Essay 3 of 12

The Way of Devotion

“I’m only asking you to look at Love, even if just for a moment…Practice this mindfulness, no matter how distracted you feel…You have the power to become accustomed to this practice…Stay with such a good Friend as long as you can.”
– Teresa of Avila

The Way of Devotion is the way of the heart. It calls you to follow your passion. Regina Dawn Akers from Awakening Together (the world’s first online church – covered in a later chapter) calls this your true desire. It is also simply referred to as willingness.

Your willingness or true desire is your north star. It will guide you Home. It is the most important thing we have. Nothing happens until you can understand and articulate what this willingness or true desire is. Meditate deeply on this: What do you want? What do you REALLY want? Once this question becomes answered and you get into action, magic shows up.

The desire does not have to be in a strong magnitude or amount, but its direction – its nature -- does need to be clearly articulated in your mind. If you cannot define it yet, you can consider borrowing one from the Preface for now (for example, Natalie Sudman’s “real world” and the characteristics identified from the NDE accounts). Ultimately, however, it will begin to emerge from the heart and not the mind.

"The Way of Devotion" is centered on prayer. Much has been, and can be, written about prayer but I promised you in the introduction that I would cut to the chase, and I intend to keep that promise.

Regina once told me that all of the books, videos, lectures and so on dealing with spiritual topics have one goal – to drive you to practice. Practice – namely awareness, prayer, meditation and various forms of contemplation – is the most potent means – possibly the only means -- to close the gap between us and “Source” – God, Spirit, our own angels, spirit guides, and the rest of our “team.” Practice is the shortest road Home.

The most effective prayer simply calls on the name of God. No prayer will bring more happiness than the one described here:

“Say His Name, and you invite the angels to surround the ground on which you stand, and sing to you as they spread their wings to keep you safe, and shelter you from every worldly thought that would intrude upon your holiness…Turn to the name of God for your release, and it is given to you. No prayer but this is necessary, for it holds them all within it.”
– [A Course in Miracles, Workbook Lesson 183]

We are told to “say His Name.” What is the name of God? It is not given in the Course. For me, the answer to this question came in the most unexpected package – a book I have never seen in a bookstore or in any of my friend’s or associate’s possession. The book is entitled The Evolution Angel: An Emergency Room Physician’s Lessons with Death and the Divine, published by Penguin in 2008.

Penguin’s policy is to not allow quotes to be taken that exceed 50 characters, and so I will be paraphrasing as accurately as I can as we go along.

The Name of God

In specific terms, the most effective prayer of which I am aware was received by emergency room physician Todd Michael in his conversations with an angel as described in The Evolution Angel. I think virtually any reader will find his accounts to be eminently credible – and deeply fascinating. I have scrutinized this book, contemplated it, and lived with it for years now and have total faith in what this author is reporting to us.

Dr. Michael attended to over 500 deaths, sensitizing him to the afterlife and inducing him to develop a dialogue with an angel during his emergency room episodes. He also happened to be an excellent typist and was therefore able to record conversations with remarkable detail. The result is a tremendous resource for valuable information of various types, although in this chapter we will focus mainly on the prayer given by the angel itself.

With regard to the “information of various types,” the book covered many other topics discussed between Dr. Michael and the angel, such as how to conceptualize and manage finances, relationships and other “worldly” topics; how angels work as “the fingers of God;” how they are assigned to people; and so on. The angel explained that each of us has not only a guardian angel but a whole team assigned to us. It was expressed to Dr. Michael by the angel with whom he communicated that most people go through their entire lives oblivious to this marvelous gift.

We are revered by this team, who see us as magnificent, luminous beings. (They know how extremely difficult planet earth can be!) One potent “takeaway” from this chapter, then, is to become acquainted with your “team” – know that one has been assigned to you – and start to communicate with them as if you have known them for years, because whether or not you are aware of this, you have known them – for eons.

As far as practice, right here, right now, I will give you what might be the most sacred, powerful one of any that I have ever discovered. What follows is the “magic” promised at the outset:

Dr. Michael and his angel were discussing prayer, and specifically the Lord’s Prayer in which it states “Hallowed Be Thy Name.” The angel asked Dr. Michael what he thought that name was, indicating the importance of using it, much as the Course in Miracles quote suggests.

Dr. Michael was instructed by the angel that the most ancient name of God in the Hebrew tradition was comprised of the syllables “Yah” and “Vey” (pronounced “Yah Way”). He was told that this use and pronunciation of the name was so sacred that it must never be uttered aloud in casual conversation.

The angel told him to say “Yah” slowly upon inhale and “Vey” (pronounced “Way”) slowly on exhale. The enunciation of these syllables, Yah Vey, should be done with total and complete concentration, dedication and sincerity (as with all prayer, what counts is this state of mind while in prayer, not the words themselves).

Specifically, the angel instructed him to start with one second for each syllable, then two, then three, with a little rest between each syllable and between each repetition. The angel told him that the sounds will resonate at a certain frequency, and that he will know when he hits the right rate (speed) and pitch because “it feels good.” (Yet he was also instructed to repeat the prayer “silently from within.”) He was further instructed to watch the breath “fall” in and out of the body effortlessly, and to focus on the heart – to feel the sounds, along with the breath, flowing in and out of the heart.

Rest assured that this prayer – Yah Vey -- was not only a personal gift from the angel to Dr. Michael, but was given to him explicitly with the understanding that it was also a gift to whomever was reading the book. (See pages 137-139).

The angel explained to Dr. Michael that sincere invocation of this prayer would slowly and surely improve all aspects of his life – that everything (health, relationships, finances, etc.) would gradually start to improve. It balances all components of life and harmonizes relationships of all types. And like the promise provided above from the Course in Miracles excerpt, the invocation of the name of God includes all prayers within the one prayer. It is the only prayer needed.

While it may seem too good to be true, I can attest to the power of this prayer approach. After some initial practice, it brings that most valuable of commodities from the spiritual realm – peace. With enough practice, over time the practitioner realizes the true prize – what has been called “the peace that passeth all understanding.” I emphasize the phrase “over time” since the accumulating impact of prayer is gradual – it requires patience and dedication for effective implementation, and the longer the amount of time, the greater the impact.

Read again the quote at the top of the first page, in which Teresa of Avila mentions “mindfulness” and the idea of a sacred “Friend.” As I moved forward on this path, I found that I needed both. First, I realized that to obtain the peace and happiness that I was looking for, I needed to discipline the mind. I could not simply let it go where it wanted to go. Constant repetition of the prayer “Yah Vey” had a progressive, uplifting effect in generating peace which intensified the more I was able to continuously control the mind and sustain the repetition.

Second, the prayer became a “Friend” – a place I could go, if you will, for sanctuary and refuge. It protected me from the world, and revealed to me an increase in my “proximity” to God (although in actuality, we do not get “closer to God” – we only find out how close we already are).

It is important to keep in mind that the ego is always nearby, trying to reinforce the illusion of separateness to protect itself in any way it can. Because the name Yah Vey establishes the existing oneness between God and the person doing the praying, the ego sees this prayer as a threat. It will resort to interfering with the prayer by asserting itself through various forms of negativity – resentments, fear, judgment, and so on – as a means to protect its agenda of separateness.

Generally speaking, the ego and this prayer are antithetical to each other, so that the prayer can be counted on to establish the opposite of the ego’s effects. This means that anytime you feel negativity coming on – sadness, anger, and so on – the prayer can be relied upon to reverse the emotional trajectory in the mind of the person doing the prayer. In other words, the ego will try to make you unhappy to protect its sense of separateness, while this prayer can be counted on to take you in the opposite direction, that is, toward oneness and happiness, as mutually reinforcing conditions.

Another benefit to the prayer, explained the angel, is that it acts like a mantra in bringing about the reduction and even cessation of thinking. As discussed in the previous chapter, the incessant stream of internal dialogue supports the ego’s goal of separateness from the Presence of Spirit. This prayer undermines the ego, then, in multiple ways. This is, of course, very good news when one considers the diminution of the ego as the royal road to enlightenment.

As the prayer becomes ingrained into the psyche, it springs up in the mind more and more automatically in times of stress. It becomes a “part” of you, a great friend who is always there for you. Eventually one comes to wonder how it was ever possible to function without it.

Finally, the prayer exemplifies the blurring of the line between prayer and meditation, in the sense that, particularly when used as a mantra, it induces a meditative state. In this regard, this specific form of prayer/meditation represents the first of multiple approaches to meditation that will be covered in this series of articles. For now, we recognize the general principle that the line between prayer and meditation can be, and often is, ambiguous or indistinct. This may not sound like good news, but I can assure you that it is.

The God Code

In the book The God Code, Gregg Braden offers an analysis that, according to his method, reveals the name of God encoded in human DNA. The abbreviation that emerges from the DNA is “YHWH,” which is suggested as representative of “Yah Vey.”

To obtain this code, Mr. Braden starts with the obvious chemical building blocks of DNA: Hydrogen (H), Carbon (C), Nitrogen (N), Oxygen (O). He then uses the rounded whole-number atomic mass for each element (the integer you usually see on element charts): Hydrogen ≈ 1; Carbon ≈ 12; Nitrogen ≈ 14; and Oxygen ≈ 16. Next, he maps those numbers into the Hebrew alphabet, using an ancient Hebrew alphanumeric coding system called Gematria, resulting in the Hebrew sequence Yod (י) — Heh (ה) — Vav (ו) — Heh (ה), usually written YHWH.

While the system used by Mr. Braden is occasionally controversial on a strict, scientific basis, his point is well-taken: Prayer is most effective when there is a pre-existing realization of oneness between the Self and God. It is not effective when it is directed to a remote “target” (e.g., “the man upstairs”).

God as Friend:

Here we find a remarkable source of insight within a book entitled Practice of the Presence. The account, compiled by Ms. Carmen Acevedo Butcher (be sure to get the version by this translator), is largely comprised of a series of letters written by a humble monk commonly referred to as Brother Lawrence. Born in France in 1612, he endured a time when the continent was beset by a mini-ice age; famine; bubonic plague; and a 30-year war during which the monk was a prisoner and, in addition, carried a severe leg wound that was ever worsening. Yet despite these obstacles, he personifies an unwavering dedication that is truly inspirational.

The following is typical of Brother Lawrence:

“‘Above all, become accustomed to talking with God often…we cannot put too much trust in such a good and faithful friend who will never let us down,’ he wrote in his letters. This ordinary, loving relationship is the practice of the presence. This simple prayer is a dynamic process that folds in kindness, conversation with the divine, and a constant state of return.”
– [Butcher, (translator), Practice of the Presence, 2022, p. 28]

“Brother Lawrence’s teaching simplifies and deepens prayer and places prayer in the realm of mindfulness. The practice of the presence, he says, is ‘the most sacred, the most robust, the easiest and the most effective form of prayer.’ And even by wanting to practice it, we are already moving into Presence.”
– [Butcher, (translator), Practice of the Presence, 2022, p.29]

Perusal of this wonderful book reveals that Brother Lawrence’s prayer practice as referenced in these quotes is simply carrying on a conversation with God as a “friend;” in fact, he eschews any structure in prayer and rather characterizes his practice as simply “attention,” that is, a sort of constant, ongoing and casual awareness and/or dialog with a devoted companion (note that he uses the plural form of pronouns referring to God; thus “Him” is replaced by “Them” and so on):

“‘God is always near you and with you. Don’t leave them [Him] alone. You would think it rude to leave a friend alone who came to visit you. Then why abandon God and leave them [Him] alone?’”
– [Butcher, (translator), Practice of the Presence, 2022, p.96]

He has the most endearing way of depicting his relationship with God. To nurture our relationship with God (and thus to enhance our happiness) he urges us to:

“‘Work Gently’ and to ‘enjoy and become familiar with God’s divine company’ such that ‘all our actions, without exception, become a kind of brief conversation with God’;”
“‘Do all actions deliberately and thoughtfully, without being rash or rushed’;”
“‘Stop for a brief moment, as often as we can, to love God deep in our heart’;” [Butcher, (translator), Practice of the Presence, 2022, p. 48-49]

The idea of “God as friend” can be found in many diverse sources, even one as far afield as the Big Book of Alcoholics Anonymous, found in the chapter “We Agnostics,” written for those beaten-down newcomers who are skeptical of the idea of God:

“We finally saw that faith in some kind of God was a part of our make-up, just as much as the feeling we have for a friend.”
– [Alcoholics Anonymous “Big Book”, p 55]

Three hundred years later, an American alcoholic came up with the same conclusions about how to view his relationship with God as a humble French monk living in the time of plague, famine, mini-ice age, and a 30-year war in Europe.

Where to Meet God:

Brother Lawrence emphasizes that “it’s important to remember that this conversation with God takes place in the deep center of the soul” [Butcher, (translator), Practice of the Presence, 2022, p. 52]. Finding this “deep center of the soul” will become our highest priority. We can be led there by asking any members of our “team” to take us there (angels, spirit guides, Holy Spirit, ascended masters such as Jesus, and so on). This again is where willingness or determination will serve us – place your heart on the line, ask for assistance in coming Home, and you will get the help you need.

This “Home” is what Bernadette Roberts calls the Still-point [Roberts, The Path to No-Self, 1991]. This is what A Course in Miracles calls “The Changeless Dwelling Place.” [A Course in Miracles, Text, Ch. 29, Section V]. It is what Rupert Spira calls Being (that which does not change, as opposed to “experience,” which does change). [Spira, The Shining of Being, 2025]. Each of these is comprised of pure awareness. It is the emptiness referred to by the Sanskrit word sunyata. The “B” is capitalized in “Being” to indicate that it is comprised of God’s presence, yet at the same time it is “empty” in the sense of being devoid of any and all aspects of experience (events, memories, beliefs, perceptions, and so on) as well as judgment, opinions, likes or dislikes, and so on. It is comprised of the parts of Self that do not change: pure awareness and God’s Love.

In carrying out our practice, we become aware of meeting with our “Friend” by holding a sense of mindfulness to support our ongoing dialog with Him for as long and as often as we can, without judging ourselves or others, and without distraction from the world in general. We maintain what is called “nonjudgmental awareness” in a mindful, yet casual, conversational relationship with our “Friend.”

In the end, the spiritual joy we are seeking does not come about through study, reading, books, lectures, videos and so on. The purpose of these media, rather, is to drive us to practice – the shortest road Home. What is practice, then? Prayer, meditation and mindfulness – the maintaining of nonjudgmental awareness. Nonjudgmental awareness becomes the foundation for the consistent practice of universal spiritual principles (kindness, honesty, trust, and so on) as we then go about our lives. When we make a conscious effort to abide in this Still-point, in this Changeless Dwelling Place, in Being, the purity of the stillness we experience reveals the joy that comes directly from sustained devotion.

This Still-point, this Changeless Dwelling Place, this Being, has no thought. It has no opinions. It has no beliefs, attitudes or judgments. We drop everything and abide in pure emptiness, pure awareness, pure stillness. Here we experience our true essence as Being and see that it is in fact God’s Being, at which point the ego’s attack plan is summarily upended.

Through persistence – the heartfelt devotion in maintaining this stillness -- we begin to detect what Neryah calls a “fragrance,” leading us to the “sweetness of Being.” [Av Neryah, Liberation: A Spiritual Autobiography, 2023] This is the Voice of Holy Spirit, calling us Home. This, however, is your path, so personalize it to your own sensitivities and use descriptors that work for you. (Meditation practice is described in future chapters and in the Suggested Readings).

In the mindfulness of presence, it becomes revealed to us that awareness, love and Being – the changeless components of Self -- are inextricably tied together as our constant companions. As we realize that there is nothing outside of nonjudgmental awareness, we come to see that it -- nonjudgmental awareness -- brings the clarity to reveal that love is the foundation of our existence and that the love that we are is the love that we have for everything.

Keep persisting. Do not give up. Keep practicing. Keep going. One day, the whole world will crack open like an egg and you will recognize “the peace that passeth all understanding.” All this occurs once it is accepted that nothing can substitute for devotion.

There is no “best” prayer

The prayer that is best is the one that resonates most deeply with you. The Yah Vey prayer is my go-to “mantra” for constant or ceaseless prayer, but there is a very special prayer for acute conditions of which you should be aware. Before we look at this prayer, know this:

True prayer cannot meaningfully ask for anything because you already have everything at the level of Spirit, and this is the only level that is real.

“True prayer must avoid the pitfall of asking to entreat. Ask, rather, to receive what is already given; to accept what is already there.”
– [The Song of Prayer, An Extension of the Principles of A Course in Miracles, Foundation for Inner Peace, 1978]

If your desires center on the world of form (material things) you will be focused on illusion and will never be happy. To fully realize this will entail practice. In true prayer, God does not change – we change. For prayer to be successful, there has to be change in consciousness in the person doing the praying. Again, this takes practice.

Joel Goldsmith offered the most powerful prayer that I know for immediate problem-solving, although its effect will vary depending on the person undergoing the change in consciousness through prayer (we will be covering Joel Goldsmith in an upcoming chapter). The power is not in the words but in the mental conviction.

Memorize this prayer now and forever:

God’s perfect solution is already here;
I recognize Divine Order operating now;
This situation is resolved in God’s infinite wisdom.
– [Goldsmith, Joel S., Living the Infinite Way, Harper & Row, 1961, p. 61]

The secret is in practice, vigilance, and belief. Know that your goal is already accomplished in the mind of God. It is our minds that need to become aligned with this Reality. Once we do this, we will see changes from the prayer, but it takes time and patience.

For anything to have an effect, we have to know what we are. We are one with God, co-creators with God. As such, and only as such, do we have the absolute authority to declare what the prayer states. With this conviction, and according to this conviction, we carry out the prayer to full effect.

There is only one will – God’s will – and there could not possibly be a “better” one. With this premise, we then know that what the prayer declares is truth, and feel that what the prayer says is truth. This is the secret to effective prayer.