Each of the Four Methods has an Anti-method which opposes it. Prayer is opposed by forgetfulness. There’s a tug-o-war happening between these two principles. Babylon has forgetfulness, but the Kingdom of God has prayer. Prayer leads to life, but forgetfulness leads to death.

The question becomes: What defines you? Prayer or forgetfulness? Life or death? In your day-to-day activities, what do you show more of: Prayer or forgetfulness? It’s not “Oh, I do those things sometimes” but “what describes me more accurately as a whole?” Not only you as an individual, but what defines the culture around you more? What is the world that you’re creating? Does it lead to the Kingdom of God?

So what does someone look like when defined by prayer? When they wake up, they remember God and ask for his blessing. When they go to sleep, they remember God, and listen to his words. They remember God while walking, while sitting, while lying down on their side. They find joy in contemplating God’s creation. When they get together, they talk about God. When they eat, they give thanks to God. When they fast, they do it so that God might give them life. They see the health benefits of fasting, and it strengthens them to worship God. When they give, they remember that God will give to them. Whatever they give, God will give them back. In fact, God will give even more. The songs that they listen to praise God. The artwork that they make praise God. They see God’s greatness, and seek to fill their lives with it. They’re constantly asking God to transform their hearts, their actions, and their minds. They ask God for the transformation of the world. So when they see flowers, they praise God. When they see human achievements, they praise God. When they make a mistake, they ask God for forgiveness. They ask to not be defined by their mistakes, but by their improvements. In all this, they wish to be in God’s presence, in the Garden of Life.

So what does someone look like when defined by forgetfulness? When they wake up, their mind wanders. When they go to sleep, their mind wanders. When walking, when sitting, when laying down on their side, their mind wanders. They suffer when they contemplate the world. When they’re around each other, they talk about anything other than God. When they eat, they take it for granted. If they fast, it’s only for the health benefits. If they give, then they do so rarely and grudgingly. They have no hope that God will give back to them. The songs that they listen to talk of the greatness of anything other than God. The artwork that they make doesn’t remind anyone of God. They forget God’s greatness, and their lives are slowly filled with sorrow. They have little hope for what could be, because they have forgotten what God can accomplish. They see evil being done, and they themselves become that evil. They see violence between humans, and think that’s their natural state. When they make a mistake, it becomes a part of their personality. In all this, they get farther and farther from the presence of God, and sink into the Fire of Death.

Not all contemplation on God is prayer. There was a woman who had a husband. She would never spend time with him. Whenever he told her that he liked something, she would ignore him. She’d do other things instead. She would imagine what he was like, and then argue with his friends about what he was actually like. She hadn’t joined herself to her husband, but rather to her own imagination. Joining with God is not ignoring him for your own thoughts. Prayer is not speculation. It’s not constant debate. Rather, praise God, ask for his blessing, and listen.

With prayer, you join yourself to life. With forgetfulness, you scatter yourself towards death. God is the life of the world, and the consciousness above all consciousness. Praise and be praised by the life of the world. Ask from the One and be answered.