How do you pray?

[Still thinking]

I'm reading this book right now called "The Way We Pray" which breaks down prayer practices from all over the world. It also gives little tips after the summary of each practice for incorporating that practice into your prayer life. I've been looking at prayer differently lately, learning more, and trying new things. I especially like the idea of lighting a candle to represent your prayer and personal prayer altars, and I'm learning so many new and unusual ways I never would have considered.

So I'm curious, in your repective beliefs and individual truths, how do you pray\meditate\commune with the Divine?

[LeoSalinas22]

hello, still thinking,

i usually pray by talking out loud to God. before i go to sleep, walking to the store at night, or while driving. i haven't prostrated myself in a while. i know i should more often, but i haven't for some reason. will have to look in to this. i have been looking alot towards the heavens at night. i usually ask God questions when i do this. helps to calm the frustrations a bit. i used to say the "Our Father in Heaven prayer", but haven't for some reason as well. i love the words in it, but i guess i feel that repeating what someone else prays, doesn't do God justice. i feel that perhaps, if you make up your own words and pray to Him, this would be better, since it is like making your own "poem". sort of like writing a love letter to your better half. you make up your own words. you wouldn't plagarize someone else's work would you? so i try to visualize that God is like my Husband and i "write" away. hope that makes sense.

[wil]

I'm not in big on the beseeching prayer. "Oh lord please help me on this test", or "out of this trouble".

If G!d knows our need before we, it is because our thoughts are heard.

"Our thoughts are prayers, and we are always praying"

The line of a song yes, but I believe it. I ask the kids at Sunday School, "If you are praying for your parents to let you do this or that, but when they ask you to mow the lawn or shovel the snow you grumble. And when you are out there shoveling you are thinking about them sitting in the house watching the football game, which prayer are you more focused on? which prayer does G!d hear in your thoughts more often?

I chuckle about the football teams or warriors on the battle field, both sides thinking G!d is on their side but not on the other.

I've got a couple of regular prayers, both similar, as I don't believe I'm really asking G!d to change anything but me.

Father lead me, guide me, show me the way. I am willing to follow. Move me, shake me, mold me. Reveal in me that which needs to be revealed, heal in me that which needs to be healed. I love you G!d with all my heart, all my soul and all my strength. Thank you for all your love and blessings.

or

I ask to see what I need to in this situation. I ask to perceive the good that I know exists. I ask for the best for all concerned and give thanks for I know it is so.

[path_of_one]

I pray like Wil, more or less. I rarely do any type of intercessory prayer (God, help XYZ happen), and this is for a number of reasons I won't elaborate on here.

I primarily pray in the following ways:

Individually

• In thanksgiving and gratefulness
• As a way of worship
• To ask forgiveness for my mistakes and errors, and to ask for strength and perseverence in becoming better
• To ask for the capacity to understand what I should do in certain situations, and the strength to do it
• To ask to be shaped ever more into a person approaching the example of Christ
• Prayers for peace, for which I've written a monthly ritual I do on my own
• Standard prayer/worship rituals I've written that combine Christianity and Druid symbolism
• Various prayers that I have either written myself or found that I loved (such as the prayers of St. Francis and St. Patrick)
• Meditation

Communally

• In church, from the Book of Common Prayer
• The Lord's Prayer (Our Father, Who Art in Heaven)

Individually, I have many practices in prayer. Mostly I just spontaneously lift my thoughts to God and have interior conversations with Him (mostly one-sided, but that's OK ). I do occasionally pray aloud, but not as often as silently, since in my mind I can pray throughout the day but I can't talk aloud to God at work, on the train, etc. without drawing attention.

When I do more ritual-centered prayer, I typically do it at home in my office, where I have four altars (at the directions) with lots of candles. I like candles. I don't find them necessary or even that important in prayer-work, but I like the symbolism and I find them aesthetically pleasing. My ritual prayer-work (more ceremonial and fixed) often uses Druid symbolism, so I have the candles and lots of art and things that remind me of the four directions and elements, combined with other art that represents the trinity and the Earth, and I have incense, water, and some kind of plant that fits the season. Sometimes I put flowers on the altar to the West, which also goes along with Christ's altar. It's more or less an artistic expression of my love for God and the Earth that I weave into prayer work. The ceremonies are repeated so they can have a rhythm to them, but I generally incorporate long periods in the middle of meditation and/or singing, that changes every time. Ceremony takes work and planning, so it is not an everyday and spontaneous thing like my ongoing conversation with God. But I feel like it is a way I can honor Him and incorporate art and the vibrancy of life into my prayer, so I try to do this periodically.

I like the balance- the ongoing spontaneous prayer and meditation, and the planned ceremonial prayers that happen in church or on my own.

[marmalade]

Prayers for me are just conversations with God even if a bit one-sided. Sometimes, I complain or argue or quesiton. I don't really ask for anything other than insight or consolation. I just say whatever is on my mind and whatever is in my heart. Talking to God is basically the same as talking to myself as if God exists he surely hears every thought even the ones we try to repress. So, might as well lay it all out. If alone, I'll speak aloud. In public, pray in my mind.

I also have a few mantras I enjoy which has a more devotional feel to it, but I have the same basic attitude as when I'm praying.

[arthra]

As a Baha'i I usually say the long obligatory prayer daily:

Bahá'í Reference Library - Bahá’í Prayers: A Selection of Prayers Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, Pages 7-17

as well as some morning and evening prayers. For me the prayers revealed by the Bab and Baha'u'llah have more potency and relevance

Bahá'í Reference Library - Bahá’í Prayers: A Selection of Prayers Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, the Báb, and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

but sometimes for people I see in hospital I will offer prayers for them in their tradition if possible... as I have a Christian background.

Baha'is do believe in intercessory prayer.

Also I recite Allah'u'Abha (God is Glorious) ninety five times while seated usually in the mornings after arising and performing ablutions.

- Art

[bob x]

Originally Posted by LeoSalinas22

i used to say the "Our Father in Heaven prayer", but haven't for some reason as well. i love the words in it, but i guess i feel that repeating what someone else prays, doesn't do God justice.

I used to get annoyed at AA meeting when people would vary the "Our Father", with phrases like "give us this day our daily strength" etc., thinking "You think you can write a better prayer than Jesus did?"
But then I read an essay about the Lord's Prayer, arguing that the reason it isn't word for word the same from one gospel to the next is because Jesus taught how to pray several times, and didn't use the exact same words each time (I don't know if that's a correct answer to the textual question, but an interesting thought nonetheless), but was trying to teach a *manner* of prayer: always begin and end with praise to God; never pray for your own will to govern, but to accept whatever God's will is; ask for no more than what you need today; do not expect forgiveness without reminding yourself to be forgiving to others, etc. If you touch on those themes, then you are praying "the Lord's Prayer" regardless of the details of your wording.

[China Cat Sunflower]

I usually sneak up as close as possible and then quickly pounce.

Chris

[pattimax]

I've done that... although it's better if He sees you coming.

Karen

[marmalade]

Originally Posted by China Cat Sunflower

I usually sneak up as close as possible and then quickly pounce.

Chris

You can also set out an offering, wait for Him to take the bait, and then spring the trap.

[Netti-Netti]

The seeking fogiveness is the most emotionally intense type of prayer for me.

The role of emotion in religion is ambiguous. Not totally sure how important it is. Something to explore.

[gp1628]

Usually silently. About the only re-occurring prayer I have would be at meals. "Thank God for the variety of life which gave itself to my meal this day. Amen"

[Snoopy]

Originally Posted by Still thinking

I'm reading this book right now called "The Way We Pray" which breaks down prayer practices from all over the world.

Still thinking - you may be interested in a similar comparative book called The Experience of Meditation, edited by Jonathan Shear. It contains chapters on Zen Buddhism, TM, Taoism/Qigong, Yoga, Theravada Buddhism, Tibetan Buddhism, Integral Yoga, Kriya Yoga, Sufism and Christianity.

So I'm curious, in your repective beliefs and individual truths, how do you pray\meditate\commune with the Divine?

Shikantaza.

s.

[wil]

Originally Posted by gp1628

Usually silently. About the only re-occurring prayer I have would be at meals. "Thank God for the variety of life which gave itself to my meal this day. Amen"

My meal prayer is, 'Thank you for this bounty, may all the nutrients find the way to where they are needed, and all the toxins pass thru"

[Alex P]

I started praying again... About a month back? When I went into Islam.. I now do not pray. In the sense most would understand "prayer" I in a sense pray pretty much every second of my life... every moment in my existance... My mind speaks to me, I speak back... This is my prayer... So my answer now to how I pray, I pray from the heart to the mind.