New Moon Circle
This is a non-denominational mixed mens' and womens' prayer practice.
Nick Cave says of prayer:
"The act of prayer is by no means exclusive to religious practise because prayer is not dependent on the existence of a subject. You need not pray to anyone. It is just as valuable to pray into your disbelief, as it is to pray into your belief, for prayer is not an encounter with an external agent, rather it is an encounter with oneself. There is as much chance of our prayers being answered by a God that exists as a God that doesn’t. I do not mean this facetiously, for prayers are very often answered.
A prayer provides us with a moment in time where we can contemplate the things that are important to us, and this watchful application of our attention can manifest these essential needs. The act of prayer asks of us something and by doing so delivers much in return — it asks us to present ourselves to the unknown as we are, devoid of pretence and affectation, and to contemplate exactly what it is we love or cherish. Through this conversation with our inner self we confront the nature of our own existence."
A prayer provides us with a moment in time where we can contemplate the things that are important to us, and this watchful application of our attention can manifest these essential needs. The act of prayer asks of us something and by doing so delivers much in return — it asks us to present ourselves to the unknown as we are, devoid of pretence and affectation, and to contemplate exactly what it is we love or cherish. Through this conversation with our inner self we confront the nature of our own existence."
Read the whole post here.
What does praying mean? I think of prayer as a way to speak what's in your heart. We speak out loud addressing whom ever we think is listening: ancestors, spirit, God, Goddesses, your higher self, your unconscious...
Why pray with other people? Sometimes when we are with others we feel felt, seen and heard in a way we don't when we are by ourselves.
Is this a religious practice? It may be for some people. For me this practice is about being reverent to life, my feelings and the feelings and experiences of others. Prayer, for me, is about trying to get close to what we experience as the truth of our experience, and sharing this with others by speaking our truth out loud.
What if I follow a spiritual or religious tradition? There is no requirement that you pray in any particular way, to any particular god. Each person is welcome to express their personal spirituality, naming those that they feel support them in the unseen world/spirit.
This practice is a 2 hour practice online via Zoom, held on the night of the New Moon.
Dates for 2020:
- Thursday 17 September
- Saturday 17 October
- Sunday 15 November
- Tuesday 15 December