Welcome to a series of podcasts on how to achieve a peaceful and mindful state, by using simple, short exercises. 

Each episode focuses upon a particular element of our being, and will reveal exercises designed to expand our awareness, and build up a gradual sense of inner calm and alertness.

.

Today, we’re going to talk about an exercise called “Objective Prayer”. 

Another exercise I learned from that same fellow in Texas. 

.

The most uplifting moments you have

This exercise helps you identify the most important uplifting moments of your life and arranges them in the most meaningful and impactful order.

We have all had meaningful moments that touched our emotions. These are known as magnetic centre moments because, once experienced, they stick with us for a very long time.

For instance, we saw a beautiful sunset, we got a promotion, got married, or witnessed the birth of our first child, etc.

We have had many great moments that took place during our life.

What I want you to do is make a list. 

Write down the Magnetic Center moments of your life. 

For example: a particular walk on the beach, when you got your diploma, your first puppy, when this took place, when that happened, when you met this idea, or encountered that. 

Vivid moments of your life that touched you. 

We have all had them. 

What if we gathered these sacred moments of our life, these Magnetic Center moments, gathered them up, and made a list? 

Wouldn’t they have more force if they were rounded up?

Our inner world is dense and tangled like a jungle. 

Our Magnetic Center moments are like little clearings in that jungle. 

We know that somewhere there is a big clearing, and have tried to find it.

If we connect the little clearings created by our magnetic centre moments, we will create pathways that may lead us to the big clearing. 

List your most touching moments

Okay, so what I want you to do is create a list of your magnetic centre moments.

Then review and edit your list, to where you maybe have around ten of the most important moments of your life.

You may have started with 30 or more on your list, but when you get done, you should have around 10. 

The aim is to find the really dynamic ones.

The ones that are the most vibrant.

The ones that, when you think of them, they put a warmth in your heart.

Every time you remember them, they put you in tears.

Then you arrange them in different orders. 

That is, now that we have these 10 moments, we try to find their most effective order. 

We start by remembering one moment.

A change of body chemistry

And, when we think about it, it changes our chemistry. 

We then remember another moment. It, too, changes our chemistry.

So, singularly, both change our chemistry.

But perhaps, together, the second moment will pick up on the momentum created by the first moment, and create, in us, an even greater impact, or chemical change.

And we say, “That was pretty interesting!” 

A little later we try again. But this time, we change the order. 

We try that one first, and this one second, and another one third and, “Wow! That order was better than the other one! I am going to keep those three together.” 

Finding the most objective order

And so, by doing this, we find the most objective order for us. 

We find an order that picks up on the momentum created by the one that preceded it.

Now it has a greater force than it would have had by itself, and becomes, for us, what we call an Objective Prayer.

A prayer we can recite, which takes us right to the top. An objective order of Magnetic Center moments that changes our state more than any other. 

So, play around with the order until you find the one that is most effective for you.

When you do, you will have found the best way to change your state with just by a simple set of memories.

So first, make your list, then identify the ones that are really important, and dwindle it down to a handful of 7, 8, 9 or 10 things.

Next, try them in one order, then switch them around, and try them in another order.  

Find the most effective order for you. 

Now, what may be a magnetic centre for you, may be different for another, depending on your age, where and how you were raised, or what you encountered.

Inspiring moment examples

Examples vary, but here are some to inspire you, some that affected the Texan who taught me this exercise.

There is a movie called Yankee Doodle Dandy about the life of George M. Coha. The movie is a true story about his life. 

At the end of the movie he has been ushered in to meet the President of the United States, Franklin Roosevelt. 

He doesn’t know why and thinks that he is in trouble for mocking the President in a play he is currently performing.

After hearing Cohan’s life’s story, the President says, “Sounds like you had an amazing life, and the reason I called you here is because I want to give you this.” 

And he hands Cohan The Congressional Gold Medal of Honor. The highest military honour for serving one’s country.

No musician had ever received this before. He has written two songs, including “Over There”, that were just as inspirational for the war effort as any gun or any person. 

After being handed the Medal of Honor for his two songs, he leaves the White House, and walks out on to Pennsylvania Avenue. 

The Second World War is in process at the time, and the troops are marching down the street, singing Over There; it’s their marching song. 

Cohan joins them and he starts to walk along with them, and one of the soldiers looks over and says, “What is the matter old-timer, don’t you remember the words to this one?” 

And the Texan, who taught me this exercise, cries every time he remembers that scene, and feels what it meant to him.

That was for him, a Magnetic Center moment. 

It meant something.

More examples

For me, one of mine came from my dying cat, who looked up at me at his last breath, and gave the longest purr of recognition before he passed. Even thinking of this, like the Texan, I feel tears surfacing too.

Your magnetic centre moments do not even have to be that profound or moving.

There was an animated show called He-Man on TV, with the evil villain Skeletor. 

And when the evil Skeletor showed up, He-Man, this mild-mannered guy, would take the sword off his back and hold it up in the air.

When he did, the narrator’s voice, strong and definite, said,”I…have…the power”. 

For the person who had this magnetic centre moment, they said, whenever they heard it, it would send a tingle up their spine. 

And when said at the right point, it turbo-charged their objective prayer.

Whatever touches you, or has meaning

Magnetic Center moments can be Cohan walking with the troops, a dying cat acknowledging his carer, or it can be just the line, “I have the power”, coming from a He-man cartoon. 

It’s whatever touches you, or has meaning.

That is, when you recall the moment, it changes your chemistry. 

These are the Magnetic Center moments of our lives.

Like the dog, “Lassie” coming over the hill, doesn’t that touch you, when, even with a broken leg, and when everybody thinks she is gone, she finds her way home, and reunites with her owner? 

Those kinds of things touch me and others.

These kinds of things have meaning and enliven us, and can be used objectively to lift us up.

Even in our darkest moments.

.

That is the “Objective Prayer” exercise.

Use it whenever you need to raise your state. 

Refer to it often. 

Your Objective Prayer will change as you encounter other meaningful moments in your life. 

Make it a living list.

.

Thank you for listening.

.

Goodbye until next time.