Beyond Wisdom

…. we have found that the actual good results of prayer are beyond question. They are matters of knowledge and experience. All those who have persisted have found strength not ordinarily their own. They have found wisdom beyond their usual capability. And they have increasingly found a peace of mind which can stand firm in the face of difficult circumstances.

Twelve Steps
And Twelve
Traditions, p. 104

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Prayer helps me through my day… and I believe that it works no matter how much or what I believe about, or in, God. Simply reciting prayer in a liturgical sense puts my mind on a higher plane. As I recite, for instance, the Prayer of Saint Francis, my mind picks up on the attitude of the prayer; that where there is hatred, I bring love; that where there is wrong, I bring the spirit of forgiveness; that where there is discord, I may bring harmony; that where there is error, I may bring truth; that where there is doubt, I may bring faith; that where there is despair, I may bring hope; that where there are shadows, I may bring light; that where there is sadness, I may bring joy.
    This prayer in particular also provides a simple check list of my behavior and what I need to ask for regarding strength in improving the shortcomings this prayer highlights. It also points out some very practical ways to make the proper adjustments; to  seek help in giving comfort rather than desiring to be comforted; in understanding rather than demanding I be understood; to act compassionately rather than wasting time and energy pining for love. Then, as I sit to meditate, these troubles fade away and my heart opens, if only a crack, to the Heart of Compassion. I call it, Beyond Wisdom.
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