Praying
 

What do you think about praying? Do you pray? Who do you pray to?
As an agnostic, sometimes I feel the need to pray, but I've been taught that in order to do so you have to believe in god or, in general, in a supernatural being, able (and possibly willing) to fulfill your wishes. I don't know if I believe in anything at all. However, I usually think of praying as "deeply wishing" something. Not something like "please, I want a new pair of shoes", more profound stuff. :tongue: When it has to do with me, ok, praying is another way to say "concentrating", "contemplating", or even "meditating". It helps in developing awareness f situations and feelings, etc, so it has results. But, praying for other people or situations I can't really affect, is confusing. Because I do it, without hoping anything or addressing to any specific being.

HI

I just speak to the universe like the universe is my best friend
I don't believe in any Deity, I believe in love.

LOve cheeneka x

For me, a prayer is a declaration of intent. Said out loud, if quietly, with an address and clear statement of what I ask for. Respectfully so. I don't do it a lot, nor do I expect fireworks or a flotilla of angels zooming in to strafe the ground. But I do find that when I do it, my requests are heard and helped in some way, more often than a statistics expert would be happy about. I guess part of the trick is to not ask for more than what is absolutely needed.

Prayer has become increasingly important to me over the last year and a half. I come from a non religious family so prayer is not something I was accustomed to doing but it makes sense to me now. I'm not sure it matters who you pray to, just the intention and emotion of what you say will somehow get to the right place.
I think the fact you pray for others Alchemist is great, i think it's more powerful than we realise & believe the energy and light you shine on someone during prayer will reach them.

for me , prayer is a request for the Creator to make the changes in me. i prefer it because i'm learning to rely on the Creator to help me. prayer for me is always heart centered and comes from the heart. the answer/changes/blessings then goes to the heart from the Creator.

Alot of stuff in that there post!

If asking about prayer it helps to know there are many types of prayer.
Prayers of praise and worship
Prayers of supplication or petition....asking for something
Intercessory prayer ...praying for another
Dedication prayer...and more...
Prayer is talking to God or to whomever....your Higher Self, your subconscious mind.

Prayer isn't exactly contemplation or meditation...a person that contemplates, ponders, even,
would not say they were praying at all....same with meditation.
Just saying...we can talk more on that later....there is overlap, see.

I can see it would be confusing to pray for another if you are coming from that place of
not being able to effect anything AND not hoping for anything.
I mean, if I plant a seed, I hope and expect a plant to grow.

Bingo, on seeing that prayer develops feelings about a situation...
clarity, focus, intention and desire.
It aligns you...places you in a position of receiving and of power.

I will say this, if you have doubt and you pray ...nothing will come about.
Then, it is easy to say prayer doesn't work...
and you're right, your prayer is not working.

I'm wondering if you would better like affirmations or believing thoughts are things...
that nothing happens without it being a thought first...that way there is no confusing you on who you may be talking to.
Maybe believe their is a collective unconscious you are addressing?

There was a lot to address in that post.
I know a lot about prayers getting answered.
I hope we can have a conversation.

Prayers for others.....known or unknown to you.......is an exercise in stepping outside of yourself. In other words, it can be a way of loosening the hold of the ego over yourself. It is the loosening of the ego which facilitates connection with the spiritual. The simple fact that you pray for someone else means that you have feelings for others. This feeling for others is a hidden longing for union with others. It can be an initial step in leaving duality for unity.

I think prayer is about good intention. When you pray you are putting your faith and belief in something/someone hoping to be helped/heard/healed. I pray to a god like source because that's what I personally believe in. Prayer makes me feel good and it is scientific proven that when a prayer is done in the masses it can be significantly beneficial to the reciprocant of the prayer

I pray to connect with God. I also pray to gain guidance and support from God and to give me the strength and courage to do right and reject wrong.

Prayer is good, but it is only an expression of intent, whereas the virtuous act is the intention fulfilled. I believe God loves prayer, but values virtuous acts more highly as they achieve His Will.

I didn't have anything to pray to until I realized that we're all connected. That all life is connected. Although I had been acknowledging the Spirit (within), it was a natural step to calling it the Great Spirit. That's what I pray to, & on the understanding that my words & thoughts will carry through the fabric of creation.

Incidentally, I thought this thread was in the General Beliefs forum. Having said the above, I'm not religious.