There are four important requirements for effective prayer and meditation. These are:

1. Know the Law
2. Apply the Law
3. Trust the Law
4. Keep your harmony

Know the Law. This is very obvious. We need a good intellectual understanding of the Laws of
Prayer. We need to understand, that the Universe is structured in a certain way. That we are multidimensional
beings – who operate on many levels – all the time – non stop – 24/7. Waking or
sleeping, we are constantly creating on the different levels. We need to understand that thought
and feeling are awesome powers on other levels of existence and that these other levels of
existence shape and mold the physical reality in which we live. Prayer (or meditation) is the
conscious use of thought and feeling power in a desired direction. Generally, our thoughts and
feelings are emanating out into the universe with little conscious control. But with prayer, we are
taking conscious control of these powers. A person’s prayer is a directive to both the deeper mind
and to the invisible forces of the universe to bring about a certain result.

There are many levels of prayer and many forms of it – and this is the subject for another article. But
whatever method is being used, there is a need to “know” its law.

But merely knowing the law – good though it is – is not enough. Perhaps you might be able to
impress others at a cocktail party or seminar, but you won’t get practical results from it. The law
must be applied – must be used. We can compare knowledge of the spiritual law to knowledge of
electricity. Yes, you know how the electrons flow, and the properties of different conductors – but
until you actually “flip the switch” – set the law into operation – there will be no light or power.
There are legions of people who know the law and leave it at that. When a problem or crisis comes
into their life, they are apt to respond in the conventional materialistic ways – as if the spiritual law
didn’t exist. These are the people who waste their energies in endless arguments and disputes
“about the law” and generate much negativity in the environment on these issues – but they never
get actual results. If they stopped all their arguing and just made their “application” – put their
knowledge to use – the need for all this conflict would soon cease.

Trusting the Law. So far the rules of prayer are relatively easy. But here is where the hard part
comes. Here is where, in my experience, prayers get broken, delayed or even nullified.
There is a gap between the prayer and the end result. A space. An interval between the prayer and
its answer. For very advanced beings the gap is tiny – their prayers are often answered within hours.
For Masters the answer to prayer is instantaneous. But for the average person there is a gap –
sometimes days, weeks, months – and in certain cases even years. There are many reasons for this.
Each case is unique.

It is important to understand this gap and how to stand in it. If we were all perfect humans – as we
were designed to be – there would be no gap. Prayer would be answered – in a manifest and
tangible way – instantly. And this is how it is on the spiritual level – on the level on which the prayer
was made. The answer to prayer has to descend through 4 worlds and through the many
subdivisions of these 4 worlds – and in the case of individuals who are not “clear” – who are
carrying much mental and emotional baggage – the filtering down of the answer takes much time. A
person’s inner beliefs have a lot to do with it. In the case of people who are strongly materialistic
(on a subconscious level) the invisible forces have to actually create new inner conditions in order
for the manifestation to occur within the person’s belief system. And this takes time. In very
complicated situations, where many people are involved, and many belief systems are involved, the
manifestation can be even further delayed. Many inner changes, in all these people, will have to
happen before the manifestation – the answer to prayer – can happen in a natural and harmonious
way.

It is during this “gap” – this interval – this space – that the person is tested. The prayer has been
made. The Law has been set into motion, but nothing on the visible has occurred. In many cases,
one doesn’t even “feel” that anything happened. (This is because, the action of the prayer took
place above the level of their emotional body). Then the doubts, the fears and the denials tend to
arise. “This doesn’t work” “nothing happened” “god didn’t hear me” “god is not answering my
prayer” etc. etc. etc.. These thoughts and feelings, which come from the lower mind – the mortal
human mind – become “counter prayers”. And because they are spoken with great passion and
feeling will often overwhelm and out power the original prayer. By the spiritual law, these prayers
too are answered and we get a delayed demonstration or even no demonstration. The reason? The
same law by which prayer works was used to deny the prayer.

So, the prayer process must be repeated again and again and again. A good prayer – a prayer that
is effective should leave us with the feeling that “it is done”. Even if we don’t see any outer
evidence of manifestation. Inside we feel that something has happened – something is changed –
though our outer senses see nothing.

The gap – a sort of abyss – has many wonderful lessons to teach. This “gap” is really a place of
revelation. Our doubts, denials and fears are clearly revealed to us. The inner causes – the
psychological momentums – that are causing the problem that we have prayed about are active and
easily seen. If we separate from them – merely observe them dispassionately – they tend to lose
power. Some people use “clearing techniques” to clear mental and emotional disturbances – and
this is a good time to use them. Rather than going along with the doubts and denials – confront
them and clear them by whatever methodology you are using. (I used to use the “touch and let go”
technique during these times – but there are various ways this can be done.) If you can stand in the
gap, without doubt and denial, your prayer will be answered more quickly – here on the earth.
The second important lesson of the “gap” is learning to trust. It is in the “gap” that we develop faith
and confidence. This is when learning to “trust” becomes important.

We have operated a mighty Law of the Universe. Now, we must “trust” this Law to be what it is.
Whether anything happens or doesn’t happen, whether we feel anything or don’t feel anything – the
Law has been operated and we “trust” that it will work and is working on the inner levels.
Some people have the gift of faith naturally, but others need to develop it. And these are the times
to develop it.

Often, while in the gap, the human mind wonders and questions – “how will this happen?” “Who will
be the instrument” etc. etc. These kinds of thoughts – natural though they are on the human level –
are not productive. They are subtle forms of doubt.

While in the gap, it is important to understand that you have done your part in the arrangement. You
have made the prayer. The manifestation is really not your business. Now it is God’s responsibility
(or the forces of the Cosmos) to bring it about. And they will. This understanding gives a deep
sense of relaxation. One then goes about one’s daily affairs with ease. Once you have done your
part, enjoy your day and your life.

If you have learned to “stand in the gap” with faith and trust, there is still one more feat to master.
This is rule number four – keeping your harmony.

Aside from doubt and denial – the nullification of one’s prayer through self undoing – the biggest
reason for delay of answered prayer is “lack of harmony”. Lack of harmony probably won’t stop
your manifestation, but will delay it unduly.

Harmony is the law of the universe. Its central tenet. The Spiritual Power always acts harmoniously.
(Sometimes it doesn’t seem that way to us, but it will always choose the most harmonious way to
fulfill a desire.) If something happens that seems inharmonious to you, know that the universe
chose the “least” in harmony, from a wide variety of choices.

This Law of Harmony is often the reason that we have a “gap”. Abrupt miracles are, in many cases,
a violation of the law of harmony. The Divine has the power to heal a condition instantaneously –
but if it did so, there would (in many, many cases) be more disharmony than if it used “natural
methods”. Imagine the tumult in a hospital if a gaping gunshot wound was instantly healed, or a
terminal cancer instantly remitted. This is why the natural way is often preferred by the Spirit. It is
the most harmonious. Financial needs are rarely met through a miraculous precipitation of money,
but tend to come in very natural ways – i.e. someone calls with a job or business opportunity, you
get an idea for an investment, a loved one makes you a gift… things of this nature.

Disharmony is considered a disconnection from the power. Like a short circuit in the wires that
connect us to the Divine. So, feelings of anger, fear, irritation, argument, criticism will delay the
answer to prayer. This is not the fault of the Divine but of the person. The Higher Power cannot act
through the inharmonious person.

It is said that if a person could maintain emotional harmony for even 3 days – and do it continuously
– all his or her diseases would be healed, there would be wealth and prosperity in the life, and the
person would be in paradisaical conditions. It is further affirmed, that if a person could maintain
this harmony over a life time, he or she would not taste death. He or she would ascend to heaven
right in the physical body.

In our day and age, maintaining emotional harmony requires much inner, psychological and
meditative work. It doesn’t happen overnight. But as progress is made, little by little, the answer to
prayer will happen ever faster.