17# The Energy Within Us

How Prayer and Meditation Shape Our World

The search for enlightenment is a central theme in Buddhism. One of the Four Noble Truths teaches that life is marked by suffering. Siddhartha Gautama sought to overcome this seemingly unsolvable dilemma as early as 480 BC. He attained enlightenment, and his teachings inspired a tradition that continues to guide around half a billion followers in their search for peace and wisdom.

Prayer or the Creative Process?

Unlike many of us, who seek a quiet atmosphere when praying – often lying in bed before falling asleep – Buddhists traditionally practise meditation while sitting cross-legged and do not recognise a creator God.

When we pray, our thoughts become focused. We begin with gratitude for what we have. We express our wishes, feel humility and trust that God hears us.

We place our hopes into words, then let go and trust that our wishes have already been fulfilled, with confidence and gratitude.

The Universe Takes Care of Everything – You Just Have to Receive

In prayer, we are grateful, humble and deeply focused because we believe that someone is listening.

With confidence and hope, we expect our prayers to be answered and our wishes to come true.

According to the idea of manifestation, our thoughts and desires take shape through this focused energy. Every person has the ability to shape their reality through conscious thinking.

In his book The Universal Law of Attraction, Peter von Karst argues that every thought and feeling attracts similar energies. According to this belief, we send these vibrations into the universe as information, and the universe responds.

Coca-Cola Invented Santa!

Who Invented God?

Who imposed our image of God upon us?

What cultural and social influences have led us to imagine God in particular forms – whether as an elderly man with a beard, as Alanis Morissette in the film Dogma, or as a father in heaven?

These representations are often cultural constructions passed down throughout history through religion, art and the media.

Perhaps it is time to question these images and develop a new understanding of the divine, one that reaches beyond traditional representations.

When religions impose a particular image of God upon us, insisting that we pray to and trust in that figure, they take away our freedom.

Instead of being free individuals, we become prisoners of rules and fears, constantly striving to meet expectations.

Yet every human being possesses free will – the ability to choose how to respond to suffering and how to pursue happiness.

Despite religious traditions acknowledging human freedom, some interpretations continue to keep people trapped in the belief in original sin, overlooking the true power each individual has over their own life.

“And Whatever You Ask in Prayer, You Will Receive, If You Have Faith.”

Matthew 21:21–22

Unconsciously, we all apply what is sometimes called the law of resonance.

The saying "You reap what you sow" captures this idea.

According to this belief, when our wishes are not immediately fulfilled, it is because they need time to manifest.

Thoughts form the foundation of our reality. Frequently changing our plans can delay the process. A clear and consistent thought has a greater chance of becoming reality.

God – A Source of Energy We Can Connect With

Buddha meditated to gain mastery over the mind and free himself from suffering.

When we focus on a mantra, we quiet other thoughts and gain clarity.

Towards the end of his life, Buddha encouraged his followers to remain faithful to the truth and not to seek refuge in external sources, but to look within themselves.

Perhaps he could have recognised earlier that positive thoughts, words and actions pave the way towards enlightenment.

But better late than never.

Anastasia Weimer