Prayer is one of the most beautiful and mystical experiences we can have in this world. Through prayer, we converse and commune with the creator of our universe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
And yet, according to the Pew Research Center\u2019s 2014 Religious Landscape Study<\/a>, 23% of adults seldom or never pray. Even many people who believe in God go through periods where it\u2019s difficult for them to pray.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ruth Moffett, a Baha\u2019i<\/a> author who studied world religions and wrote extensively about the dynamics of prayer after meeting Shoghi Effendi<\/a>, the Guardian of the Baha\u2019i Faith<\/a>, listed nine hindrances to prayer. She explained that if we can overcome these hindrances, we can enter into the \u201cPresence of God\u201d and experience the state that Baha\u2019u\u2019llah<\/a>, the prophet and founder of the Baha\u2019i Faith, described<\/a> when he revealed the following words from God:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Turn thy sight unto thyself, that thou mayest find Me standing within thee, mighty, powerful and self-subsisting.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n In her book, \u201cDo\u2019a: The Call to Prayer,\u201d Ruth wrote, \u201cThe first hindrance [to prayer] is indifference towards the things of eternal value.\u201d This would be the Kingdom of God and all habits that lead to our spiritual growth<\/a>. When we lose interest in communing with God and become more concerned with fleeting material indulgences, we hinder our spiritual happiness<\/a> in this world and the next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As Baha\u2019u\u2019llah wrote<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n To the eternal I call thee, yet thou dost seek that which perisheth. What hath made thee turn away from Our desire and seek thine own?<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n He asked<\/a> us to:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Abandon not the everlasting beauty for a beauty that must die, and set not your affections on this mortal world of dust.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n This indifference must be transformed into love \u2014 love for God, all His creations, and everything that leads to our spiritual progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Baha\u2019u\u2019llah wrote<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n Happy is the lover that hath inhaled the divine fragrance of his Best-Beloved from these words, laden with the perfume of a grace which no tongue can describe.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The second hindrance to prayer is doubt. Ruth explained, \u201cIt is that state of mind in which we hesitate and either wilfully reject the Truth, or remain in a state of unbelief, hesitancy or lack of conviction.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n It is difficult to arrive at a decision and achieve any goals in life when we hesitate and have doubts lingering in our minds. How much more difficult is it to read verses of God if you are not sure you believe in Him and the power of prayer<\/a>? So, this hindrance to prayer must be overcome by faith.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Baha\u2019i writings say: <\/p>\n\n\n\n And now I give you a commandment that shall be for a covenant between you and me \u2013 that ye have faith; that your faith be steadfast as a rock that no earthly storms can move, that nothing can disturb, and that it endure through all things even to the end \u2026 As ye have faith so shall your powers and blessings be.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n The more faith we have, the more results we will witness from our prayers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Merriam-Webster defines \u201cwayward\u201d as \u201cfollowing one\u2019s own capricious, wanton, or depraved inclinations.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n Ruth elaborated, \u201cIt [waywardness] is the wilful wandering away from a right course of conduct. It is a disobedient, a wavering or vacillating consciousness which arrives nowhere. \u2026With steadfastness of purpose and aim, one has a strong and stable foundation upon which he can build to great heights.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Steadfastness makes us firm in our belief and strengthens our determination to live a spiritually meaningful life<\/a>. In a Baha\u2019i prayer for steadfastness that was revealed by Abdu\u2019l-Baha<\/a>, Baha\u2019u\u2019llah\u2019s son and the authorized interpreter of the Baha\u2019i writings, it says<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n O Lord my God! Assist Thy loved ones to be firm in Thy Faith, to walk in Thy ways, to be steadfast in Thy Cause. Give them Thy grace to withstand the onslaught of self and passion, to follow the light of divine guidance.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n When you are restless, your body, mind, or soul is uneasy. This agitated feeling makes it difficult to quiet your mind for prayer and concentrate on the word of God.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ruth wrote, \u201cThis inner Uneasiness must be changed to Tranquility of soul, which gives us poise, peace and freedom from all disturbing influences until we attain that \u2018Peace that passeth all understanding,\u2019 even in the midst of calamities.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n At a talk in Paris in 1911, Abdu\u2019l-Baha said<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n A man living with his thoughts in this Kingdom knows perpetual joy. The ills all flesh is heir to do not pass him by, but they only touch the surface of his life, the depths are calm and serene. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026When our thoughts are filled with the bitterness of this world, let us turn our eyes to the sweetness of God\u2019s compassion and He will send us heavenly calm! If we are imprisoned in the material world, our spirit can soar into the Heavens and we shall be free indeed!<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Often people become impatient when they haven\u2019t received what they want, forgetting that only God knows what is best for them. Ruth advised everyone to be careful that their temporary impatience doesn\u2019t become fretfulness and \u201cpeevishness over petty things.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Patience is needed to heighten our spiritual perception and understanding. Baha\u2019u\u2019llah wrote<\/a>: <\/p>\n\n\n\n Await ye till God will have changed His favor unto you. Nothing whatsoever escapeth Him. He knoweth the secrets both of the heavens and of the earth. His knowledge embraceth all things. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u2026He, verily, shall increase the reward of them that endure with patience.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Discontent is another obstacle in a person\u2019s path to higher consciousness. Similar to impatience, discontent is characterized by dissatisfaction with your current circumstances. To combat discontent, we need to become more acquiescent. Baha\u2019u\u2019llah wrote<\/a>:<\/p>\n\n\n\n All these stainless hearts and sanctified souls have, with absolute resignation, responded to the summons of His decree. Instead of complaining, they rendered thanks unto God, and amidst the darkness of their anguish they revealed naught but radiant acquiescence to His will.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n Another negative quality that hinders us from prayer is irresolution. Merriam-Webster defines \u201cirresolute\u201d as \u201cuncertain how to act or proceed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ruth added, \u201cIndecision denotes a lack of intellectual conviction. Irresolution indicates a weakness of will.\u201d To overcome this, we need to strengthen our decisiveness. As Shoghi Effendi told her, after we pray and meditate about a problem, we need to \u201carrive at a decision\u201d<\/strong> and \u201chave determination to carry the decision through.\u201d<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe Egotist is selfish and self-full,\u201d wrote Ruth. \u201cIt is only by gradually becoming more and more forgetful of self that we gain that quality that all the Messengers of God have endeavored to teach us \u2014 Selflessness.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
1. Indifference<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
\n
\n
2. Doubt<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
3. Waywardness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
4. Restlessness<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
5. Impatience<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
6. Discontent<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
\n
7. Irresolution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
8. Egotism<\/h2>\n\n\n\n