The individual who attains peace of mind is at one with the universe. It encompasses him or her in its bosom, in the serenity of its eternal permanence. But this is a state of mind which can be attained not only by persistent application towards the realisation of such work goals, but also by the performance of physico-spiritual exercises, such as yoga or meditation. Such proficiency accentuates his capacity for adopting a frame of mind where the interests of the individual fuse more harmoniously within the interests of the universe in its totality. He starts to think, and to motivate himself, from this unit which is so immensely wider than himself. The concepts of self, and the ego, can then be merged into something akin to deistic will.

But the big question remains as to whether there can be direct communication between the individual and this concept of deity, which of course can be identified as none other than the universe as a whole: plus the reciprocal question of whether the universe as a whole can communicate its will (or its best interests) to the individuals who comprise society at large. Much of course will depend upon the sensitivity of the individual to the dictates of the universe; and the techniques previously mentioned for the attainment of serenity in life may well prove to be an invaluable training for these purposes. But the possibility that I am here considering is that particular individuals, through their cerebral statement of what they desire to see enacted in life, do in fact influence the outcome of such events.

Populations are prone to psycho-somatic influence, so the perceived will of any portion of the human race does sometimes, for that reason, get translated into the desired change. So too in the case of individuals who might wish to influence the actions of other individuals. An awareness gradually augments on the extent to which others might be wishing us to switch in our volition, so that our behaviour becomes directed towards different (and otherwise surprising) ends. But such influence from the persuasive quality of thought, which is in fact central to the whole concept of prayer, is never stronger than when the values represented in such thought lie closest to the hub of cohesion for the human race - or for the cohesion of the human race with the Totality of the Universe at large.

The distinction between man's twin religious concerns, either for him to influence his fellow men towards some concept of improved behaviour, or to ensure (no matter what happens) that he himself will attain peace of mind, highlights the difference between active and passive temperaments when confronted with the problems of life. Prayer might be seen as an endeavour to find solutions for those problems, whereas the quest for the serenity in peace of mind is far more a question of attaining an appropriate mental attitude, despite the existence of these problems. But the two concepts do relate in that the man who wishes to discover the efficacy of prayer might be best advised to seek it in conjunction with the attainment of peace of mind. The man who has attained serenity in this fashion is that much more liable to influence his fellow men towards the actions, which he deems both good and right.

The cultural pattern for the human population within different parts of this planet gets divided quite largely for the reason already divulged. There are parts of the world where the potential for individual persuasion might be rated higher than elsewhere. Democratic regimes (as we understand them) may encourage individuals to assert an active influence over political change. It should therefore come as no surprise that the efficacy of prayer has been advocated and developed in those same parts of the globe, whereas in the east (where populations are often obliged to watch the struggle for political power strictly from the sidelines), the value of man's separate pursuit of peace of mind has taken religious precedence. But the world of the future might well bear witness to a fusion of these concerns.