I would describe the essence of prayer as summoning within your mind the intention to focus with all of your being, on a thought or series of thoughts, often evoking powerful feelings, and these thoughts connecting to deeper reflections, bringing you into a state of gratitude for the sense of aliveness and connection you feel. That gratitude then supplies one with great emotional, mental, and physical strength, making previously challenging circumstances feel possible and many times, pulling forth miraculous and magic-like events from within the Universal Creative force and into our manifest lives.