A novena is nine days of intentional thought (otherwise known as prayer) focused on a particular thing—in this case peace. Why should you participate? Because perception creates reality.
When You Change the Way You Look at Things, the Things You Look At Change
Religious traditions of all sorts have known for centuries that focused thought and intention creates miracles. Science is now proving it’s true. Thoughts are a form of energy and quantum physics is proving (in the micro world) that our thoughts can affect what happens to other particles of energy. They are proving what philosophers and religious teachers have long espoused: perception creates reality. The mere act of thinking, of having an expectation, causes what you expect to happen to occur.
The Novena of Peace does not rely on superstition or magic for its power; its power comes from the effort to be consistently connected to the power that already exists within us. Novena’s work whether or not you believe in God because the focus of your intention and thought changes your perception and that perceptual shift changes your reality.
God or Allah, All Are One
I do, however, believe in God and I believe that I pray to the same God that is operating in all religious traditions whether called God, Allah, Great Spirit, Source, Creator, or any other name. I also believe that we are One with God and with each other. What we do to anyone else, we truly do to ourselves and to God.
My tradition follows the teachings of Jesus and in the reflections and prayers I write, I refer to him. If you choose to pray the Novena of Peace also, feel free to substitute other names or connect to whatever you believe in whatever way is comfortable for you. Seeking peace is what matters in this novena.
When a community prays a novena together, participants are reminded that they are not really separate individual souls but simply different parts of the One God, and one with all creation. In that Oneness, those praying connect their individual souls to the community and to the Divine – feeding the spirit of all and thus magnifying the results.
The Ritual
A novena generally has a simple structure that uses a meditative guide or prayer formula designed to open and connect the heart and mind (together known as the soul). Once open, we create a personal connection with God or an intention toward a particular action.
It is in this understanding of the novena that we prepare for a journey of nine days of focused intentional thought and prayer for peace. We come together as children of the One Source to seek peace in our lives and peace throughout the world. Though many people generally ask God to provide peace for us, I personally think God expects us to co-create the peace we desire through our thoughts and in our actions. This Novena for Peace is an attempt to do that.
Suggestions But No Rules; Take What You Need And Let Go of the Rest.
- When you are ready to begin the Novena, take a moment to settle yourself in God’s embrace by breathing deeply and slowly.
- Sit or recline in a comfortable posture.
- Close your eyes and intentionally relax your body as you become aware of God’s presence in you and all around you.
- Breathe in the spirit of God; breathe out the cares and concerns of the day.
- Invite the Spirit of God to join you as you pray and then begin the opening prayer.
- Read the reflection and the reflection questions for the day to help focus your thoughts on the actions of your life that create or disturb peace.
- When your reflection is complete, close with a prayer of gratitude and thanksgiving.
Feel free to adjust the words of the prayers and questions to suit your religious tradition, need, or comfort. And please, invite anyone to join us who also longs for peace in their life, family, community, or the world.
And as you pray, I wish you peace.