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Thanks for giving this insight into the technical finessee of things Wayne 
this post goes in particular response to following :
Hi, there is a great wisdom in ‘thought, word and deed’ and this principle has been embodied in Islamic spiritual practices too. Since you have desired a corroboration to your feelings, i m giving some detailed background, so as to show from where I m coming to conclude.
Rituals of prayer and meditation within Islam are centered around the theme that balance, harmony and gradual approach is the best way of development. As there is often a spiritual wisdom in religious rituals and practices, so is with Islam too. We have been taught, within Islam, that our spirituality takes its basic ingredients from the saying of prayers (salat / namaz). Saying prayers is a first step for a beginner, and saying prayers is a very advanced step as well for a highly elevated spiritual buddy likewise. So this step is an embodiment of basics of spirituality that can be further taken to any imaginable extent depending on the progress path of the individual.
What I m trying to explain is a non-religious aspect of prayer, and I m trying to come from a spiritual perspective, analyzing the steps/practices without attachment of religious dogma. Let’s analyze the technical points of this spiritual recipie :
1. Prayers is five times a day, hence the element of discipline and repetition, just like we have to recite Gokai twice daily.
2. Prayer starts with intent, and we have been ordered to recite the intent that we are going to say (this) prayer which contains (these components), every time we start prayers, just like we would state intent in hatsurei (mokunen), initations, and self treatments. Even though a buddy knows he is going to start a practice, but reciting the intent has been made mandatory. After the intent being recited in heart, prayer starts by raising hands to the ears lobes, palms facing front. This has two effects, one is similar to Gyosei (i.e, clearing one’s mind) and the other effect is like Kenyoku (i.e, brusing off worries and attachments). This step can also be compared with Hiroshi Doi’s variant of Joshin where he suggests raising hands above head, palms upwards, in order to connect with reiki.
3. Prayer involves a series of postures. It starts with standing straight for some while, then bowing down, then touching the ground with forehead while bending and bowing down, and then sitting with spine erect without having cross-legs. This can be compared to Gassho, Kenyoko, and Seichin, where we perform a series of ‘deeds’. During standing posture the hands are raised and seated crossed exactly on the dantien, a position strikingly similar with a posture within qi-gong that is meant to store and condense qi in dantian.
4. While performing these physical postures, prayer includes the recitation of certain verses in Arabic language in a specific order. This can be compared with mantras and jumon, as are prevalent in other spiritual practices. Important to note, that reciting a translation is not allowed, exact Arabic words have to be uttered. This ties in with the insight provided by Colin and Frank in this thread that since Gokai includes kotodoma in a specific arrangement, reciting Gokai have the effect of a mantra too, provided they are recited in Japaneese. So is the case in prayer.
5. After the end of prayer, it is customary (although not mandatory) to raise hands to height of heart, palms upwards, and pray in own words according to own tendencies. This can again be compared with Mokunen and Gassho.
The purpose of this comparison was not to say that steps within reiki practices and steps within Islamic spiritual practices are meant for same ends. They have different modus operandi, that’s for sure (even if the ultimate objective might be the same), but whatever scheme of practices within the two areas are, there is a similarity of ingredients viz, “thought, word and deed”
There is a lot within Islamic spiritual practices that can be said, as VJ would opt to put, “Soul science”. There are rigorous spiritual routines, longer and very longer spells of meditation, very specifc and highly technical breathing techniques which usually are combined with the power of mantras to open up or align energetic chakras, etc., etc. but that is not made mandatory for the followers. There is a refined line between spirituality and spiritual supermanship . The later is the matter of personal choice always.
Practices within shamanism (like contact with spirits and souls), within vedic and aurvedic (like treatments through basic elements, and herbs plants, etc.), within yoga (like smadhi and meditations), within qi-gong (like energy cultivations) are also there in such spiritual practices within Islam, but that is not for every body. These things are ‘reserved’ for people who have dedicated themselves for acquiring such mastery. Otherwise, there is ample spirituality within the saying of prayers for a common muslim. Living by principles, like we see within Gokai, is also very much emphasized, and we have four principles to live life (apart from religious attachment). And we can find a set of such principles in almost every religion with slight variations. That’s why, maybe, we call that there are various paths to one goal i.e. Human Grace!
Take care
Salman
this post goes in particular response to following :
Wayne wrote:
The Jumon, visualisations & mudras form what's commonly known throughout buddhism, and indeed many other religious practices, as 'thought, word & deed. They're the three 'secrets' in buddhism. and, imo, of mystical christianity, and maybe Islam (help me out with this).
Hi, there is a great wisdom in ‘thought, word and deed’ and this principle has been embodied in Islamic spiritual practices too. Since you have desired a corroboration to your feelings, i m giving some detailed background, so as to show from where I m coming to conclude.
Rituals of prayer and meditation within Islam are centered around the theme that balance, harmony and gradual approach is the best way of development. As there is often a spiritual wisdom in religious rituals and practices, so is with Islam too. We have been taught, within Islam, that our spirituality takes its basic ingredients from the saying of prayers (salat / namaz). Saying prayers is a first step for a beginner, and saying prayers is a very advanced step as well for a highly elevated spiritual buddy likewise. So this step is an embodiment of basics of spirituality that can be further taken to any imaginable extent depending on the progress path of the individual.
What I m trying to explain is a non-religious aspect of prayer, and I m trying to come from a spiritual perspective, analyzing the steps/practices without attachment of religious dogma. Let’s analyze the technical points of this spiritual recipie :
1. Prayers is five times a day, hence the element of discipline and repetition, just like we have to recite Gokai twice daily.
2. Prayer starts with intent, and we have been ordered to recite the intent that we are going to say (this) prayer which contains (these components), every time we start prayers, just like we would state intent in hatsurei (mokunen), initations, and self treatments. Even though a buddy knows he is going to start a practice, but reciting the intent has been made mandatory. After the intent being recited in heart, prayer starts by raising hands to the ears lobes, palms facing front. This has two effects, one is similar to Gyosei (i.e, clearing one’s mind) and the other effect is like Kenyoku (i.e, brusing off worries and attachments). This step can also be compared with Hiroshi Doi’s variant of Joshin where he suggests raising hands above head, palms upwards, in order to connect with reiki.
3. Prayer involves a series of postures. It starts with standing straight for some while, then bowing down, then touching the ground with forehead while bending and bowing down, and then sitting with spine erect without having cross-legs. This can be compared to Gassho, Kenyoko, and Seichin, where we perform a series of ‘deeds’. During standing posture the hands are raised and seated crossed exactly on the dantien, a position strikingly similar with a posture within qi-gong that is meant to store and condense qi in dantian.
4. While performing these physical postures, prayer includes the recitation of certain verses in Arabic language in a specific order. This can be compared with mantras and jumon, as are prevalent in other spiritual practices. Important to note, that reciting a translation is not allowed, exact Arabic words have to be uttered. This ties in with the insight provided by Colin and Frank in this thread that since Gokai includes kotodoma in a specific arrangement, reciting Gokai have the effect of a mantra too, provided they are recited in Japaneese. So is the case in prayer.
5. After the end of prayer, it is customary (although not mandatory) to raise hands to height of heart, palms upwards, and pray in own words according to own tendencies. This can again be compared with Mokunen and Gassho.
The purpose of this comparison was not to say that steps within reiki practices and steps within Islamic spiritual practices are meant for same ends. They have different modus operandi, that’s for sure (even if the ultimate objective might be the same), but whatever scheme of practices within the two areas are, there is a similarity of ingredients viz, “thought, word and deed”
There is a lot within Islamic spiritual practices that can be said, as VJ would opt to put, “Soul science”. There are rigorous spiritual routines, longer and very longer spells of meditation, very specifc and highly technical breathing techniques which usually are combined with the power of mantras to open up or align energetic chakras, etc., etc. but that is not made mandatory for the followers. There is a refined line between spirituality and spiritual supermanship . The later is the matter of personal choice always.
Practices within shamanism (like contact with spirits and souls), within vedic and aurvedic (like treatments through basic elements, and herbs plants, etc.), within yoga (like smadhi and meditations), within qi-gong (like energy cultivations) are also there in such spiritual practices within Islam, but that is not for every body. These things are ‘reserved’ for people who have dedicated themselves for acquiring such mastery. Otherwise, there is ample spirituality within the saying of prayers for a common muslim. Living by principles, like we see within Gokai, is also very much emphasized, and we have four principles to live life (apart from religious attachment). And we can find a set of such principles in almost every religion with slight variations. That’s why, maybe, we call that there are various paths to one goal i.e. Human Grace!
Take care
Salman
