There’s an African proverb that says, “When you pray, move your feet.” It has never made sense to me to sit on the couch praying, when there was something I could do to achieve my heart’s desire, so that saying sits well with me.
But I have also been accused of feeling that I need to “earn my keep” in the Universe–that I must always do, and cannot just be. I’ve never really known how much I should be doing and how much I should be leaving to the Universe.
The other day, I read a quote by Abraham Hicks that’s really been bugging me:
Trying too hard IS resisting… for this reason — think about this — if you decide that you want to go to the grocery store and buy a quart of milk, do you ever find yourself trying too hard? Or do you just go get it?
And the reason you just go get it is because you have absolute knowledge – you KNOW. You know you have the ability to go, you know you have the money in your purse, you know the milk will be there when you get there. In other words, there is no doubt and so there is no trying against anything. And so whenever you’re trying too hard, what is happening is there is a part of you that is not believing that it can be.
That all makes sense, but what’s bugging me is: where is the dividing line between trying enough and trying too hard? Where is the dividing line between praying and moving your feet? I mean, do you sit on the couch and pray for a quart of milk, visualize a quart of milk, believe in a quart of milk, have faith that a quart of milk will come to you. . . or do you just go to store and get it? What do you take care of yourself, and what do you leave to the Universe?
I’ve wrestled with this a lot, and forgive me if it’s too obvious, but here’s what I’ve come up with:
My to-do list
- Everything within my power
The Universe’s to-do list
- Everything else
It’s that whole you-can’t-win-the-lottery-unless-you-buy-a-ticket argument. I buy my ticket, and the Universe lines that up with the winning numbers.
But maybe I’ve become over-invested in how the Universe answers my prayers. I mean, isn’t the lottery-ticket analogy basically saying, “OK, Universe, I want money, and here’s how I want you to provide it for me”? If I were the Universe, that’d piss me off. If my son said, “Mama, let’s go to the beach” and then said, “OK, get your purse. Do you have your car keys? Get in the car and start it. Back out of the driveway and turn left when you come to the end. Did you remember my skim board? Turn your blinker on, and then turn left on Thompson Road. Did you remember to bring a towel? OK, now turn your blinker on and turn right on the highway. Watch for traffic!” I’d say, “Forget it. There’s no room for me in this.”
But if I focus on the “what” and let the Universe figure out the “how,” doesn’t that mean praying and not moving my feet?
I’m so confused.
Finding my way home 
I think that’s spot on. I understand your confusion, as I have the same issue.
What I started doing though (only recently) is splitting up the different bits of me and trying to pray from each of those perspectives…
The spiritual me is the part that is true and perfect and prays by being not trying. Knowing without a doubt that I have all I need and that I am in my right place and that the universe is giving me all i need on an ongoing basis.
The emotional me is the part that prays by getting the feeling of having. It also prays by doing EFT.
The mental me is the part that does the affirmation, thinks about the issue, plans it out, etc (This is probably the part that gets in the universes way the most)
Physical me prays by moving my feet. I have begun to view action as a part of prayer. If my actions are aligned with my desires aren’t they as powerful if not more powerful than sitting on the couch thinking the situation to death.
I’d love to hear your thoughts…
Hi I see where your confusion lies but action is a necessary component in assisting the universe to answer your goals. Action usually lies with changing your behaviour, your habitual actions and responses, your perceptions to life. You must act as if what you are asking for is already achieved. If it is financial abundance you are asking for, you need to change your vibration to that of being abundant. This means being grateful each time you pay a bill, for instance, give thanks the the universe for the abundance you have in, say having electricity all month adn the means to pay it. Change your habitual thoughts from lack to abundance which means stop complaiing about lack of money or drop fears about not having enough. Only you can identify what areas of your life, what thoughts, limiting beliefs and behaviours are keeping you stuck in your current state. Move your feet is essential, Abraham will always remcommend changing your vibration to that which you are seeking. Give some money away, help those less fortunate than you, the list is endless but the feeliing of lack must change. Good luck, i hope this helps. 🙂
Caroline
Love this discussion. It’s a matter of acting in the direction of your dream. It doesn’t matter what action you take, because there is no wrong action and you will constantly shift course on your journey. Trust the universe and move forward. “God helps those who help themselves.”
🙂 Rachel Naddor