The Call from UCLA

When I arrived home this noon to do my mid-day exchange, I found a message on my voice mail from Lila Ruiz of UCLA's kidney-transplant team. She told me that she had received the referral from my cardiologist and nephrologist, and said that I would be receiving a letter in three to four months with an appointment date and time.

I was a bit surprised by the time lag. I had been told I would get an appointment with UCLA within a month. Lila said there have been so many referrals lately and that there is quite a backlog. She said I probably wouldn't be seen until late July or early August.

Dr. Butman is on vacation this week, but when he returns, I plan to ask him if I should or can also apply to UC San Diego and Loma Linda Hospital. They are farther away than UCLA, but perhaps my chances are better--or at least I can be seen quicker!

How an Atheist Can Pray

I have at least one friend and one relative who tell me they are atheists. They tell me they are sending me good thoughts, though they do not pray. Well, good thoughts are praying!

The standard idea of prayer is that you are begging God or some god/goddess to grant your wishes--give you something good or take something bad away. I would like to propose another kind of prayer, one that everyone, regardless of spiritual beliefs or lack thereof, can practice.

Instead of supplicating a divine being, simply be quiet and envision what you desire. See it in all its beautiful detail. Send love and affirmation to that thought. Feel what it's like to be in that state of love or abundance or health or whatever it is you desire. See the wonder and goodness that flows from that state of being. Feel your body tingling with the sensation of manifesting that state. This sort of loving, life-affirming focusing of attention is what prayer is, whether one is offering the prayer to God the Father or Jesus Christ or Buddha or one of a pantheon of Hindu gods or no god at all.

And this is how I pray for my health: I see my body functioning perfectly, the way it was meant to function, in its full glory of health and vibrancy. I soon begin to feel the tingling in my body, the life force flowing to and through every cell, reminding each cell that it is in alignment with God's plan for me of perfect health and vibrancy.

I do not focus on what I do not want. This only feeds what I do not want to bring about. Instead I focus on what I desire, what I wish to manifest.

And so there is no incompatibility with someone being an atheist and that same person praying. Good thoughts are prayer, and prayer are nothing but good thoughts.