us quietly and reverently affirm together the sacred words from the Psalms and Paramhansa Yogananda
Hear me, Lord, my plea is just; listen to my cry. Hear my prayer— it does not rise from deceitful lips. Let my vindication come from you;
may your eyes see what is right. Though you probe my heart, though you examine me at night and test me, you will find that I have planned no evil; my mouth has not transgressed. Though people tried to bribe me, I have kept myself from the ways of the violent through what your lips have commanded. My steps have held to your paths; my feet have not stumbled. I call on you, my God, for you will answer me; turn your ear to me and hear my prayer. Show me the wonders of your great love,
I am crying in a wilderness of loneliness. With eyes closed I have long knocked at doors of darkness, praying that they will open and reveal Thy light. With a million thirsty cravings of my heart, I long for Thee. Oh, wilt Thou come?
I will fear no evil: for thou art with me;
Aum Peace Amen
Sacred Music & Mantras
Book References
Ghandhi, M. (N.D) The Eleven Vows of Mahatma Gandhi-Their Observances and Relevance
https://www.gandhi-manibhavan.org/educational-resources/the-eleven-vows-of-gandhiji.html
New International Version. (2025). BibleGateway.com. https://www.biblegateway.com/
Yogananda, P. (1952). Metaphysical Meditations. 1952 Edition. Crystal Clarity Publishers.
Yogananda, P. (2007). How to Love and Be Loved: Wisdom of Yogananda. Crystal Clarity Publishers.
Yogananda, P. (2021). God Talks With Arjuna: The Bhagavad Gita. Ebook Edition. International Publications Council of Self-Relization Fellowship.
Yogananda, P. (2021). Scientific Healing Affirmations: Theory and Practice of Concentration. Ebook Edition. International Publications Council of Self-Relization Fellowship.
Yogananda, P. (N.D) Whispers From Eternity. https://www.ananda.org/free-inspiration/books/whispers-from-eternity/
Yogananda, P. (2021).The Divine Romance: Collected Talks & Essays on Realizing God in Daily Life, Volume II. Ebook Edition. International Publications Council of Self-Relization Fellowship.
