44 Prayers

Mark Daniel
artwork by Choichun Leung

44 Prayers began as a single personal prayer for me. In March of 2020, I wrote a Spanish prayer to honour my relationship with the people and land of Costa Rica. What I received in writing it, then including it within my daily prayers, morphed into a soul exploration. This journey became a collection of insights about self, expression and our intimate relationship with Prayer. 

I have always seen Prayer as a centring, guiding and driving narrative in life. 44 Prayers is about you and your life. It offers you ways to embrace a personal change in a way that makes sense to you. Too often, many of us feel like we are being told how to be spiritual. We’re told what not to do, or how to do things better. 44 Prayers is more about what you can do and encourages you to see what is possible for you. These insights are about standing before Unconditional Love and saying, “ Here I am," no matter how you see yourself. 

Adding to this collection is the art of my friend Choichun Leung, a New York artist. The above drawing is a first draft called "Centering," and I will be sharing more as we get closer to the book release date. Choi brings many decades of multi-media expressions, such as paint, ink, and metals, into her creative process. She is presently creating incredibly sacred bronze bowls. These pieces of art are a functional part of Prayer and are stunning to behold. She has explored her innermost self within 40 Days and is now in the Tree of Life. I am excited to see how the blending of the written word and visual imagery is taking form.

When printed, we will be sharing 44 Prayers in many forms; online, Speaking engagements, Art Galleries, and Remote Retreats. Both Choi and I will be sharing insights on the book and the art and how we received the same message about what the prayers held for us. Of course, both the book, and limited edition prints as well as Prayer Cards will be available for purchase.

The following is an excerpt from the book.

Forty-Four Prayers.

I wonder at times what Prayers are, well, what they are to me anyway. I appreciate that they are my way of honouring a loving relationship with something that Loves me more than I can imagine. Still, there have been times when it feels like I am praying, yet I may just be yammering away to a patient and loving friend.  

I indeed feel my prayers connect me with something. In my life, I have searched for that meaning. They have led me to one undeniable truth, that is, every person acknowledges Love. As such, this Love that knows no bounds or limits is where I direct my prayers. Thus, through Prayer's process, I can see where I am a gift of creation and witness my limitations. So, my prayers have become less a wish list and more about revealing myself to myself in the presence of Unconditional Love. Then it becomes about knowing what to do next.

I am also aware of people who find fault with this Infinite Love. They like to remind me of its vengeful side. Yet my experience has been very different. I have found that my relationship with this Limitless Love will be what I expect it to be and seems to answer how I describe it. If I choose to leave my bedroom a mess, getting angry at my mother when she reminds me to clean it is unfair. It is also unfair to expect her to pick up after me, and it certainly isn't her fault if I trip on a shirt and hurt myself.

Pain is a part of life, and naturally, we wonder why such a loving presence would allow it? First, if you have been hurt, I am sorry for your pain. I truly am. I am unable to explain the actions of others in a way that makes sense of what has occurred. I can tell you that every time I felt wounded and alone, that loving presence has been there to help. It offered an energetic hand up in those times when I was in the depth of my despair, devoid of everything save for hope. When I called out, that Infinite Love answered every time.  

There are times, naturally, when some of my less urgent requests seem to go unanswered. I have learned that I have created blocks or conditions for my receiving. Thus, I am not ready to receive the outcome, or more likely, I haven't the entire perspective of my request. Consequently, I have learned to appreciate what I am asking for, really asking for. An example that comes to mind is from my early 20's. I was in a hospital, holding my father's hand as he prepared to crossover. At his bedside, I sat, not knowing if I should pray for him to stay with me here on earth or to pray he'd be free of his pain. Of course, I wouldn't have had any notion of how far-reaching his pain was, only how far mine was. In moments like that, when I felt the most alone, raw, and vulnerable, I could see no clear path. At that moment, I learned there are times when it's best to acquiesce than dictate, to follow than lead. Prayer becomes the sacred art of listening and becoming the best version of faith I can be in those moments.



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Prayers offered to the fire, before standing in the ocean and saying farewell to the final sunset of 2020.