The Energy of Prayer: How to Deepen Your Spiritual Practice [Paperback]

Thich Nhat Hanh (Author), Larry Dossey (Introduction)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 10, 2006

In order to understand why people pray, The Energy of Prayer examines the applications and effectiveness of prayer in Buddhist and other spiritual traditions. Arguing that prayer is not about asking some external force for what we need, but about creating an internal environment in which it is easier to get what we want, the book introduces several methods of prayer. These methods are meditative in nature and reenvision prayer as an inclusive, accessible practice that is not tied to a particular religious or spiritual affiliation, but rather that can help anyone create a healthy life through the power of awareness and intention. Ultimately, author Thich Nhat Hanh presents prayer as more than just relaxation: is it a way to satisfy the basic human need to make a connection with something larger than our everyday self. Included are visualization and breathing exercises as well as a rich sampling of prayers, chants, and invocations from the Buddhist tradition.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Starred Review. Hanh, the Vietnamese Zen master and author of more than 60 books, asks: "Why is prayer successful at some times and not at others?" Other questions also animate this brief primer on prayer: How can we pray for healing, say from lung cancer, when that disease is the natural karmic result of our own choices (e.g., smoking)? And to whom do we pray, especially since Buddhism teaches that there is no separate, distinct being called God who exists apart from creation? Hanh has a winning style, nimbly mixing deep philosophy with personal anecdotes and helpful illustrations. He also introduces spiritual practices, including the expected (reciting sutras, bowing, or performing walking and sitting meditation) as well as the unusual and ecumenical (praying to the living as well as the dead.) He also dissects the Lord's Prayer line by line. The book closes with five simple meditation exercises to increase awareness and calm, and some short Buddhist prayers. (May 15)
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Product Details

• Paperback: 120 pages
• Publisher: Parallax Press (March 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1888375558
• ISBN-13: 978-1888375558
• Product Dimensions: 5.3 x 0.4 x 8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,070 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #26 in Books > Religion & Spirituality > Spirituality > Prayer
  • #86 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Eastern > Buddhism

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

109 of 112 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Om. Peace. April 19, 2006

By Diana H C Tan

Format:Paperback

The cover photo itself (that of a monk bent in prayer) speaks volumes about the contents of the book - that of prayer, prayer and prayer. In the likeness of books on prayer by Thich Nhat Hanh, this one seeks to uncover the benefits of meditation as prayer. The author proposes many benefits and (if one is to believe) all peoples in the world, regardless of race, language or religion, should allow themselves the benefit to sit in silence, meditating either in silence, with a chant, with words from Scripture, or with concentration on the breath. The latter, when done with full concentration, is able to nourish and to heal the mind, body and spirit. The author provides various exercises on how to meditate using the breath at the end of his book. I believe some of these exercises have been covered in his other books as well.

The author quotes from Christian Scripture and even uses the Lord's Prayer - the "Our Father" - in one of his examples on meditative prayer. Really, this is a book not only for Buddhist meditation practitioners but for all seekers of meditation practices. The exercises to still the mind apply to all races, language or religion. If we can all practice the mindfulness that the author writes of, we can apply the practice to our faiths. For example, a Christian could use the ability to stay in tune with silence to meditate on God's Word, or a Buddhist could use this ability to be silent within to concentrate on a chant. The idea is really how one can grow to befriend silence in view of the opposing attacks from the noise of daily living - television, media, people around us, loud music, our fears and worries, the pursuit of desires and wants, the list goes on.

I like the book for the solace and comfort and the encouragement it contains. As one who enjoys silence, I could embrace the spiritual benefits of meditation that the author writes about. I wish more people will practise meditation because then the "collective consciousness" (as Thich Nhat Hanh calls it) of the created world can only get better and in turn rub the sense of peace, joy and tranquility to others. Om. Peace.

61 of 64 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Powerful January 9, 2007

By Francisco X. Stork

Format:Paperback

One of my favorite passages in the New Testament is the story in Mark about the woman who is healed when she touches Jesus' garment. Jesus, walking in a crowd "perceiving in himself that a power had gone forth from him" immediately turned around in the crowd and asked, "Who touched my garments?" I thought of this passage and finally came to understand a little of Jesus' reaction as I read Thich Nhat Hanh's beautiful little book on prayer.Hanh's descriptions of prayer and his examples of praying allowed me to see, maybe for the first time, to experience prayer as energy and to feel its power. How wonderful to realize how this energy connects all being and even more wonderful to know that as human beings we have the ability (and responsibility) to direct the energy (the ground of being) for the good of all. Thich Nhat Hanh's book is practical not in a "how to" sense but in a "practice" sense. May it help you, as it did me, to make the practice of prayer as ordinary, as real, as powerful, as life-giving as . . .breathing.

36 of 39 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Very Helpful June 13, 2006

By J. Sanders

Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase

Thich Nhat Hanh is one of my favorite authors. This book is such an easy read.....I started reading it in the morning and finished it that day! This book will help you have a better understanding about prayer, it can help you improve your own prayer life, and it can help you realize things about prayer that you might not have thought of before. This is excellent! You will be revived and refreshed from reading this. It can definitely help you grow in your prayer life. Prayer is powerful!