Prayer is our way, our method of communicating with God. Through prayer we seek God’s companionship through the ups and downs of our life’s journey. Prayer is a way of being: being in the moment, being present,being open. It is a way of learning to be ourselves.
Prayer is a way of relating: to God, to ourselves, to those around us. When we open our hearts and minds and souls to God we are challenged to evolve, adjust, and to love. Just as we make time to spend with those we love, so in making time to pray we are seeking to grow in our relationship with the Divine.
We might express our thoughts, we may remain in silence, or we may even be active in doing that we love…
Prayer has a very personal meaning which derives from an individual’s religious background or spiritual practice. For some, prayer will mean specific sacred words; for others, it may be a more informal talking or listening to God, a higher power, the Universal Mind.
The word “prayer” comes from the Latin precarius, which means “obtained by begging, to entreat”.
The different kinds and types of prayer
Prayer is rooted in the belief that there is a power greater than oneself that can influence one’s life. It is the act of raising hearts and minds to God or a higher power.
There is no one set way to pray. Forms include spoken prayers, silent prayers, and prayers of the mind, the heart, and union with God.
Prayers may be directed (e.g., prayers for specific things) or non-directed, with no specific outcome in mind.
Prayer comes in many flavors! Specific types of prayers include:
- Intercessory prayer: Praying for someone else.
- Distant healing prayer: Praying for the healing of someone or something at a distance.
- Petition prayer: Asking God or a higher power for something.
- Centering prayer: Centering on a word or phrase for a minimum of 20 minutes in silence, usually in order to open to the sacred.
- Contemplative prayer: Opening to union with God or the sacred.
- Meditation: Differs somewhat by religion. In Christianity, the goal of meditation is often union with God. In Buddhism, the goal is to expand awareness and gain insight into the nature of passing phenomenon. Meditation may be practiced by sitting in silence (often while following one’s breath), doing intentional movement, or using visualization, imagination, or a specific object or mantra as a focus.
The health benefits of praying
The effectiveness of prayer has been studied for centuries to discover if prayer truly works. Conclusions from many theories and formulated assumptions prove that prayer benefits man in several ways.
Primarily, the findings of empirical studies on the efficacy of prayer are derived from different health research. The result, according to most research, is that prayer is effective.
Studies have also proven that the practice of prayer together with medicine and medications is a better remedy to heal the sick than medicine and medications alone.
In addition, studies have shown that those who pray more often live more fruitful lives compared to those who do not have the habit of praying.
A 2009 study on the effects of prayer on depression and anxiety found that members of a group had lower rates of depression and anxiety and were more optimistic after sessions in which they prayed for one another, compared to the control group (which had no prayer sessions).
Bring the benefits of prayer to you and your loved ones. You can begin anytime with my list of prayers that I have composed and curated with love especially for all of you. Just remember: the best time to begin is… now!
May you be Love, May you be Light, May you be Aligned…
KC The Greek Shaman
