What does "prayer" mean to you?

Question

Is it a convenient time to massage God's ego and mooch off God? Oh Almighty, You Are So Benevolent, I am so stupid, so here I am in trouble, so please bless me, no no rescue me, until I fall into the next ditch and I wont bit*ch. Or is prayer a convenient tool to make gullible people do stupid things? In the name of "God", you are the chosen one, so sip this cup of ....., and in the name of God, protect this country and go to battle, yours in not to ask why, but to do and die, like a hero, in the name of God, while I stay home and pig out on beer and chips, and watch all your stupid deeds on TV on a comfortable leather couch ... protect my riches, yield my guns, and you will be one blessed citizen, one true man of God. Or is prayer a time to connect, with a friend, a family member. Whassup yo?
I know you're busy and all, but jus to say hi, swinging by, lemme know if there is anything ya would like me to do, I will le ya know if I need something, have'nt forgetten ya since yo invisbl..

Answer 1

Prayer means communicating with a diety to me. ever realize when everything else fails, no matter who you are we all find this supernatural being who's worshiped as controlling every aspect of the world and human life, who is the personafication of a almighty force......

Answer 2

To me, a prayer is a mean of making peace with your soul. If you start your day with a prayer, you are thanking the higher power to keep you alive and guide you throughout the day to do some good deeds or stop you from making unfortunate decisions. When you use a prayer to ask for forgiveness or gain something, it is business. Such prayers will never be answered. Consider two country going to war against each other. Both are praying for victory and minimum casualty. We all know, only one will win the war. Is that mean ones prayer was answered? No. Prayer means to surrender to a higher power, and ask for guidance. You may call it aarti, pooja, namaz or church service. Its all same.

Answer 3

Friend,

Prayer is neither a wishing for some thing or repenting for some thing.It is not a dialogue between you and HIM and it is neither a monologue.

You sit in a silence.....observe yourself keenly.....With one thing in mind LET THY WILL BE DONE.

God knows what to give, when to give and whom to give.You need not request Him.

You always ,Always every second of your life remember him.

Sitting in silence say to your self..Oh God Take all I have , take control of all my sense organs and motor organs and mind and ahankaara all....and do what you want to do.Use me as an instrument to your purpose here.

By singing songs,chanting mantras or Stotrams etc definitely your mind becomes calm and serene.When your mind is calm then good things show up themselves.

I think that is prayer

Answer 4

Prayer means self-analysing and correcting oneself to perfection.
Prayer means building the ability to judge the good and bad.
Prayer means bringing peace with in and spreading to the people around.
Prater means seeking the blessings of the almighty to handle any situation successfully, the degree might vary but which allows or guides towards the correct path always.
Prayer means; it teaches to respect fellow-people as an equal.
Prayer teaches to respect people in general and elders in particula
Prayer allows human-beings to stay as human being than behaving as brutals, animals, especially when they are in power. Power can be in any form, it can be a power to rule, administer. Power in the family, monetary power, emotional power, etc.
It is difficult to remain human when we are blessed with everything, ie when we are blessed with good family, good relations, good friends, power, wealth, beauty, health, etc.
I THINK ONLY PRAYER CAN HELP PEOPLE REMAIN AS HUMAN WHEN WE POSSES ALL THE ABOVE POSSESSIONS THROUGH MEANS OF MEDITATION.

Answer 5

Prayer is communicating with the Lord just like small children speak with their parents. If the children are small they ask the parents many things and the parents provide the children, although the parents provide without having to ask. But, the parents appreciate loving affection involved in the prayers. When the children grow up they want to give something to the parents, though everthing is the property of the parents, instead of only taking things from the parents. The child may give a rose or any gift as a gesture of loving exchange.

Similarly, in the beginning stages one prays to God go give daily bread though God gives without asking. When the children are grown up they want to give something to God by giving something to God though everything is the property of God.

There are many wonderful prayers and one of the best prayers is as follows:

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.

The meaning of the above prayer is as follows,
"O Supreme Energy of Krishna and O Lord Krishna, please engage me in Your eternal service." or in other words,
"O energy of the Lord [Hare], O all-attractive Lord (Krishna), O Supreme Enjoyer (Rama), please engage me in Your service."

The word Hare is the form of addressing the energy of the Lord, and the words Krishna and Rama are forms of addressing the Lord Himself. Both Krishna and Rama mean the supreme pleasure, and Hara is the supreme pleasure energy of the Lord, changed to Hare in the vocative. The supreme pleasure energy of the Lord helps us to reach the Lord. . .

These three words, namely Hare, Krishna and Rama, are the transcendental seeds of the maha-mantra. The chanting is a spiritual call for the Lord and His energy, to give protection to the conditioned soul. This chanting is exactly like the genuine cry of a child for its mother's presence. Mother Hara helps the devotee achieve the Lord Father's grace, and the Lord reveals Himself to the devotee who chants this mantra sincerely. . .

Answer 6

Prayer is the elevation of the mind and heart to God:
+ In praise of his glory
+ In petition for some desired good
+ In thanksgiving for a good received
+ In intercession for others before God

Through prayer the Christian experiences a communion with God through Christ in the Church.

"For me, prayer is a surge of the heart; it is a simple look turned toward heaven, it is a cry of recognition and of love, embracing both trial and joy." (St. Thérèse of Lisieux)

"Prayer is the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting of good things from God." (St. John Damascene)

But when we pray, do we speak from the height of our pride and will, or "out of the depths" of a humble and contrite heart? (Psalm 130:1)

He who humbles himself will be exalted; humility is the foundation of prayer. Only when we humbly acknowledge that "we do not know how to pray as we ought," are we ready to receive freely the gift of prayer. "Man is a beggar before God."

With love in Christ.

Answer 7

Pray regular then only you will come to know. You will fill fresh
and enternal power also.Once you remember God With clean
heart you will success in your task.

Answer 8

it means 5 or more times a day everyday. establishing regular prayers is the key

Answer 9

Wishful thinking. Talking to the wall.

Answer 10

Wishful thinking.