Islam

A life of
glorifying God
in emulation of His final messenger
belittling myself in the process.

Couldn't be simpler...
or have I again got the wrong end
of this elegantly crafted stick?

The mind in prayer

A couple of quotes about the mind in prayer:

(1) "... When the mind is not present in prayer, it does not remain idle and is concentrated to the thoughts of the worldly affairs with which it is immediately concerned. So there must be firm belief that prayer is a stepping stone to the next world which is everlasting..."

(2) "... The medicine of removing various thoughts that come to mind in prayers is to cut the root or to remove the reasons which cause different thoughts. He who loves a thing remembers that thing. For this reason, he who loves things other than God is not free from diverse thoughts in prayer."

(Source: Imam Ghazzali's Ihya Ulum-id-Din, The Book of Worship)

Intoxication and Prayer

"God says, 'Don't come near prayer when you are intoxicated until you understand what you say'. Some say that intoxication means a great anxiety. Some say that it means attachment to the world. There are many worshippers who do not drink wine but they do not know what they say in prayer..."

(Source: Imam Ghazzali's Ihya Ulum-id-Din)

Vintage Ghazzali maa sha Allah;
digging beneath the surface.