Prayer, I'd define, as being in the state of conscious awareness of God - being aware of the existence of something greater than the mere physical world we inhabit. It is a mindful condition, in which honest two-way communication arises between the Infinite and Eternal Purpose, and you.
Set prayers, as taught by religions, do have a use - but only in that mindful condition; as words upon which to meditate. Personally, I prefer to start by emptying the mind, or else to be aware of those moments when suddenly conditions for prayer are right. Such moments should not be ignored, but pounced on with joy - the conduit has opened - listen. Your muscles should relax, blood pressure and pulse rate should fall. You are now mindful and accepting of the totality of the Universe, and of your place within it.
Abandon all negative thoughts, all grievances and disgruntlement - adopt a positive, grateful attitude - then quietly listen. Meditation, focus on breathing, all helps to bring you back to the hear-and-now and let go of the cares and woes. It is worth remembering that we are but discreet units of consciousness upon a planet that's part of a far greater whole;
How often should we pray? How much spirituality do we need? This question continues to trouble me; guilt that I'm not praying as often as I should. Is that guilt justified?
You can say "I pray when the fancy takes me, whenever the need arises, whenever I feel inspired." You could likewise say - "That's not enough." As usual, it should be a matter of balance. Don't neglect your contact with the Infinite and Eternal, but don't force it. Remember, the road is infinitely long; a particular insight, another small step on the road to Enlightenment, might come in this lifetime, or later; such is spiritual evolution.
Prayer is about touching base with the metaphysical, it is a reminder of the fact that we are more than meat-covered skeletons stumbling randomly around an accidental world that just happened.
Prayer is also about being consciously grateful for your life. I'd actually assess that the majority of my prayer consists of gratitude, being aware of my good luck, asking that it continue. Washing my teeth, twice or more a day, is a set time for mindful gratitude for health. If, having washed them, I put my brush down and realise I haven't consciously expressed that gratitude - I pick up the brush and have another go.
I don't believe in praying for material things - indeed, I don't believe that the Universe works that way. There are things you can pray for - health, contentment, security, freedom from discomfort, acceptance, a satisfying job - and you can pray for these for your loved ones. A positive feedback loop of gratitude and luck. And there are things you can't - a Mercedes-Benz, a lottery win.
Complacency is always the danger - because things are OK, there's no need to pray. An attitude dismissive of the notion that our lives continually teeter on the edge of chaos - that really bad things can strike out of the blue - is dangerous. We need to be mindful of those dangers, in our prayers.
How do we know we're getting it right? Sometimes that feedback comes in the form of profound insights, unbidden explanations - suddenly something becomes clear - indisputably clear. A strong, positive voice fills you with confidence, dispelling doubt. And that 'inner hug' - that magic, warm feeling within, your eyes well up with tears of joy - a surge of oxytocin through the bloodstream? A biofeedback response to your trust in the Universe?
This time last year:
Build your own religion - the tenets
This time two years ago:
Chynów station - progress on the tracks
This time four years ago:
Mindfulness - more than a passing fad?
This time five years ago:
Pascal's Wager dissected with Occam's Razor
This time six years ago:
Speaking to God, listening to God
This time seven years ago:
D3200 shoots X100
This time eight years ago:
Weekend with the Fuji X100
This time 12 years ago:
Sublime sunset, Jeziorki
This time 13 years ago:
Dramatic sunset, Jeziorki
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