How should I pray?

[markdohle]

I was talking to a friend and he asked me how he should pray. I kind of hate those kinds of questions. So I asked him how he prayed. So he told me what he read, and the time he spent in ‘attempting’ to pray (his description). So I responded; intention is everything, your doing fine, just allow grace to slowly do its work. Show up, pray, that is all you need to do. There are no secrets, though there are many distraction, bodily aches and pains, being tired and yes problems and chaos. Just part of life, we all go through it. Time spent in prayer, no matter how poorly it seems to be done, is worthwhile. We show love by the time we want to spend with the beloved, that is true in any relationship that has deep roots.

Edited October 17, 2013 by markdohle

[Sir Wearer of Hats]

Prayer - as I tell my students in RE lessons - is you talking to God and God talking to you.

God will talk to you in his own way, so you have to talk to Him in yours. Some kneel and/or pray the Rosary, some just look up at the sky, or at the dirt. Some Say the OUr Father, some do so in Latin.

But however you do it, it's between you can God so you have to do it in a way that's meaningful to you.

[Grandpa Greenman]

I think Christ gave you all some clear instructions on that.

⁵ “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites, for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the street corners to be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. ⁶ But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you. ⁷ And when you pray, do not keep on babbling like pagans, for they think they will be heard because of their many words. ⁸ Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.

⁹ “This, then, is how you should pray:

“‘Our Father in heaven,

hallowed be your name,

¹⁰ your kingdom come,

your will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

¹¹ Give us today our daily bread.

¹² And forgive us our debts,

as we also have forgiven our debtors.

¹³ And lead us not into temptation,^[a]

but deliver us from the evil one.^[b]’

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Matthew%206&version=NIV

[freetoroam]

I find this interesting.

If religion is based on your love for your god, then really would you need to be shown how to pray to that god by man?

It does seem as if this is the case, as different religions have different methods while praying IE: rosary beads, mats, clasping of hands etc etc etc. but these different methods are not passed down from god, but passed down through families or shown to them by the cult they have chosen to follow.

My point is: if you believe in god and you talk to him and he talks to you, surely your GOD is the one who will guide you how to pray, or you should have your own individual method instead of following others.

[markdohle]

I find this interesting.

If religion is based on your love for your god, then really would you need to be shown how to pray to that god by man?

It does seem as if this is the case, as different religions have different methods while praying IE: rosary beads, mats, clasping of hands etc etc etc. but these different methods are not passed down from god, but passed down through families or shown to them by the cult they have chosen to follow.

My point is: if you believe in god and you talk to him and he talks to you, surely your GOD is the one who will guide you how to pray, or you should have your own individual method instead of following others.

No two people pray alike, we do what we can, and move forward down our spiritual path. Each person in unique in how they relate to the infinite, it is sacred. As a Christian it is Christ Jesus who is central to my love, this seeking to grow in love of God, self and others, is a life long process. Love last, faith and hope will one day pass.

Prayer opens the heart to the reality of the above.

peace

mark

Prayer - as I tell my students in RE lessons - is you talking to God and God talking to you.

God will talk to you in his own way, so you have to talk to Him in yours. Some kneel and/or pray the Rosary, some just look up at the sky, or at the dirt. Some Say the OUr Father, some do so in Latin.

But however you do it, it's between you can God so you have to do it in a way that's meaningful to you.

Thank you.

peace

Mark

[freetoroam]

No two people pray alike, we do what we can, and move forward down our spiritual path. Each person in unique in how they relate to the infinite, it is sacred.

Sorry Mark, as a non religious person, I only say what I see, and I say I see people do pray the same according to their religion. What they say to their god may differ, but at the end of the day, i would imaging many ask the same questions and it is true that they recite the same "prayer".from their chosen book.

Here are a few examples of people praying and I do not see many people not praying alike within their chosen religion.

*Snip*

Edited October 18, 2013 by Still Waters
Removed copyrighted images

[White Crane Feather]

I think surrender is the best way to pray. But that's just me.

[markdohle]

Sorry Mark, as a non religious person, I only say what I see, and I say I see people do pray the same according to their religion. What they say to their god may differ, but at the end of the day, i would imaging many ask the same questions and it is true that they recite the same "prayer".from their chosen book.

Here are a few examples of people praying and I do not see many people not praying alike within their chosen religion.

*Snip*

Each person has a deep interior, each unique, each has a different background, different level of understanding, different intelligence, different levels of their love of God and others,no, each is unique. though thank you for responding ;-).

Peace

mark

I think surrender is the best way to pray. But that's just me.

Thank you.

peace

Mark

Edited October 18, 2013 by Still Waters
Removed copyrighted images from quote

[Mr Walker]

I find this interesting.

If religion is based on your love for your god, then really would you need to be shown how to pray to that god by man?

It does seem as if this is the case, as different religions have different methods while praying IE: rosary beads, mats, clasping of hands etc etc etc. but these different methods are not passed down from god, but passed down through families or shown to them by the cult they have chosen to follow.

My point is: if you believe in god and you talk to him and he talks to you, surely your GOD is the one who will guide you how to pray, or you should have your own individual method instead of following others.

For me this is true. I don't pray to god just talk with him. But it requires a clear mind, discipline and practice. Many cultures use rituals or artefacts to aid in concentration and practice They do help people but they are not required or essential.

Only an open mind, an open hear,t and a desire to know god are needed.

[Beany]

These days my prayers consist solely of thanks. I'm not even sure to who or what the prayer goes. I am responsible, try to stay conscious & aware, increase the knowledge of myself, and let the rest of it go. It's so simple that some people have trouble grokking it.

Edited October 19, 2013 by Beany

[markdohle]

These days my prayers consist solely of thanks. I'm not even sure to who or what the prayer goes. I am responsible, try to stay conscious & aware, increase the knowledge of myself, and let the rest of it go. It's so simple that some people have trouble grokking it.

Well said my friend. Thanks is something often overlooked.

peace

mark

[Beany]

Well said my friend. Thanks is something often overlooked.

peace

mark

Thanks for all the gifts I've already received, and thanks for those coming my way. And sometimes, just "I need some help here". It's my experience that the universe is endlessly creative, and while I may see one or two solutions to a problem, there are maybe hundreds or thousands that I would never think of. I had a friend who was destitute, husband had cancer, we all prayed for her. Then a super typhoon hit, and a giant crane on top of a building being constructed next door was blown off the roof and destroyed one wall of her apartment on the way down. This did NOT sound like the answers to our prayers. Then she got a call from the construction company, which, being afraid of a law suit, offered to put them up in a brand new apartment rent free, twice as large as theirs, all utilities & cable TV included, for 18 months, along with a lump sum settlement. We would never have come up with this as a solution.

[George Ford]

No one needs to pray. God is pretty cool and is watching all along anyway. If you feel he is not, just ask him what you need to know. What is much harder is listening and understanding his response. He's not like us. Also he doesn't care that much about us cos he knows we all end up in the same place after life and as we are on this Earth we are pretty limited.

[freetoroam]

*snip* ?

oww, that hurt!

[markdohle]

*snip* ?

oww, that hurt!

LOL, Just apply ice to the wound ;-)

Peace

mark

[+Paranoid Android]

There's no single authoritative way to pray (though there are some wrong ways to pray). When I was first starting out as a Christian and didn't know what to do, my Bible Study group suggested using a method dubbed the ACTS - Adoration, Confession, Thanks, Supplication (another thing I learnt was that Christians love their acronyms). Basically it goes like this:

Adoration - praise God's greatness

Confession - admit your sins, promise to try to do better

Thanks - thank God for anything and everything

Supplication - bring your requests to God.

A lot of people see prayer as just asking God for stuff, but that's only the last of these four points and cheapens God to a genie-in-a-bottle, rub it when you want something, put it on the shelf when you don't.

Needless to say, as time went by I developed my own way of talking to God and no longer strictly follow a specific structure. But for newbie Christians, I think having a structure like this helps.

Edited October 21, 2013 by Paranoid Android

[+joc]

I prefer to just tell the Universe what I want. I don't ask for anything. I just say, I need this, I need that...and I get it. It's amazing really. I also tell the Universe how in Awe of the Greatness of All I am. The Power of the Universe is Infinite...whether one refers to that Power as God or Alah or Infinite Energy...when one accesses that Power one is blessed.

It is all part of the Universal Flow.

Edited October 21, 2013 by joc

[Resh]

Mark have you ever read the Spiritual Guide by Michael de Molinos? I recommend

Edited October 21, 2013 by Spiritus Spacium

[+joc]

Mark have you ever read the Spiritual Guide by Michael de Molinos? I recommend

No I haven't. Thanks for the recommendations but...I am my own Spiritual Guide...or better put...I don't need a Spiritual Guide because I have given myself over to the flow of the Universal Currents...guides aren't really needed there.

[+joc]

No I haven't. Thanks for the recommendations but...I am my own Spiritual Guide...or better put...I don't need a Spiritual Guide because I have given myself over to the flow of the Universal Currents...guides aren't really needed there.

I guess I answered your question before you addressed it to Mark.

[Frank Merton]

I don't think I can say I pray: in fact I know I don't. What I do is commune. I guess maybe I'm lazy because I don't have to form it into sub-vocal words, but I think it does so much better a job than words possibly could.

Often this happens in Temple, but not always. It just happens when it happens.

[+joc]

I don't think I can say I pray: in fact I know I don't. What I do is commune. I guess maybe I'm lazy because I don't have to form it into sub-vocal words, but I think it does so much better a job than words possibly could.

Often this happens in Temple, but not always. It just happens when it happens.

You may be lazy...but I think not. To put it in Christian terms...what Jesus said about praying...he railed against those who had 'all the words' and loved praying in public. The thing is, it isn't the words that are important. It is the 'thought' that is important. Words only express vocally the 'thought'. It is the...thought...that has power. They have power because they generate vibrations that touch the fabric of the Universe. To put it again in Christian terms...like when the lady touched Jesus' garment. He 'knew' she had touched him...because he could 'feel' the vibrations of her 'thought'.

[Resh]

Its not a literal "guide" dude, its this guys ideas, reject them or accept them, I think its always good to keep a broad framework on a subject if your really interested in it.

This guy talks about a different form of prayer, different from the orthodox way because it resembles meditation.

For this and other novel ideas, he was killed by the church, may he rest in peace.

Edited October 23, 2013 by Spiritus Spacium

[Resh]

Besides, the board is a question about how to pray, this is my insight

[SpiritWriter]

Pray without ceasing... understanding we are always in communion with God, no guilty feelings, no thinking "im doing it the wrong way" just being loving and open to the spirit. Talk to him the way you would a friend and listen. Make a practise everyday to spend some time "in your prayer closet/alone time for worship" if you get out of practise get back into it... no guilt....

Sometimes it seems hard for a person, but after a while its the easiest thing in the world.

Pray without ceasing... that is where its at.

Thanks Markdohl