A New Thought Guide to Prayer: Shift Your Focus, Find Peace
Spiritual Basics
By Michael Corthell
My friends,
This guide explores my unique approach to prayer based on New Thought principles that I first became acquainted with over 50 years ago when I began searching for the truth of my existence.
Over the past two years, I've been retracing my original journey into New Thought Philosophy with the goal of both gaining a deeper understanding of this important philosophy but also to simplifying its application and developing a guide to teaching it.
The following is my interpretation based on the beliefs and teachings of Alan Watts, Thomas Troward, Neville Goddard, Thích Nhất Hạnh, Dale Carnegie, Napoleon Hill, Norman Vincent Peale, and many others.
A New Thought Guide to Prayer: Shift Your Focus, Find Peace
Forget about begging for miracles; instead, focus on cultivating your connection with the Divine within you. Simple, yet powerful, this method can bring you peace and resolution.
Step 1: Shift Your Focus
Start by leaving your troubles behind. Don't get stuck on problems, big or small, in your health, finances, or relationships. Believe that they can be resolved.
Instead, turn your attention to God. Don't try to picture God, but focus on what you know to be true about the Infinite Mind and Intelligence: the *divine attributes of wisdom, love, truth, omnipresence, and infinite power.
Repeat these divine truths silently. Repeat these words like a mantra, allowing them to fill your mind and displace any worries.
Step 2: Stay Focused
It's natural for concerns to resurface. If you find yourself drawn back to problems, gently refocus on God's attributes and remember that the Creator is all-powerful and wants what’s best for you.
Remember, checking in on your troubles constantly strengthens them. Your goal is immersion in the divine, even for a short while.
With persistence, you'll find worries fading and prayers answered. This shift in focus and attitude brings about a positive mindset leading to positive changes.
Step 3: Extending Peace to Others and Situations
Facing tough people or situations? Use this approach too! Declare your intention (e.g., "I'll use this for John") and then clear your mind of them and immediately shift focus to God.
Replace those thoughts with affirmations about God's presence and love. Your intention isn't to control them but to send positive energy, promoting their well-being.
Remember, this benefits everyone involved. Difficult situations often find fairer resolutions when we shift our focus from the problem to letting God deliver a positive solution.
Step 4: Overcoming Resistance
Changing your focus might be challenging, especially when anxious or scared. That's okay!
Use powerful affirmations to ground yourself. Repeat truths like "There is no power but God" or "I am surrounded by God's perfect peace."
With practice, you'll experience the transformative power of shifting your focus. Find peace, clarity, and solutions through this New Thought approach to prayer.
Please Remember:
Consistency is key. The more you practice, the easier it becomes.
Trust the process. It works! Don't judge yourself if your mind wanders; gently refocus and continue.
This method is a journey, not a destination. Enjoy this simple and refined process and the peace it brings to your life and loved ones!
Never give up and always send positive thoughts, because what you put out into the world is what you receive back. This is the real secret to a fulfilling life, my friends.
Why does this method work? When you immediately turn to God or attributes of God, He is aware of the problem and provides the necessary remedy or healing.
Always remember to say ‘‘Thank you!’’ Gratitude gets us all more to be grateful for!
May peace find you and never leave you!
After an epiphany, this simple guide was developed by me very recently (February 22, 2024). To get a sense of my journey to this point please visit: www.MichaelCorthell.com
*The 12 Major Attributes of God
Omnipotence - This refers to God's all-powerful nature, where God has unlimited power and can accomplish anything logically possible.
Omniscience - God's all-knowing characteristic, encompassing knowledge of the past, present, and future, including all possible outcomes and scenarios.
Omnipresence - This describes God's presence everywhere at once, not confined to any single space or time, reflecting an infinite and ubiquitous presence.
Omnibenevolence - This attribute signifies God's all-good and infinitely benevolent nature, embodying perfect goodness and unending love towards creation.
Immutability - This suggests that God is unchanging over time. God's nature, character, and will do not change, providing a foundation of reliability and consistency in the divine character.
Eternal - God exists outside the bounds of time and has no beginning or end. This timelessness relates to God's eternal presence and existence.
Transcendent - God is beyond and above the universe, not subject to the laws of nature and the physical universe, existing beyond the material world.
Immanent - Despite being transcendent, God is also present and active within the universe, creation, and the lives of individuals, suggesting a closeness and personal relationship with the creation.
Self-Sufficient - God does not need anything outside of Himself to exist or act. This self-existence means God is not dependent on anything or anyone else.
Infinite - God is without limits in every quality and aspect, including power, knowledge, presence, and love, not bound by the finite constraints of the created universe.
Just - God is perfectly just, embodying fairness and moral rightness, ensuring justice is served and moral integrity is maintained across the universe.
Merciful - Alongside justice, God is profoundly merciful, demonstrating compassion and forgiveness, often showing leniency and grace beyond what is merely deserved.