Silent Prayer

System-Breaking

“Master of the Universe, grant me the ability to be alone;

may it be my custom to go outdoors each day

among the trees and grass, among all growing things,

and there may I be alone, and enter into prayer,

to talk with the One that I belong to.

May I express there, everything in my heart,

and may all the foliage of the fields, all grasses, and trees, and plants,

may they all awaken at my coming

to send the powers of their life into the words of my prayer,

so that my prayer and speech are made whole

through the life and spirit of all growing things

which are made as one by their transcendent Source.”

Rabbi Nachman (from Einstein and the Rabbi: Searching for the Soul, by Naomi Levy)

My friend, Garvice, sent me this beautiful prayer from Naomi Levy's book, Einstein and the Rabbi. The book delves into correspondence between Albert Einstein and Rabbi Nachman, and is subtitled, “Searching for the Soul.” Einstein grew progressively more spiritual as his understanding and awe of the Universe increased. Quotes from the latter part of his life sound more like depth theology than astrophysics. I suspect that Rabbi Nachman had a lot to do with that.

Being out in nature by choice is, all by itself, a prayerful endeavor. I believe the reason for this has to do with its energy system. By contrast, most of us have experienced the energy of our family system. It happens when we come together with family-of-origin members and get caught up in an energy system that seems not of our choosing. The family energy system is extremely potent—like being sucked into a whirlwind. It has designated roles originating in childhood. The baby, for instance, is always treated like a baby even when they are fifty years old. We have all seen perfectly competent adults revert to their whiny-kid mode in the presence of their mother or daddy. Anyone who refuses to play his/her role knows only too well just how undeniable the family system can be. That's why there are often emotional fireworks when families gather around the holidays. Throw alcohol into the mix and the situation becomes truly combustible. I'll bet you know exactly what I'm talking about.

The energy system of nature, on the other hand, is far more grounded and tends to calm rather than excite. When we go outside and walk among the trees, or beside a body of water, we are quickly infused by the energy of that environment. It calms us and brings us naturally into silence. We breathe in the energy and are grounded by it. We are connected to earth below and sky above in a continuous flow of energy. It's a good thing to keep in mind when the family-system is kicking into high gear, and we are about to blow a fuse. Get outside and walk, and breathe, and talk to the One you belong to. It's way better than pouring another drink.

                                                                 In the Spirit,

                                                                     Jane