Praying Vs. Thinking

I was wondering if someone with a more traditional sense (Biblical) could explain to me the idea of praying?

When I was a young child my Grandmother used to always make me go to church with her, say blessing, and pray at night time. It was pretty much the cliché bow your head, hands in Prayer Pose, and say your prayer to God. I had no problem with this as a child and just did as I was told, thinking it was what I was supposed to do. However, as I grew older, the idea of praying to God seemed to dissolve just like the idea of the Tooth Fairy coming in at night and replacing my soft-ball accident with some coin.

I am not here to argue the belief of God and the validity of praying in a practical sense. I have my own beliefs on God (Universe/whatever/name/etc), but I believe it to be existant and I assume that one would be able to hear us.

My problem is this: Whenever I have "prayed to God" it doesn't feel any different than just speaking thoughts in my head. It is the same voice, the same feeling, and I hear it the same way. It's not like I am engaged in a conversation where I can feel my listener taking in the information that comes out of my mouth. It just feels like me talking to myself while thinking that someone is listening other than me. This is the same, vice-versa. If my prayers are just thoughts, then are my thoughts just prayers? Is every little thought I have in my head a message to "God" and if so what happens when I think negative/bad thoughts?

I understand that one could pray to God and receive a benefit or a manifestation that would validate your praying but I'm sure the scientific Atheist would just chock that up as coincidence.

Perhaps I am just doing it "wrong", huh?

Does anyone here pray and if so, do you feel a connection and a difference other than when you are just caught up in the mind?

reply to post by ErroneousDylan


It's really simple what prayer is and my Dad explained it to me quite succinctly: Prayer, thought, meditation, whatever you wanna call it, is just asking your subconscious for what you want so that it can act to fulfill it on a subconscious and semi-conscious level.

The way I look at God is that our consciousness is God. We have the power to both create genetically modified species and destroy cities and worlds with our weapons. We are the Gods that we spoke of in mythology. We're simply telling ourselves what we want.

I personally prefer oral prayer over silent prayer. Even if it is just whispering.

Originally posted by UnivoxSuperfuzz
reply to post by ErroneousDylan

 

It's really simple what prayer is and my Dad explained it to me quite succinctly: Prayer, thought, meditation, whatever you wanna call it, is just asking your subconscious for what you want so that it can act to fulfill it on a subconscious and semi-conscious level.

The way I look at God is that our consciousness is God. We have the power to both create genetically modified species and destroy cities and worlds with our weapons. We are the Gods that we spoke of in mythology. We're simply telling ourselves what we want.

I will probably end up agreeing with this more than any post.

It's kind of like giving a tip of the hat to the 'New Age-y' "Law of Attraction". I assume that it is just over-powering the subconscious that is filled with doubt. When people have doubts in their sub-conscious they can not manifest what it is they want. However, when they put their faith in a figure like the "all-power God" they quickly lose their doubts, which, in turn, manifests them their desires.

Still, even with the whole theory of us being God, we are all God, we are all one. I still feel like, perhaps, there is a divine Creator, even if we are splices of it. It's hard for me to explain that I believe We are God, yet there is still a God that is Us but is also not Us at the same time. That sounds pretty illogical.

reply to post by ErroneousDylan


I agree with you on that last part there. I don't mean to preach that we are Gods really in the "creator" or spiritual sense, I just mean the Gods governing our own world. The term "superspecies" comes to mind, although we're still no better than any other species on our planet, as we're dependent on them as they are us.

reply to post by ErroneousDylan


Praying is talking to God... Though im not saying its a bad thing remember these words...

1Take heed that ye do not your alms before men, to be seen of them: otherwise ye have no reward of your Father which is in heaven.

2Therefore when thou doest thine alms, do not sound a trumpet before thee, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

3But when thou doest alms, let not thy left hand know what thy right hand doeth:

4That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly.

5And when thou prayest, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are: for they love to pray standing in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have their reward.

6But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.

7But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

8Be not ye therefore like unto them: for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.


Meditation is listening to God...

Give it a try if you haven't...

Learn it, practice it... And understanding will come

Pardon the scripture

Originally posted by Akragon
reply to post by ErroneousDylan

 

Meditation is listening to God...

Give it a try if you haven't...

Learn it, practice it... And understanding will come

edit on 30-12-2011 by Akragon because: (no reason given)

Now this, I like. Never thought of it that way as meditation usually comes to me as thought and self-reflection, but a few other times, I've had sort of a "transcendant" experience from it.

reply to post by UnivoxSuperfuzz


I strongly believe Jesus taught meditation...

And its found all through the bible

reply to post by Akragon


I do meditate. I have been meditating on and off for the majority of my life. However, it is meditation based off of Taoism.

The only real reward I have gained from meditation is physical strength. It makes me feel rested, makes my body feel better, all that jazz.

I've never really experienced the clarity and answers that I have always read about through meditation. People claim that when you meditate you are listening to "God". Even when I am able to completely turn off my chatter-brain and sit and enjoy the pure abstract stillness of the unknown, I don't come to any revelations. I never get an "Ah ha!" moment that I have so heard about. Meditation just seems like a way to empower one's self, regardless of that power being for better or for worse.

reply to post by ErroneousDylan


But what is it that you seek through your meditation...

Meditation for reward is a fault imo...

IF you're looking for understanding you must know that it is your intention...

And what is the "understanding" or AH HAA... you're looking for?

reply to post by ErroneousDylan


I started my practice of meditation in Taoism as well. Sometimes I do it for relaxation and to come down. Other times I do it for the answers I seek and I usually get them either during meditation or in my dreams that night.

reply to post by ErroneousDylan


There is no wrong way to pray because it is just communication. I pray when lying in my bed, because it is easier for me than kneeling. There are times when kneeling is appropriate, and you will learn those times. Prayer is just communication.

I like this as prayer

We can be like Tevya, we can communicate with God whenever we like and tell Him we just don't understand or that we are dealing with something we can't handle. If we want to sing our prayer, it is ok. If we want to just whisper our prayer, it is ok. You do it how you feel the most comfortable.

I do not understand praying.

If you believe everything is according to God's divine plan, then praying is asking God to alter his divine plan for you.

It just seems kinda presumptuous to ask the creator to change his creation to the will of his creation, rather than to his own.

So, I do not pray, but rather accept God's will.

If a brother or sister requests that I pray for them, I only ask that God's will be done.

With Love,

Your Brother

Originally posted by IAMIAM
I do not understand praying.

If you believe everything is according to God's divine plan, then praying is asking God to alter his divine plan for you.

It just seems kinda presumptuous to ask the creator to change his creation to the will of his creation, rather than to his own.

So, I do not pray, but rather accept God's will.

If a brother or sister requests that I pray for them, I only ask that God's will be done.

With Love,

Your Brother

The commands from God Himself is that if we love each other, we must pray one for another, that we be healed.

Originally posted by WarminIndy

The commands from God Himself is that if we love each other, we must pray one for another, that we be healed.

I am sorry my friend, I did not know you were in need of healing.

What is your ailment?

With Love,

Your Brother

Originally posted by IAMIAM

Originally posted by WarminIndy

The commands from God Himself is that if we love each other, we must pray one for another, that we be healed.

I am sorry my friend, I did not know you were in need of healing.

What is your ailment?

With Love,

Your Brother

Wittiest comeback I've ever heard... when you take it out of context.

I'm guessing you were actually being sincere, but... still funny to me.

reply to post by ErroneousDylan


Those "A HA!" moments are very few and far between...keep trying...I, too, use the Taoist-like approach for both my meditation and my prayer to the Divinity.

I have only experienced the utter joy and freedom and overwhelming flood of the "enlightenment" a few times over many years, but once you have felt it, you never, ever forget it...and you strive for it again, and you love it and desire to find it again. While it is fleeting, yet it still is fulfilling.
It's really some good stuff
.
Have you read Alan Watts? He was the one who I first "approached" as a teacher, after being introduced to the concepts of Zen and the Tao. Helped me...there are other resources, too. But, just keep trying.

reply to post by wildtimes


I have read a little from Alan Watts. Glad to hear you have ha some success. I too hope to find some someday.

reply to post by ErroneousDylan


It really is not "easy" going when you begin it. We in the occidental culture have had so little exposure to much of the oriental wisdom, and so it is hard to switch gears and wrap your head around it.

I am no dimwit, and I found it quite slow going, actually, requiring concentration, re-reading of sentences, paragraphs. I finally came to a (probably very "beginner") sort of grasp of it.

I would recommend a good read for you:
The Tibetan Book of the Dead by W.Y. Evans-Wentz

And another by Thich Nhat Hanh:
Living Buddha, Living Christ

Originally posted by IAMIAM
I do not understand praying.

If you believe everything is according to God's divine plan, then praying is asking God to alter his divine plan for you.

It just seems kinda presumptuous to ask the creator to change his creation to the will of his creation, rather than to his own.

So, I do not pray, but rather accept God's will.

If a brother or sister requests that I pray for them, I only ask that God's will be done.

With Love,

Your Brother

Christ came to do the will of the father, therefore we can assume that Christ can only do the will of the father. When we pray it should be for what we believe the will of the father would be for. Things like tell me what you want me to be doing, help me love my enemies, increase my faith. This way our prayers will be answered.