--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The highest level of prayer is not a…" description: "\"The highest level of prayer is not a prayer for anything. It is a deep and profound silence, in which we allow ourselves to be still and know Him. In t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/marianne-williamson-90_changed_the-highest-level-of-prayer-is-not-a-pra_3110487.jpg" --- # The highest level of prayer is not a prayer for anything… ![“The highest level of prayer is not a prayer for anything. It is a deep and profound silence, in which we allow ourselves to be still and know Him. In that silence, we are changed. We are calmed. We are illumined. Prayer is meant to dissolve the worldly focus, to dissolve our sense of a separate…” quote by Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/marianne-williamson-90_changed_the-highest-level-of-prayer-is-not-a-pra_3110487.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/marianne-williamson-90_changed_the-highest-level-of-prayer-is-not-a-pra_3110487.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/marianne-williamson-90_changed_the-highest-level-of-prayer-is-not-a-pra_3110487.jpg) > “The highest level of prayer is not a prayer for anything. It is a deep and profound silence, in which we allow ourselves to be still and know Him. In that silence, we are changed. We are calmed. We are illumined. Prayer is meant to dissolve the worldly focus, to dissolve our sense of a separate self, to help us detach from an insane world order. We pray that He might flood our minds. Prayer is like pouring hot water on an ice cube, melting the cold and encrusted thought forms that still surround our hearts.” [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. True prayer transcends asking; it is silent surrender that transforms the self and opens to divine presence. **In simple terms:** Prayer is silent surrender that changes you. Key Takeaway Seek stillness, not requests. Themes spirituality inner peace transformation Mood calm reflective Type spiritual inspirational When to use this quote - personal meditation - stress relief - spiritual practice - grief coping Key Concepts mindfulness non‑attachment divine silence Questions to Reflect On - How can you cultivate silence daily? - What changes arise when you stop asking? A Different Perspective Silence may feel empty without guidance. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cold](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cold/) [Flood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/flood/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Heart](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/heart/) [Ice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ice/) [Insane world](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/insane-world/) [Mind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mind/) [Order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/order/) [Prayer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prayer/) [Praying](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/praying/) [Profound](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/profound/) [Self](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/self/) [Silence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/silence/) [Water](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/water/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [World order](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world-order/) ## Related quotes > [Prayer is like practicing the piano or ballet or writing: you have to bring your body for a very long time, in spite of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/heather-king/prayer-is-like-practicing-the-piano-or-ballet-or-writing-you-have-to/) [Heather King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/heather-king/) > [There is a way of ordering our mental life on more than one level at once. On one level we can be thinking, discussing,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-raymond-kelly/there-is-a-way-of-ordering-our-mental-life-on-more-than-one-level-at/) [Thomas Raymond Kelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-raymond-kelly/) > [A prayer, it seems to me, implies a promise as well as a request; at the highest level, prayer not only is a supplication…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/walt-disney/a-prayer-it-seems-to-me-implies-a-promise-as-well-as-a-request-at-the/) [Walt Disney](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/walt-disney/) > [“Before moving to the West Kootenai, prayer meant saying the Lord’s Prayer in German, silently in our minds. As children sometimes we’d just count…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ora-jay-eash/before-moving-to-the-west-kootenai-prayer-meant-saying-the-lord-s/) [Ora-Jay Eash](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ora-jay-eash/) > [God speaks in the silence of the heart, and we listen. And then we speak to God from the fullness of our heart, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/god-speaks-in-the-silence-of-the-heart-and-we-listen-and-then-we/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [“Prayer is not meant to always give us the answers we want. It is not the resting place upon which the scales of our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elizabeth-d-marie/prayer-is-not-meant-to-always-give-us-the-answers-we-want-it-is-not/) [Elizabeth D. Marie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elizabeth-d-marie/) > [“Prayer was never meant to be magic,' Mother said. 'Then why bother with it?' Suzy scowled. 'Because it's an act of love,' Mother said.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/madeline-l-engle/prayer-was-never-meant-to-be-magic-mother-said-then-why-bother-with/) [Madeline L'Engle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/madeline-l-engle/) > [“If there is one thought with regard to the Church of Christ, which at times comes to me with overwhelming sorrow; if there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-murray/if-there-is-one-thought-with-regard-to-the-church-of-christ-which-at/) [Andrew Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-murray/) > [“Prayer is meant to be preventative more than remedial. We usually treat prayer as remedial, meaning we pray when we have a need or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-jeremiah/prayer-is-meant-to-be-preventative-more-than-remedial-we-usually/) [David Jeremiah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-jeremiah/) > [He has told us to pray, 'Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven' (Matthew 6:10). And if we have ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wells/he-has-told-us-to-pray-thy-will-be-done-on-earth-as-it-is-in-heaven/) [Tom Wells](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wells/) > [Prayer is sort of like an unlocked door with a giant, red-lettered sign on it that says: "Welcome. Feel Free to Take What You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gloria-gaither/prayer-is-sort-of-like-an-unlocked-door-with-a-giant-red-lettered/) [Gloria Gaither](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gloria-gaither/) > [“Forgive me, Father For I have loved you like a prayer I was never meant to finish...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/petronela-ungureanu/forgive-me-father-for-i-have-loved-you-like-a-prayer-i-was-never/) Petronela Ungureanu > [“Prayer is about something vastly bigger and more beautiful than laying before God your personal wish list for the day, because your life is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-david-tripp/prayer-is-about-something-vastly-bigger-and-more-beautiful-than/) [Paul David Tripp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-david-tripp/) > [“In a world of insanity, nothing is sacred. It's an insane world, nothing is sacred.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deb-caletti/in-a-world-of-insanity-nothing-is-sacred-it-s-an-insane-world-nothing/) [Deb Caletti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deb-caletti/) > [I don't design stories to fit some political ideology. I design stories about characters who I love and care about, while trying to make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-levinson/i-don-t-design-stories-to-fit-some-political-ideology-i-design/) [Sam Levinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-levinson/) ## More by Marianne Williamson > [The goal of spiritual practice is full recovery, and the only thing you need to recover from is a fractured sense of self.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-goal-of-spiritual-practice-is-full-recovery-and-the-only-thing/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I can't say that there are 'things' that make me come alive. There are thoughts that make me come alive.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-can-t-say-that-there-are-things-that-make-me-come-alive-there-are/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [The reason so many of us are obsessed with becoming stars is because we are not yet starring in our own lives. The cosmic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-reason-so-many-of-us-are-obsessed-with-becoming-stars-is-because/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Great people are not people who have never fallen down. Greatness has to do with how you get back up.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/great-people-are-not-people-who-have-never-fallen-down-greatness-has/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I feel that if your soul was branded by the sixties, you never lost the brand. It's like going into a nightclub and having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-feel-that-if-your-soul-was-branded-by-the-sixties-you-never-lost/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Until we have met the monsters in ourselves, we keep trying to slay them in the outer world. And we find that we cannot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/until-we-have-met-the-monsters-in-ourselves-we-keep-trying-to-slay/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [No matter how sad we might be, the universe is still planning our happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/no-matter-how-sad-we-might-be-the-universe-is-still-planning-our/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Love is who we are, and when we deviate from that love we're deviating from our ultimate, essential, eternal reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/love-is-who-we-are-and-when-we-deviate-from-that-love-we-re-deviating/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [For many, many people, getting married is one of the most important things they will ever do in the pursuit of happiness.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/for-many-many-people-getting-married-is-one-of-the-most-important/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [As all of us are only too aware, the loud and frantic voices of the outer world easily drown out the small, still loving…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/as-all-of-us-are-only-too-aware-the-loud-and-frantic-voices-of-the/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [It is not too late. You are not too old. You are right on time-And you are better than you know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/it-is-not-too-late-you-are-not-too-old-you-are-right-on-time-and-you/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [I tell my mother I went to God in spite of my religious education. I feel that my religious education was inadequate, but that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/i-tell-my-mother-i-went-to-god-in-spite-of-my-religious-education-i/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [You don't have to be a spiritual seeker, you can be a businessman dealing with the revolution in computers. You could be a congressman,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/you-don-t-have-to-be-a-spiritual-seeker-you-can-be-a-businessman/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Dear God, I surrender this thought to you, for I would see the miracle that lies behind it. Amen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/dear-god-i-surrender-this-thought-to-you-for-i-would-see-the-miracle/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) > [Sex is not the ultimate high, but the ultimate high hangs out around sex. The ultimate high is the dance with another person, played…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/sex-is-not-the-ultimate-high-but-the-ultimate-high-hangs-out-around/) [Marianne Williamson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) [Explore all 1,347 Marianne Williamson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/) ## More Changed quotes > [“You put together two things that have not been put together before. And the world is changed. People may not notice at the time,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julian-barnes/you-put-together-two-things-that-have-not-been-put-together-before/) [Julian Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julian-barnes/) > [You made me hate my own reflection Question every choice I make So I could try to be perfect But I will try to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn/you-made-me-hate-my-own-reflection-question-every-choice-i-make-so-i/) [Lynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn/) > [Everything has changed and nothing has changed.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-lowery/everything-has-changed-and-nothing-has-changed/) [Joseph Lowery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-lowery/) > [“After the funeral, my life changed. I felt as if time were suddenly precious, water going down an open drain, and I could not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitch-albom/after-the-funeral-my-life-changed-i-felt-as-if-time-were-suddenly/) [Mitch Albom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitch-albom/) > [ Next came the Patent laws. These began in England in 1624; and, in this country, with the adoption of our constitution. Before then \[these?\],… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/abraham-lincoln/next-came-the-patent-laws-these-began-in-england-in-1624-and-in-this/) [Abraham Lincoln](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/abraham-lincoln/) > [Faith is the avenue to salvation. Not intellectual understanding. Not money. Not your works. Just simple faith. How much faith? The faith of a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-graham/faith-is-the-avenue-to-salvation-not-intellectual-understanding-not/) [Billy Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-graham/) > [When I became Miss World, I couldn't believe I had won it. I used to sleep with my crown because I was scared someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/priyanka-chopra/when-i-became-miss-world-i-couldn-t-believe-i-had-won-it-i-used-to/) [Priyanka Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/priyanka-chopra/) > [As the light changed from red to green to yellow and back to red again, I sat there thinking about life. Was it nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/as-the-light-changed-from-red-to-green-to-yellow-and-back-to-red/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Forgetting your Self is the greatest injury; all the calamities flow from it. Take care of the most important, the lesser will take care…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/forgetting-your-self-is-the-greatest-injury-all-the-calamities-flow/) [Sri Nisargadatta Maharaj](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sri-nisargadatta-maharaj/) > [It's only a thought and a thought can be changed. Choose good ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wayne-dyer/it-s-only-a-thought-and-a-thought-can-be-changed-choose-good-ones/) [Wayne Dyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wayne-dyer/) > [Working with Rihanna has changed my life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bibi-bourelly/working-with-rihanna-has-changed-my-life/) [Bibi Bourelly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bibi-bourelly/) > [The international game has changed for bidding cities.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-ueberroth/the-international-game-has-changed-for-bidding-cities/) [Peter Ueberroth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-ueberroth/) > [You changed my life, don't know what you're doing to me with your love. You got me feeling super human.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-changed-my-life-don-t-know-what-you-re-doing-to-me-with-your-love/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I'm not changing because I'm part of a hit. People around me have changed in their attitude toward me, but I haven't changed. And…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-penny/i-m-not-changing-because-i-m-part-of-a-hit-people-around-me-have/) [Joe Penny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-penny/) > [Good people are found not changed. Recently I read a headline that said, 'We don't teach people to be nice. We simply hire nice…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-rohn/good-people-are-found-not-changed-recently-i-read-a-headline-that/) [Jim Rohn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-rohn/) Browse all 6,529 Changed quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The highest level of prayer is not a prayer for anything. It is a deep and profound silence, in which we allow ourselves to be still and know Him. In that silence, we are changed. We are calmed. We are illumined. Prayer is meant to dissolve the worldly focus, to dissolve our sense of a separate self, to help us detach from an insane world order. We pray that He might flood our minds. Prayer is like pouring hot water on an ice cube, melting the cold and encrusted thought forms that still surround our hearts.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Marianne Williamson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-highest-level-of-prayer-is-not-a-prayer-for-anything-it-is-a-deep/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Changed" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-highest-level-of-prayer-is-not-a-prayer-for-anything-it-is-a-deep/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/marianne-williamson-90_changed_the-highest-level-of-prayer-is-not-a-pra_3110487.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/marianne-williamson-90_changed_the-highest-level-of-prayer-is-not-a-pra_3110487.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/2e5/marianne-williamson-90_changed_the-highest-level-of-prayer-is-not-a-pra_3110487.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The highest level of prayer is not a prayer for anything. It is a deep and profound silence, in which we…” — Marianne Williamson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Marianne Williamson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marianne-williamson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The highest level of prayer is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-highest-level-of-prayer-is-not-a-prayer-for-anything-it-is-a-deep/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marianne-williamson/the-highest-level-of-prayer-is-not-a-prayer-for-anything-it-is-a-deep/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```