Compare & contrast these two, & site advantages of one over the other.
2007-09-29 16:09:08 · 14 answers · asked by clusium1971 7 in Society & Culture ➔ Religion & Spirituality
Meditation
(also called contemplative prayer)
is an exercise in
intimacy
and
honesty
that ultimately affords us
the simple
and beautiful
realization
that
everything
is
prayer.
.
2007-09-30 02:02:00 · answer #1 · answered by bodhidave 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It is the same thing. What we dwell upon in our heart and in our mind is what we get in this world - and each religion or spiritual practice has come up with instructions on how to do that. Prayer and Meditation both fall into this category - and each connotes a different attitude. Prayer implies requesting help, asking for a favor or giving thanks, while Meditation implies a quieting of the mind either to help it run better or to allow for divine words to be heard (or both).
The latest version of this is Intentioning (as with the Secret) and this explanation gives a further element that we don't often hear in the traditional ways to communicate with the Divine. Intentioning asks that you focus only on the positive (rather than worry about money that you don't have with a constant daily mantra of "I don't have the money" playing endlessly in your head, be happy and grateful for what you do have and intention more money into your life, for example) and to focus on the feeling of success, in both your body and mind (imagine or remember the rush of new love or the relief at having the money you need).
It's interesting to me, because anyone who can think of humanity with a father figure as God should be able to imagine that God didn't send his children out with no way to call home. We communicate with the Divine on a regular basis with our mental chatter and our feelings of delight and fear, etc. All the religions are trying to tell us this - it is time we listened.
Peace!
2007-09-29 18:37:37 · answer #2 · answered by carole 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Meditation will quieten your mind, so you are not overtaken by details and current emotions, and can see higher level things. Also the fretfulness of a busy life in a big city can leave people disconnected with the beauty in life. Answers can certainly come in from one's spirit at such times, that are clouded out because of the turmoil and preoccupation of the soul with the details and problems of everyday life. Also of course from a christian view, answers from not only one's spirit, but also the Holy Spirit, can come at times of stillness. Although there are certain caveats on some kinds of eastern meditation, as they might open one up to certain supernatural harmful influences you may, but probably aren't aware of. Of course this just points to the reality that there is not just us, but also God, and indeed a whole spiritual world. So prayer does indeed work if one is rightly related to God, and going about it in the right way.
2016-05-17 06:43:13 · answer #3 · answered by ? 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Prayer: t a l k i n g to the Universe, All That Is
Meditation: l i s t e n i n g to what the Universe, All That Is has to say
The same as talking and listening, both prayer and meditation have their places in life. (but let me tell you a secret: both are actually ... magic !!!)
2007-09-30 02:23:08 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Prayer is an irrational learned behavior. It's speaking to an imaginary entity.
Meditation is introspection. To meditate you must be willing to consider your manner of thinking and root out all possible contradictions. Meditation is a cleansing process.
Sometimes meditation is defined as the focusing of the mind on nothingness in order to empty it from all thoughts. In such a case, meditation is used as a relaxing or therapeutic technique to relieve stress or anxiety.
2007-09-29 16:30:04 · answer #5 · answered by DrEvol 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Prayer is oneness with our essential being, tuning into the spirit that connects all living things, which is to me the same as meditation.
2007-09-30 02:21:42 · answer #6 · answered by NRPeace 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Meditation is stabilizing the internal/external field by quieting the mind/body system. Prayer is intentionally causative.
2007-09-30 15:13:05 · answer #7 · answered by MysticMaze 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Prayer is talking to a nonexistent being in the hopes that he will better your life.
Meditation is more about finding an inner peace. I try to find time to meditate every day. I like to reminisce about past events; it tends to remove a lot of stress from my life.
2007-09-29 16:14:41 · answer #8 · answered by asourapple100 4 · 1⤊ 1⤋
All I know is that you can be an atheist and meditate. Meditation removes the ego and asks for nothing in return.
2007-09-29 16:29:23 · answer #9 · answered by beztvarny 3 · 3⤊ 0⤋
IMO: To meditate is to ask oneself without prejudice, to be immersed in prayer is to commune with God. They can be done in reciprocity.
God bless.
2007-09-29 17:26:09 · answer #10 · answered by Gravitar or not... 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋