Affirmative prayer is one of the ways that we "feed the light." We begin with the level of what we can--with open eyes and heart--affirm as the positive aspects of our lives right now.
Depending on the day and our feeling states, we may have to work a bit to move past our fears and frustrations with the way things have been going, to recognize and acknowledge the positive. It strikes me as a particularly tricky path right now, because of the exceptional amount of controversy, arguments, and distortion of events that we see and hear through the media regarding the Pandemic. A time of silent meditation creates gaps in all the noise of society. It gives our nervous system time to recover and reboot. It allows the space for our innate intelligence to surface with calm clarity, so that we can see what is true and what is not.
I have often advised people who are worn down and depressed in times of personal illness or serious life stresses to take the time to shift their attention away from the problem to focus on what is good in their lives, to remember the parts of their bodies that are working properly and that they have relied on, to look at the positive connections and relationships that support them, to recover a more balanced perspective. When life is really difficult, even in times of great losses or potential loss, there are always compensating factors as well as sources of satisfaction and comfort. Good is always knocking on the door, no matter how subtle. So we begin there, choosing to attend to "what is working", even while struggling to cope with what is genuinely awful. We start with what we know to be good and in time from that recognition of good, begin to affirm a growing and unfolding positive future, as an act of prayer. Affirmative prayer is not a quick fix. It is a steady, conscious focus, a way of welcoming positive possibilities that spiritually arise from creative love. (Susan Nettleton)
In the words of Emmet Fox (1886-1951), the great 20th century minister, writer, and practitioner of affirmative prayer:
"Try not to be tense or hurried. Tension and hurry delay the demonstration. You know that if you try to unlock a door hurriedly, the key is apt to stick, whereas, if you do it slowly, it seldom does. If the key sticks, the thing is to stop pressing, take your breath, and release it gently. To push hard with will power can only jam the lock completely. . .
In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." (Isaiah 30:15)