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NATURE OF PRAYER AND MEDITATION Joel acknowledges the role of prayer, but states that prayers are rarely effective if directed for such individual desires as health, supply, and better human relationships. On the other hand, prayers for other individuals or world peace may bear fruitage if coming from a point of humility, selflessness, and an earnest attempt to commune with God. The only valid prayer for oneself is to pray for attaining the attainment of truth and self-realization. Joel focused more on meditation than prayer because fruitage is greatest when there is emphasis of listening for the word of God. Meditation is an experience from God to man, not from man to God. His meditation is called contemplative meditation, which consists of two parts: The first part is to contemplate whatever truth you know about God or a truth from the scriptures. This is designed to induce assurance and relaxation. A truth about God might be: “There is only one power- God, the good, the omnipotent” A truth from the scriptures might be: “Man does not live by bread alone, but whatever proceedeth from the mouth of God” The second part is waiting in the silence. Among the Biblical authorities for this comes from the words of the prophet Elijah: “God is not found in the whirlwind, but in the still small voice” PRACTICING THE PRESENCE The next principle of Joel’s is PRACTICING THE PRESENCE, and one which is very important towards achieving lasting happiness. Joel says this: Every person who has known dissatisfaction, incompleteness, and frustration, will someday learn that there is only one missing link in his entire chain of harmonious living. That is the practice of the presence of God-consciously, daily, and hourly, abiding in some great spiritual truth of literature; and it makes no difference which scripture: Christian, Hebrew, Hindu, Buddhist, Taoist, or Moslem. The Word of God, given to man through inspired saints, sages, seers, or revelators-this is what we need, in any language, from any country, just as long as it is universal truth. He often cites from the Biblical injunction: “Pray without ceasing” Practicing the presence can be more than reminding oneself of truth thoughts, scriptural gems, and moments of silence. It also includes beholding and witnessing God’s love, life, and law in the world. It can be seen in the beauties of nature, the creative work of artists, and the loving acts of people. It can be giving a smile or receiving a smile. It can be our saying “Namaste” or “Aloha” to another, verbally or silently-“the soul of me greats the soul of you.” WHY EVIL AND SUFFERING EXIST IN THE WORLD There is one issue that turns people off from both religion and spirituality. That is, if God is good and loving, how can there be evil in the world-poverty, murder, wars, rapes, hatred, disease, and oppression? Joel struggled for years to solve this dilemma. This question has been asked over the centuries. Some say that suffering is God ordained, God’s will. Perhaps its purpose is to punish us for wrongdoing. Perhaps it is to teach us a lesson, for our own good. Perhaps it is here to balance positive and negative forces-if there was no evil, we would not appreciate the good. Joel, in my opinion, has the best answer to this. I can not say that I understand him fully, but I intuit that he is right. He says that God does not know about evil. Man, by his ignorance, brings on his suffering and the suffering of others. As an example, two plus two is four. If an engineer builds a bridge using the principle of two plus two is five, there are serious consequences. Joel cites a key passage from John 15 in the New Testament that it is man’s belief in separation from God and belief in two powers-good and evil, that causes suffering in the world. In that passage, John states that when man sees his identity as a branch of a tree separate from the tree, the branch will wither. It is man’s ignorance of his true identity as one with the creative principle that brings on suffering. The solution to avoidance of the evils of the world and to be protected from disease, accidents, and fear is illustrated in the 91st psalm: “He who dwelleth in the secret place of the most high shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty……. |