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| showed that the patients in the unprayed-for control group were twice as likely to suffer complications than were the patients in the prayed-for group. 2 Of course, spiritual communities have always been aware of this connection. A common practice in many monasteries is to sound bells when a member of the community is sick. Other members are reminded of their brother's need, and the ailing monk feels a deep connection to the power of his community's prayersnot to mention the healing sound of the bells themselves. |
| To bring prayer into your daily life, begin each day by becoming still and lifting your heart to God, praying that all the cobwebs of fear, selfishness, greed, and narrow-heartedness may be cleared from your soul; that the light of the Spirit might descend to give you courage to begin again. Make every effort to keep the presence of God in your daily life, to see God in everyone you meet, and to live your morning meditation throughout the day. |
| God speaks to us in silence, for those who know how to listen. It is within this silence that faith is built. For me, silent communication with God forms the personthe spiritthat is truly who we are. This is also the place where plants reveal their deep connection to usa place where scientific and abstract knowledge of plants and medicine is replaced with personal communion with life. |
| At first, the silence may not feel comfortable, but if you give it a chance it will become familiar and at some point you will welcome it more and more often; then there will be a time when it comes to stay. At that time grace will overcome you and you will be fearless and filled with peace and love. This is where you will go to pray. Praying involves going to meet God; it means to be interactive and to listen. One needs to be still and silent, to listen and hear God speaking. Prayer is having a conversation with God who is all love, non-judgmental, compassionate, and always listening. |
| Prayer must be in solitude, where the mind and heart unite within the soul; the mind should not wander or roam among the things and affairs of the world. It must stay within, in the heart and soulthe poustinia. |
| The Poustinia |
| The poustinia is a place (really a state of mind, body, and spirit) where we go to be intimate with God. Literally, poustinia means ''to go to the desert,'' and a poustinik is one who is living in a poustinia. The poustinik is an eter- |
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