Please eat your breakfast and watch each morsel with amazement, admiration, and gratitude. See how the food nourishes your body and soul, how it connects you with the earth and the sky, and how it fills you with joy and peace. If you cannot do that, please do not pray. It will be useless. Prayer is not a ritual or a duty, but a state of being and a way of living. Prayer is to be mindful of every moment, every breath, every action, and every sensation. Prayer is to be grateful for everything, even the challenges and pains. Prayer is to be in love with God, with yourself, and with all creation.
Then have your breakfast the way I said. And the other meals, too. And not just food. When you see yourself in my eyes or in the mirror, admire; be filled with gratitude. You are a beautiful and unique expression of God, a masterpiece of art, a miracle of life. You are a reflection of the divine attributes, a manifestation of the sacred names, a vessel of the holy spirit. And when you touch yourself, touch yourself with love. Love yourself very much. Have compassion for yourself. Forgive yourself. Heal yourself. You are not a sinner or a failure, but a learner and a seeker. You are not a slave or a prisoner, but a friend and a lover. You are not a body or a mind, but a soul and a heart.
Feel so that your prayer is prayer. When you walk, be surprised that you can walk and be filled with enthusiasm. Watch yourself walk and laugh with laughter. Blessed are they who marvel. And the kingdom of God belongs to those who marvel. Marvel at the beauty and the mystery of the world, at the wonders and the signs of nature, at the miracles and the gifts of life. Marvel at the diversity and the harmony of the people, at the cultures and the languages of the nations, at the stories and the wisdom of the ages. Marvel at the love and the mercy of God, at the grace and the guidance of the prophets, at the light and the truth of the scriptures.
If you can’t marvel at your beauty, please don’t pray. You are a part of God’s beauty, a sign of God’s marvel, a proof of God’s existence. You are a beloved of God, a friend of God, a seeker of God. You are a seeker of God, and God is a seeker of you. God says in a sacred tradition: “I was a hidden treasure, and I loved to be known, so I created the creation to know Me.” God created you to know Him, to love Him, and to be with Him. God created you to be His prayer, His worship, His praise.
“Start marvelling by marvelling and admiring your own body, for it is the closest to you.” I came across it in the book I am currently reading, and I translated it into Turkish for you. It’s Tawafuq, not a coincidence. By God. When you feel God closer than your jugular vein, your body turns into a temple. And then sleeping, eating, drinking, and making love become worship. And only then does prayer become worship. Not before. Not after. But now. Now is the time to pray. Now is the time to worship. Now is the time to marvel. Now is the time to love. Now is the time to live. Now is the time to be. Be with God, and God will be with you. Be God’s prayer, and God will be your answer. Be God’s worship, and God will be your reward. Be God’s marvel, and God will be your beauty. Be God’s love, and God will be your life. Be God’s life, and God will be your everything.
But do not stop there. Go beyond yourself and reach out to others. Share your prayer, your worship, your marvel, your love, your life with them.
Be kind, be generous, be helpful, be forgiving, be supportive, be compassionate.
Be a human, be a servant, be a saint.
Be a blessing, be a gift, be a miracle.
Be a light, be a guide, be a hope.
Be a peace, be a joy, be a grace.
Be a witness, be a testimony, be a proof.
Be a heart, be a love, be a prayer.
This is the art of prayer, the way of living, the path of God. This is the journey of the soul, the destination of the heart, the meaning of life.
This is the purpose of creation.
This is the essence of being.
This is the secret of everything.
This is the treasure of the hidden.
This is the love of the beloved.
This is the love of God.
This is the beauty of God.
This is the art of prayer.