In Reply to: Welcome, Kathy! posted by MV on June 12, 2003 at 22:12:52:
Here's a few thoughts of my own on the subject of prayer:
Why does there have to be a right way or a wrong way to pray? I think the individual person decides how he likes to pray, or meditate, or whatever, and that's what right.
I have my own way of praying which is not at all the same as I used to when I was in the Family. I personally don't look for any kind of emotional experience anymore, I think Berg based a lot of his so-called spirituality on his own emotions. Neither do I want to be presumptuous and think that I can have my own hotline with God and that He's going to give me specific messages, that’s more of what Berg taught too.
Now a days, I like to walk in the mountains a lot, in the quiet, and it's the way I meditate. Sometimes, I pray the Our Father, and I'll say, "Your will not mine be done."
As far as feelings go, I always feel better every time I go for a walk, whether I "prayed" or didn't "pray".
Since I left the Family I’ve thought a lot about what it means to be spiritual. My current thinking is that real spirituality is something that’s down to earth, a path that I take on a daily basis to try become more of a useful member in human society in all the little ways that are part of everyday life: my relationships in my immediate (and distant) family, with my colleagues at work, with the people I meet in my profession, with my neighbors, etc. When I say useful I mean a positive influence, someone who takes good care of his or her self, and who is of service when and where needed as long as it is reasonable. Of course to other people spirituality can mean something completely different. It’s a big subject and I could expound on it more, but for now I’ll leave it at that.