The Lost Majiqal Art of Prayer
Prayer is a "lost" magiqal art. It has become rote recitations or simple wish-making. Prayer originally was a process of concentrated visualization, combined with emotional and mental energy, properly grounded to the physical through proper vocalization. The spoken Word became in essence praying, this was first understood by the ancient Egyptians in the way of Affirmations and made manifest in (Heka) vibrational magic. Efforts were made to align sound with the principles of a cosmic order (natural ordering of the universe) which perhaps could be seen as a LOGOS, the dialog with that part of your Self that has the ability to create any condition you need or desire.
The invocation within a prayer unites our meditative state of consciousness with the power of the Word and our innate force of Will. The mechanism behind this is the same mechanism found in incantations. The word incantation comes from the Latin root "inner" and "sing". Originally someone qualified to perform the prayer/incantation was needed, average people of the community did not believe they possessed such a magical link as did their shaman, priest, or sorcerer.
The prayer works the same way that Haitian Vodou does, through the power of suggestion which can be explained more scientifically through neuroplasticity. With any incantation one is either seeking to create change within or to unveil some hidden truths also from within. The priest or shaman is the one who makes some change in objective reality by delivering the prayer or incantation. This is called an illocutionary force.