[The town of Assisi is also often called Asissi. See the official
web site for the town of Assisi in Umbria, Italy for the definitive
spelling]
An old school friend, Nick M,
wrote to me in response to this site. He said that he tried to live his life
according to the precepts of St Francis as epitomised in his famous prayer.
Lord, make me an instrument of thy peace.
Where there is hatred, let me sow love.
Where there is injury, pardon.
Where there is discord, vision.
Where there is doubt, faith.
Where there is despair, hope.
Where there is darkness, light.
Where there is sadness, joy.
O divine Master,
grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood as to understand;
to be loved, as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.
[St Francis' day was just a few days ago, October 4th 2001, and
today as I write this on Sunday 7th, churches throughout the UK celebrate St
Francis and his particular affinity with the animal kingdom. In the UK Friday
the 6th of October 2001 was a day of prayer for world peace and one of the prayers
the churches suggested we use was St Francis' one.]
But what is prayer and how do we make it most effective? How do we most
effectively become an instrument of the Lord's peace? I was going to write a lot
but Maharishi said something very important in his press conference.
The Manilla Bulletin reporter asked: "Religions world wide seek world
peace, not achieved, how are you different?"
Maharishi: [my quick notes, listen to him yourself, below]
"My technique based on fundamental value of life. Their peace is only
verbal. There are four values of speech,....Transcendental Consciousness is
the only effective level. Verbal sounds are soothing but not answer. Story is
of reality or goodwill. Vedic field of consciousness, unified field, is
reality which creates a value in world consciousness. Other things not from
that level. Only gossips. Faith is good but reality is different.
See it yourself here (Should
automatically skip to 54mins 25sec).
Another reporter asked about the value of prayer.
Maharishi: [my quick notes, listen to him yourself,
below]
"Prayer on my level is from the unified field which murmurs to itself.
Prayers are always very effective to bring grace of god. When consciousness on
basic level work well. Prayer good if from Transcendental Consciousness level.
Tradition of prayer is golden tradition of mankind. if not practising TM then
praying on the surface."
See it yourself here (Should
automatically skip to 57mins 6sec).
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