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LETTER FROM THE EDITOR:
Due to a flurry of entries at the last minute, we have decided to extend the deadline for entry to both THE 2006 MEDICI CHARTER POETRY PRIZE and THE 2006 MEDICI CHARTER LITERARY PRIZE till October 31, 2006.
We would also like to take this opportunity to further clarify our requirements for entry to these competitions.
For THE 2006 MEDICI CHARTER POETRY PRIZE:
We are seeking poems about LOVE.
We are asking all you poets out there to submit poems about what love means to you.
It is our belief that unconditional love is the answer to everything.
We are asking you to submit poetry that will perhaps inspire others to develop the attribute of unconditional love.
For THE 2006 MEDICI CHARTER LITERARY PRIZE:
We are asking you to describe YOUR OWN SPIRITUAL JOURNEY.
Tell us how you first became spiritually aware, the life lessons you have learned, the synchronicity you have experienced in your life that has influenced the direction you have taken in your career or in the life choices you have made, and where you are at spiritually today.
Perhaps you have been influenced by what you have read - by special books that have held meaning for you, or maybe a particular person or philosophy has influenced the spiritual direction you have taken.
We would like you to share your spiritual experiences with our subscribers, in 1500 words or less.
It is our belief that sharing your experience, and the experiences of other entrants, will benefit other seekers on the Spiritual Path.
FEATURED POETRY:
'The Power of Prayer'
(copyright by Janette Wighton, 2006)
Talk to God, say what is in your heart.
Let the words flow, your truth to impart.
For the Power of Prayer cannot be measured.
The joy it will bring is something to be treasured.
For God in His wisdom knows all there is to know,
so trust in Him, let your feelings show.
For when you open your heart and let Him in,
and with right intent and passion your words begin,
life will have direction, purpose and meaning,
and the Universe will support you with love unceasing.
No matter whether you go within to the Silence of Bliss,
or speak your truth out loud, telling Him all that's amiss.
Trust, intent and faith are to what you must aspire.
All of these things lift your words higher and higher.
So go within, seek the spark of life that is you.
Find the essence within, the Being true.
And God will answer with love, compassion and care,
for a direct line to Him is through 'The Power of Prayer'.
God's Silence
(copyright by Janette Wighton, 2005)
I close my eyes and then I see,
the kind of Heaven God wants for me.
For in the Silence He does show,
the way I need my life to flow.
For its only when standing in the Light
that things are clear and I have the sight.
That's when I feel His guiding hand,
helping me always to take a stand.
To think before I speak and act.
To live live with love and its a fact
that when with love I make my choice,
the Pathway opens and the Angels rejoice.
FEATURE ARTICLE:
'THE POWER OF PRAYER'
For aeons, Mankind has searched for 'God' outside of himself.
The conditions and attitudes toward prayer have been laid down in the past by the minds and intellects of mortal men. We have followed the doctrines and dogma of whatever faiths that attracted or appealed to us, or whatever our culture or family background decreed.
We have prayed to a multitude of gods, idols, and gurus, all telling us what and how we should think, act and pray.
We live on the 'Planet of Free Will'. This is our gift from God. As free-thinking beings, we have the choice of believing or not. We also have the choice of how, and how much, we empower our prayers.
Some of you may now be thinking: "I don't pray", or "I haven't prayed for a long time because my prayers were never answered." You may even be thinking that maybe you don't believe in God as such. Even that is your choice.
Let us have a look at the perceptions, energies and power behind this word 'Prayer'.
The act of praying is, if you allow it, your private individual link and communication with God.
It matters not whether you feel comfortable still offering up structured prayers of a formal religious denomination, or whether if you are not religiously inclined, that you prefer to talk to Him in an unstructured way. Perhaps you talk to God through Nature, or it maybe that you feel free enough to talk to Him as openly as you talk to your best friend - discussing your day with Him and seeking advice when you feel stuck. How you pray is your choice.
Whether you offer up to Him your joy and happiness, or whether you give your problems up to Him, you must put your total TRUST in Him. It is then that you open yourself to feel the energy of His love come into your heart and allow the answers to your questions to present themselves.
You can be totally honest and open with Him. You can tell Him how you are, what you would like to do, how you would like to do it, and what help you need to achieve this. Just talk like there is no tomorrow. Just remember, 'God is the Fire of Love'.
Prayer can take on many forms. You can express it by singing to Him, or with hymns that mean something to you.
It can be the joy of working in your garden and talking to your plants and trees. You will be rewarded with the whispering of thanks and love from the flowers and trees, and from Nature.
Perhaps it is sitting by the ocean, river or water, and listening as the water runs by to what it has to say as it brings messages of peace and tranquility from God.
Maybe it is simply sitting in the morning sun and enjoying breakfast with family or friends, and God sending the rays of the sun to kiss the top of your head in blessing to prepare you for the day.
Meditation is another very important form of deep prayer and higher connection between your True Self and God.
The possibilities are endless. You need to find the form that makes the prayer connection for you individual and with a passion that will make your heart sing.
So what is the power behind prayer?
The first and greatest power you can put behind your prayers is your 100% TRUST IN GOD. You trust that HE IS, and you trust in His unconditional love for you.
You show your unconditional love and trust in Him through prayer. When you do this, you begin the process of changing your perception. Then, you become more discerning and aware of people and circumstances around you. You begin to look at things in a different way. You begin to have a clearer insight. You may wonder why you have not seen things so clearly before.
Trust is a state of surrender into the peace that is God.
The second greatest power is your INTENT.
What is the intent behind your prayers?
Do you pray out of habit, guilt or fear? Or do you pray because you feel the love and passion returned to you when you connect to Source?
An intent spoken out loud is the most powerful of all spoken words and starts immediate action in the Universe. The spoken word - your voice - has the power to create or destroy. So, choose to create change in your life. Plan and word your intent with care. You know the old adage "be careful what you ask for because you might just get it!" You may not like how it is delivered, but remember you asked for it.
Let your intent come from the pure love and desire in your heart. Surrender your little human will for your Higher Will and your life will become whole.
Allow yourself to become passionate in the way you commune with God. You will begin to feel a warm glow in your heart at first, then, allow it to build into a consuming passionate love that cannot be described with human words. It can only be felt through the energies of the heart.
The third greatest power is FAITH. Faith is strength.
Do you have the strength to believe in your power to make constructive changes in your life? Faith dwells in the secret chamber of your heart alongside your Divine Spark. Without this faith, we experience the pain and separation from the love of Source.
So sing, pray, and just BE in the power and blessing that your prayers bring.
The Power of Prayer is a pathway around the world and the Universe. It creates miracles in our lives, our situations, and in our world.
It creates PEACE!!!
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT THE EDITOR AT EDITOR@MEDICICHARTER.COM.
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