How to “pray”

[WindWalker]

Seths material is essentially mind over matter. But what if your desire is non tangible ie if you are hurt or depressed and you are seeking solace. Has Seth ever mentioned how to be consoled? Its difficult to console yourself.

[Deb]

Seth actually had a lot to say about prayer, basically that it is a tool for directing or focusing intentions and desires without the religious overtones with which most of us were raised. Prayer, meditation, affirmations, mantras are all the same thing to me. You can go to the search engine to look through the various references to prayer: https://findingseth.com/q/prayer/10/, but I thought this kind of summed it up:

"Prayer has been extremely successful in enabling individuals to manipulate matter through use of their psychic abilities.
...

Now. Prayer once enabled the intelligent man to focus his psychic abilities, because the hard fact, taken for granted by all in Western civilization, was the belief in such a God. The so-called hard fact has changed.
...

The prayer contains within it its own answer, and if there is no white-haired, kind old Father God to hear, then there is instead the initial and ever-expanding energy that forms everything that is, and of which every human being is a part."

—TES2 Session 81 August 26, 1964

I don't know about consoling oneself, but I searched on despair and came up with the quote below. I think we need to at times take a step back and try to find something positive, to not be so focused on whatever negative thing is in our crosshairs. If one can accept that we make our personal reality, or even be open to the idea that when we take a stance or have a hard core view/perception of a situation and discount any information that contradicts it, then we open a door to the possibility of changing that negative reality into something positive.

Whatever has you worried, please try to feel that the universe, ATI, whatever you want to call it, harbors only best intentions and support for us.

"When you love life very deeply then it is very easy to despair, and when you compare ideal human relations to the relations that exist in the world as it is, it is very easy to despair; but if you give in to despair then you cannot see the beauty that does exist for the despair will eat it through like lye; and so hold on to the beauty and guard it and the vitality of your thoughts and emotions and your natural vitality as you would your life, for it is your life."
—TECS2 ESP Class Session, July 21, 1970

Then there is this:

"Now, I have told you time and time again, my friends, that you construct your physical universe and your private environment in line with your inner expectations, for they mirror perfectly the deepest areas of your own inner reality.

This is perhaps the closest I can come in handing you anything that approaches a basic truth. All of our material follows from this. And, any other information contained in the material follows and flows out of this primary statement.

I do not speak symbolically but quite literally. When you find yourselves, therefore, noticing more and more the inequalities, the disasters and the shames that come within your sphere of perception, you add to their existence. This may confound what common sense may tell you. However, concentration reinforces the quality which is concentrated upon.

I will not go more deeply into this, for we have mentioned it often. And, I address myself now to you both. When you are concentrating upon destructive elements, you lose on two points. You reinforce the destructive qualities by the very act of concentrating upon them. And, you rob yourselves of the constructive qualities that you could be concentrating upon, and, therefore, that you could be reinforcing."

Seth (Jane Roberts), 'The Early Sessions', Book 6, Session 253

Any time I feel overwhelmed with negativity (and I can say it happens to most of us), after a period of indulgence I try to step back from my downward spiraling thoughts, maybe even take a break from being "me," and it results in creating breathing space for positive change. It works. I've had the most negative, unrecoverable things reverse themselves. It's amazing.

[WindWalker]

Thanks so much for the well researched- thought out answer Deb. I wasnt referring to negativity per se rather i was thinking along the lines of sadness that happens for various reasons. From what i gather, eberything we need to sustain and comfort oirselves is within but unless you are in direct contact with your innermost self/senses it seems helpful to lay your sadness etc. upon a "higher power" as the 12 steppers would say. Its difficult to seek help from yourself or "higher self" when you yourself are the one asking for help. If you are broke and in need of money you cant loan the money to yourself because you are broke, if that makes any sense. You need help independent of yourself. Anyway-after i made the original post i stumbled upon a session that helped me greatly:

"There is no personal God-individual in Christian terms...and yet you do have access to a portion of All That Is, a portion highly attuned to you...There is a portion of All That Is directed and focused within each individual, residing within each consciousness. Each consciousness is, therefore, cherished and individually protected. This portion of overall consciousness is individualized within you. The personality of God as generally conceived is a one-dimensional concept based upon man's small knowledge of his own psychology. What you prefer to think of as God is, again, an energy gestalt or pyramid consciousness. It is aware of itself as being, for instance, you, Joseph. It is aware of itself as the smallest seed...This portion of All That Is that is aware of itself as you, that is focused within your existence, can be called upon for help when necessary. This portion is also aware of itself as something more than you. This portion that knows itself as you, and as more than you, is the personal God, you see. Again: this gestalt, this portion of All That Is, looks out for your interests and may be called upon in a personal manner. Prayer contains its own answer, and if there is no white-haired kind old father-God to hear, then there is instead the initial and ever expanding energy that forms everything that is and of which each human being is a part. This psychic gestalt may sound impersonal to you, but since its energy forms your person, how can this be? If you prefer to call this supreme psychic gestalt God, then you must not attempt to objectify him, for he is the nuclei of your cells and more intimate than your breath."
— The Seth Material, Jane Roberts
pg. 245-246, 2001

Again-thanks for taking the time to reply. You are a gem!

[Sena]

Prayer means contacting your "inner self". You don't need to kneel down to do that. You contact your inner self by means of thoughts and feelings.