I don’t know if anyone’s ever discussed this, but I’ve observed a phenomenon I’ve experienced wherein events unfold like this: Before prayer (or at some random time during the day), I remind myself to ask God for specific things. Success in a new role, a new program, exciting travels to here or there, ease in business. Then, when actually in prayer, I find myself desiring nothing so particular. Instead, I ask along the lines of “whatever outcome is best for my soul” or “whatever brings the height of happiness.”

I refer to this in my mind as the angelic frequency—the altered state of mind when in prayer, meditation, or, with practice, even by will in any given moment—in which there is little to no attachment to a particular path in earthly matters, and elation is accessible almost through a flipped switch in the brain.

When I’m flooded with difficult emotions—alarm, anger, grief—I flip the switch. And from a different vantage point, I can sort through the emotions, ride them like waves, treat them kindly as messengers. This is highly effective, considering I used to intellectualize emotions (which never worked).