Prayer and First Things First

This morning the first thing I did after waking up was to head straight for the computer. Each morning I wake up with the intention of saying Morning prayers and then to spend 30 minutes journaling, writing Morning pages or completing a writing practice. I find prayer a deeply fulfilling practice that returns me to my centre and connects me to the Divine.

I grew up in the Pentecostal church and this experience scarred me particularly with my relationship to prayer. In our church prayers were long verbal recitals of praise to God, condemnation of sinners and backsliders and virtuous celebration of those who were Christians and saved. Prayer felt awkward and disconnecting even at that young age and I left the church feeling not worthy of the divine’s attention for many years to follow.

Two resources have gracefully made that reconnection easy and meaningful. My training as an Interfaith Minister reconnected me to the power of prayers from a wide collection of spiritual paths and faiths. Recently my morning practice is to begin each morning by reading a prayer from a most wonderful book entitled Answered Prayers – Love letters from the Divine by Julia Cameron. Answered Prayers is an exquisite book. Each prayer is grounded and meaningful. I can’t recommend it enough. Finally this week American Life Coach Debbie Fords newly re-designed website www.debbieford.com has gone live and on it she has the most beautiful prayer that you can listen to called ‘Release Me.’ Now I have a legitimate excuse for turning on the computer first thing. To begin my day this week I turn off the lights in the study and listen to Debbie read the words of the Release Me prayer as I close my eyes.

The sky outside the study window is a dusty grey mist. Half of the arial view of the London skyline is lost in her smoky screen. The dawn chorus this morning is remarkably quiet. It seems the birds had a late night and have slept in. I am the better for my prayers this morning and determined to spend the next 30 minutes on the page before emails are answered and any other activities started. Today I stick to my goal of First Things First, Prayer, then writing followed by an hour’s walk. Now I am ready to continue with my day.

What practices surround and complement your writing practice? I would love to know.