The Prayer Project — Reclaiming Our World

(Excerpted from The Prayer Project Book)

By Paramahansa Jagadish

WELCOME TO THE PRAYER PROJECT!

The Prayer Project is a project designed to do one simple thing: change the world through the power of prayer. That’s it. You can change the world through the power of prayer in as little as 10 minutes a day.

The world is on the brink of change. No longer can we disregard our environment, our economy, our own futures and simply assume that everything will just work itself out. The world is affected with selfishness, greed and disregard for life. Different factions of terrorists and political leaders seek to control and dominate others. Oppressed people and those choosing a path toward spiritual growth are ready for a change. Peace is the message we all need to be meditating and praying on! Peace within ourselves and in the outer world — they work hand in hand.

This Prayer Project quest began when I thought about the state of the world today — in terms of war, injustice and environmental decline — and wondered how I could help spread the message of peace and an experience of divine joy that everyone could participate in. It’s important that we find a way to become happy and inspired again, don’t you think? And to protect and nurture our planet and its inhabitants…. Is there a way to do this, to create a feeling of hope and happiness every day and benefit others somehow?

What can one person do, when it often seems we are so isolated and alone?

I contemplated these questions and came up with an answer. What if I told you that we can transform the world in three minutes — three times a day? That does not seem like a lot of time to invest, but that is truly all it takes to change your world — and the world around you.

You may be questioning how just one person can change the world in mere minutes a day. The beauty of this movement is that it isn’t just one person, but hundreds and thousands, or even millions of people praying for peace, joy and love all at the same time. That’s right; together we really can change the world.

As we begin to take responsibility for our lives, a transformation occurs. We will inspire others to also take up the cause of wanting change and transformation. It is through individual transformation that each of us can do our part to bring more peace, joy, and love to the world.

Imagine changing the world — literally changing the vibration that exists in the air around us — merely by taking time out of your day to stop and… pray. Now imagine your neighbor joining you, your colleagues at work, in the dorm, in the park, at the bookstore — anywhere and everywhere you are.

Now imagine millions of people, in millions of homes, offices, colleges and universities, parks, parking lots and places of worship joining you; imagine the power coursing through the universe, imagine the positive energy flowing from this simple, daily exercise!

What is this exercise? It is very simple: all you do is pray three times a day, for just three minutes a day!

• 6 a.m. or 6:30
   a.m. or 7 a.m.
• 12 noon or 12:30
   p.m. or 1 p.m.
• 6 p.m. or 6:30
   p.m. or 7 p.m.

I call this my 3 x 3 System and it is at the heart of The Prayer Project. All I ask is that you pray in the morning, the middle of the day and in the evening and that, as you increase the amount of prayer in your life you spread the wealth and encourage others around you to do the same.

Speaking of spreading the wealth, you’ve just found your first prayer partner! That’s right, I have made the commitment to do this with you. I will be there every day praying for three minutes, three times a day, and new prayers will be frequently posted at the www.Project-Project.com website.

HOW TO PRAY FOR 9 MINUTES DAILY?

Do what I call concentrated prayers and wish-filled visualizations of compassion, joy, health and happiness filling the world and every being in it!

You can also choose established prayers and shift between faiths during the different times you pray. My book The Prayer Project has hundreds of such peace and healing prayers. This way, you can get a feel for how different faiths pray. Almost all of the prayers and contemplations look toward some sort of higher power for their blessing of peace on earth. The language may be different and the way they ask might be new to you, but all of the prayers have been chosen for their central theme of peace.

You may speak your prayers aloud, your may recite them in your head (say, if you’re stuck in an elevator at your lunchtime prayer session), you may use a device like a rosary or prayer beads to help you count for the three minutes, or even a timer or your wristwatch. Whatever way you choose is correct, as there is no right or wrong way to pray for peace.

Remember to “pray with your feet” as well as with your mouth or your mind. What do I mean by this? Prayer is a living thing, not just words on a printed page or hymns we share in a church. To truly change our world, our prayer must transform our lives as well as the lives of others. That means praying with your feet, by doing good deeds and moving the prayer chain forward!

I invite you to sign the The Prayer Project pledge on the website and become a Prayer Project Ambassador, Furthermore, you can submit prayers for the world on an accompanying web page so you can share them. Best of all, you can download the entire Prayer Project Book for free at www.Prayer-Project.com