Prayer: How to Pray Effectively from the Science of Mind

by Ernest Shurtleff Holmes

Combining the most essential principles about prayer with the dozens of prayers and meditations from Ernest Holmes's classic text, The Science of Mind, this new book, Prayer, is a simple introduction for anyone who wants to learn how to pray effectively. "What does one do when he prays?" writes Holmes. "He talks to God. Where does he talk to God? He talks to God in his own mind, through his own thought or feeling."

Genres: Prayer

162 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 27, 2007

About the author

Ernest Shurtleff Holmes was an American New Thought writer, teacher, and leader. He was the founder of a Spiritual movement known as Religious Science, part of the greater New Thought movement, whose spiritual philosophy is known as "The Science of Mind." He was the author of The Science of Mind and numerous other metaphysical books, and the founder of Science of Mind magazine, in continuous publication since 1927. His books remain in print, and the principles he taught as "Science of Mind" have inspired and influenced many generations of metaphysical students and teachers. Holmes had previously studied another New Thought teaching, Divine Science, and was an ordained Divine Science Minister. His influence beyond New Thought can be seen in the self-help movement.

Reviews

[Lex · Rating 4 out of 5]

Prayer is pretty much a book about the law of attraction and affirmation but written in a more elegant and scientific way. So if you don't like the overly happy/positive, straightforward work of New Age books, Ernest Holmes may be your guy. I guess it would only be right since most of the overly happy/positive, straightforward New Age authors are descendants of Ernest Holmes and others like him i.e. Neville Goddard. I found Ernest Holmes because I love Ralph Waldo Emerson; Self Reliance is my favorite essay of all time. Regarding Prayer, I chose it because I happen to be at a point in my life where my prayer life needs work and it was recommended as a companion for Science of Mind, a textbook basically, which I had recently bought.

Prayer brought some concepts into tension that contradict some New Age concepts (surprise) and even Christian concepts (Baptist for me). I loved that. In a lot of blogs and books that specialize in New Age, the concept is you're the creator. In Prayer, Holmes explains you are not the creator. For me this means I have something to think about and try way beyond after reading this book. However this isn't a modern self-help book that focuses on the how. This book is a more meditative, read several times, probably over the period of years, to truly get. Though meditation is more popular today, it's still something my generation has yet to fully embrace including me. What is sitting still? On that note, Prayer is not for everybody. Even I had to tame my self-help, timeline, solve it now self to get through this short book. It's only 60 pages of reading, while the rest is actual meditations/prayers. Once again I like that aspect although it is hard but as much as I am a 90's baby, a millennial, and technologically savvy, I am what the spiritual folks call a scholar. I love acquiring information and knowledge. What I'm coming to terms with, is that the fast paced timeline lifestyle I am accustomed to isn't the best approach to learning. It certainly won't work for tasks like fixing my prayer life and finding a purpose. My peers and I want it to be that way so bad. We have a problem or challenge, we expect to google the solution, quickly choose the top result and on to the next problem/challenge. You really have to temper that mode of operating when reading Prayer and books like it: Science of Mind, Power of Awareness by Goddard, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Tuesdays with Morrie etc.

So if you can accept that you may not get to a destination point in the first read of Prayer, I recommend this book. You're going to actually have to sit still and meditate after you read to absorb this book, which is a very old school way of learning and self-help.

[Pat Jennings · Rating 5 out of 5]

This wonderful book was a gift from a friend and mentor. I read it slowly as the content is very intense and needs time to assimilate. This will be a guide for me throughout the rest of why life.

[Kristina Mosley]

I'm still digesting this one. This book was divinely placed into my life. In which I do believe for such a times as this. Prayer has been a life source for me and my family. Tapping into the perfect peace. Tapping into the greater life giving power.

[Blanca Julia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Prayer

This book helped me in learning to be clear in my prayers. It also gave me many passages that brought peace to my soul. I enjoyed it and recommend it to anyone who has doubts in how to pray.