Practical Prayer

In Carol's earlier life, healing prayer was done all the time, but Faith Healing was outside of "church". Rev. Bill digs into the convergence of medicine, healing, and faith, and why one doesn't supersede another. (Rebroadcast of Episode #54 on 6/15/2022) Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen! There's more information about the podcast, and...

Carol recalls reading Ralph Waldo Emerson when she was very young, and then re-encountering it later to discover that his ideas apply - again - to what's going on today. She and Rev. Bill discuss the ways we can address these "new thought" ideas with people who think in a different way. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen! There's more inf...

Carol found herself telling people that after the age of 50, their experiences will be repeats of previous experiences. Then she found that she was experiences an uncomfortable number of repeats. Rev. Bill helps unpack what's going on, and how to use creative words in a helpful and uplifting way. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen! There'...

The fundamental notion of "God is all there is" has been coming up for Carol, especially as people consider the idea of putting their self-care and spiritual practice on a summer hiatus. Rev. Bill discusses why that insight - really understanding the naturte of Oneness- is a transformational understanding for people as they dive into the New Thought teaching. Thank you for listening to the Practic...

As we begin our practice of Practical Prayer, we don't have to start with "The Big Stuff", even though it's been demonstrated in miraculous healings, prosperity, and transformation. Rev. Bill explains the power in starting small to prove to ourselves that it works, and using our newfound confidence to build from there. (Recast from 10/13/2021) Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcas...

Carol explains that people asking for prayer has always felt a bit awkward, for a number of reasons. Rev. Bill explains the power of Practical Prayer done by another person trained in the practice can provide powerful healing - as good as the requester can imagine, and maybe even a bit better. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen! There's m...

Carol claims to have an "interesting" family dynamic that makes people immediately comfortable with her. A recent experience showed that the comfort is much deeper than she thought. Rev. Bill helps to describe the spiritual context that allows Love to lead, bringing comfort and alignment even when we don't expect it. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your frie...

Rev. Bill has been facing delays and frustration all day, to the point of starting the podcast session a half-hour late. He and Carol discuss the metaphysical aspect of turning away from the events of the day and opening to the Divine flow that's always at hand. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen! There's more information about the podcas...

Our language - the words we use, and the ways we use them - have a tremendous influence on the effectiveness of our prayers. As Rev. Bill explains, the answer is going to be Yes, so we would do well to be very clear about what we're asking for. (Recast from 9/22/2021) Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen! There's more information about the...

Carol quotes a Buddhist teaching, which says "when you experience an experience, it comes and goes. When you resist an experience, it persists." Rev. Bill dives into the metaphysics, and the two explore why this happens, and what it's all about. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen! There's more information about the podcast, and the classe...

"It is with great gratitude for this Goodness that I speak this word of Truth, knowing that it is made manifest without hesitation." Carol is captivated by the end of this prayer for Harmony and Balance from Rev. Bill's "Practical Prayer" book (p.16). The two spend the episode discussing the meaning, the nuance, and the manifestation. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - pleas...

The methodical exploration of the steps of a Practical Prayer continues with two of the prayers from Rev. Bill's Practical Prayer for Real Results book that made a huge initial impression on Carol. They are both prayers for a perfect meeting. One uses spiritual "God" language, and the other uses "stealth" language that's appropriate for a business meeting or any non-spiritual activity. Thank you f...

Carol takes us back to the basics, with the idea to step through each of the steps of a Practical Prayer with an explanation of what's going on in each one. She and Rev. Bill settle on "Money to Spend, Share and Save" one of the prayers for financial prosperity from the "Practical Prayer for Real Results" book. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to...

Carol wants to know what Rev. Bill thinks about "Awakening", or people who say they're awakened. There is also a question of whether awakening is an event or a process. The conversation evolves to include being saved, being woke, and being empathetic. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen! There's more information about the podcast, and the...

Things happen, and then we have an experience, engagement and understanding of them. Rev. Bill observes that this is the way New Thought works. He and Carol explore the way this has played out in recent days with a rare northeastern earthquake, and a solar eclipse, among other things. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen! There's more infor...

Carol observes that, in Traditional Religion, the ego is viewed as a person being full of themselves, or wanting to be in control in some way. Rev. Bill discusses New Thought perspectives on the helpful and unhelpful aspects of ego. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen! There's more information about the podcast, and the classes and resourc...

Carol continues the conversation about manifesting, diving into the idea that we don't manifest anything. She also found that all sorts of stuff started happening after the Manifesting episode. Rev. Bill agrees that it's God, or the Creative Power that does the manifesting, and we simply provide guidance (or intention). Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your f...

Carol and Rev. Bill dig into the HUGE difference in the understanding of sin between traditional churches and the New Thought teaching. The conversation turns to the ways that sin gets wrapped into judgement, ranking some sins as worse than others, and the power differential that it can set up. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen! There's...

A recent Opinion piece in the NY Times described the current trend in "manifesting" as part of New Thought. Rev. Bill, in a posture of righteous indignation, points out that it's not, and why not. Carol observes that "manifesting" is an inch deep and a mile wide, whereas New Thought has great spiritual depth. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to l...

Carol's experience with "traditional" prayer was that God could answer Yes, No, or Maybe. She always found it troublesome because it starts a prayer with doubt about its effectiveness. Rev. Bill describes how the doubt we find in our own consciousness is actually a powerful diagnostic resource to help us understand our beliefs, and what to change to get a new result. Thank you for listening to the...

Carol's account on Facebook was suspended, for reasons that were not apparent. Efforts to correct the situation didn't work, but for some reason she wasn't bothered by it. Rev. Bill helps take the experience to its spiritual context, and how this might fit into the bigger picture of what's going on for Carol. Spoiler: The account had been hacked, and was restored a few days later. Thank you for li...

Carol and Rev. Bill go on a wide-range and freewheeling conversation about creation stories, science vs. religion, and the basics of the Science of Mind textbook before settling in on the notion that, no matter what we're praying for, we can always add the intention to experience peace of mind as our newness unfolds. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your frie...

Step three - the Realization - is the heart of a Practical Prayer. Carol wants to talk about it, and the importance of the steps leading up to it. Rev. Bill points out that the Realization is the same as what the self-help movement calls an affirmation, except that it's powered by the Divine creative force that creates everything, everywhere. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast...

Carol is back from a fabulous family event that was better than anyone could have planned. It brought to mind that we are in a co-creative process with the Infinite, in which there are some things that are ours to do, and others for us to surrender, open and allow. Thank you for listening to the Practical Prayer podcast - please invite your friends to listen! There's more information about the pod...

Carol can't get away from "The One". She does a lot of different sorts of creative work, and every time she wants to get into the head space of other creators she realizes that they are ALL channeling the same creative force - the One. Rev. Bill dives in with the observatiion that getting away from The One is not going to work, because The One is all there is. Thank you for listening to the Practi...