The Power of Prayer
By Lena Iwasaki
“The Cheon Shim Won is a sacred place [that] would be nice to have people surrounding it with prayer and devotion.”
Hearing other people pray is not my definition of a meaningful prayer. I used to find it hard to open up my heart and speak to Heavenly Parent when I could hear other people’s conversations with their wails and pleas. That was what I used to think when I heard about the Cheon Shim Won, a special prayer room established by the Unification faith leader, Dr. Hak Ja Han Moon, whom we affectionately call Mother Moon. The Cheon Shim Won can be compared to a temple or shrine where you can find peace to be one with God.
The first location that Mother Moon founded in the U.S. was Las Vegas. She called it “a sacred place [that] would be nice to have people surrounding it with prayer and devotion.” (2022) Filled with everyone’s flowing tears, fervent prayers, and desperate hopes, it is a place where you can find answers through “spirit and truth”.
One practice encouraged by Father and Mother Moon is unison prayer. As the word implies, unison prayer is when every person in the room begins praying together out loud, and I mean very loud. You may have experienced a unison prayer in a Pentecostal church where the Holy Spirit surges through the room. I have always thought prayer was a silent and peaceful communication between you and God. Unison prayer in the Cheon Shim Won is on a whole other level.
“A strong prayer life is not formed in an instant. It takes both time and practice. Therefore, be patient with yourself; you are able to learn more about prayer as you continue to pray. It is only natural that you would rather withdraw and be on your own. It is sometimes hard for new members to acclimatize themselves with the practice of unison prayer. However, developing the ability to break through to God even in unison prayer is definitely one of the best ways to become spiritually free, as well as to build up spiritual power. By developing a strong prayer life, you will experience breakthroughs.”
Being part of a new religious movement is interesting. We have a living founder who offers new revelations and shifts our teachings, which can sometimes be a challenge. Mother Moon established the Cheon Shim Won, unlike any other prayer room. It is a place where we can connect to Heavenly Parent’s heart and spirit directly as parent and child. There are Cheon Shim Won prayer rooms in over 50 Unification Churches across the United States. Specially designed to create an atmosphere of healing, renewal, and clarity, the Cheon Shim Won is a holy place.
Since my younger brother passed away, my family has prayed every single night in front of our altar at home. During the first few months after his death, I remember how hard it was for me to pray; to look to God for comfort or understanding. I knew better than to be angry at God because there was no point in going down the rabbit hole of wondering if this was in “God’s plan”.
However, deep inside, I couldn’t help but feel like it was unfair. That someone who had the smile of an angel and the heart of a hero could go so soon. Maybe that was because I never went inside the Cheon Shim Won in the small community church of Philadelphia. I helped paint it and decorate the room, but a part of me was a little afraid to go inside. It felt like I would be forced to unpack all the burdens, fears, and responsibilities I had left unresolved. As though the moment I sat down, closed my eyes, and said a word, I would burst into helpless wails myself.
I decided to call an older sister and mentor I talk to when I feel like I have used up every logical reason to resolve a situation. The words she gave to me still come to mind. “What you need the most right now is the exact thing you are avoiding.”
I still resisted going into the Cheon Shim Won until after I moved a month later. When I finally stepped inside, there was something about the holy prayer room at the Chicago Family Church that felt serene. I felt calm, peaceful, and warm. I didn’t bother turning on the lights and sat in front of the altar. At first, I just took deep breaths so I wouldn’t cry. When I finally gave in, I cried and cried, and maybe wailed a little, too.
The months it took me to attempt to solve, reflect, and, explain what I was going through didn’t vanish with a revelation or a profound experience. However, praying in the Cheon Shim Won gave me a serenity I had never felt before, which I could only find in the embrace of my Heavenly Parent.
I don’t mind the wailing, and the shouts from other people in the Cheon Shim Won anymore because I understand that is another person who desperately desires to be in tune with their Heavenly Parent, just like me.