Rest in Presence

For most of us, prayer is a profoundly personal act - precious moments of surrender, reverence and communication with the divine. We pray to express gratitude, seek guidance, help or confess our failings. Some may even ask, 'Are you even there?' But what comes after the prayer has ended? When the words, often scripted in religious texts, have been spoken and silence sets in, what do we say to God then?

This question invites us into the space beyond formal prayer, into the realm of spiritual presence. After our prayers, we remain in close divine proximity. We cherish a deeper communion with God that goes beyond scripted words. Perhaps the most meaningful thing we can do is wait and listen - not necessarily for a voice but for a sense of serenity, direction or simply a glow of inner satisfaction. We create space for God's response, whatever form it may take.

In that space, we might also say something less formal, more intimate. We might say, 'I await your message, O Lord! Please help me be open to your will.' These remind us that we want to remain yog- yukt, connected, and that our relationship with the Divine does not begin and end with neat prayers. Sometimes, the most authentic things we say to God are unscripted, raw and spontaneous.


We might even say nothing and sit in quiet awe and wonder. This is the heart of contemplative spirituality: not always asking, not always thanking, but simply abiding. As a child might sit in the comforting presence of a parent without speaking, so can we rest in God's presence.