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Dr_Broadland
Member
Joined: 19 Jul 2007
Posts: 62
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# Posted: 10 Sep 2007 11:18
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Why do people pray? Some pray for getting something, some for self enlightenment, some for mere satisfaction. Prayers also differ from religion to religion, region to region, and also within one religion.
What is common in all forms of prayer, is the fact that we are either detaching from the current surroundings or merging with the surroundings (temple, mosque, church, etc.). If you look at it even closer, you are withdrawing from the outer practical world in which you are living, to a restricted world where you hope to gain something. The we resort to chanting, repetitive chanting, gestures, loudly voiced cry to God, singing Hymns and Bhajans, introspection to reach God or Purity of Soul.
The methods are many and varied, and whatever the stated goad , often the end results is definitely reduction in stress. Surely, in prayer, the women who asked for a baby. she may or may not get one, but at that moment in time she has reduced the stress associated with not having a child.
Whatever the form of prayer, whatever the reason for it, the one thing is always does is that it REDUCES STRESS.
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TajviRAC
Member
Joined: 7 Apr 2008
Posts: 80
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# Posted: 19 Apr 2008 13:52
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iIt has been mentioned at times, that the prayer has got another purpose.
It’s the process of growing up submissiveness and kindness in you. In our modern history, most of the big crimes against humanity are done by people who considered themselves powerful and who were arrogant.
Prayer shows you, there's some bigger power than you to who you must submit.
And when in mental agony, it's the prayer that gives you a chance to seek resort to a greater and pacifying power.
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Dr_Broadland
Member
Joined: 19 Jul 2007
Posts: 62
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# Posted: 25 Apr 2008 13:51
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Quoting: TajviRAC Prayer shows you, there's some bigger power than you to who you must submit.
From the dawn of civilization, man has submitted to "a superior power". Prayer is one method of acknowledging that superior power.
Since the purpose is to accept and acknowledge and be grateful to that supreme being or superior power, the natural corollary is satisfaction and tranquility of mind.
The person is saying "I am submiting to YOU," or "I recognize YOU" and with it he/she is asking for some help.
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CoolNcalm
Member
Joined: 2 Apr 2008
Posts: 45
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# Posted: 26 Apr 2008 01:07
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It's almost like turning to a parent to ask for help, or even comfort. But you are right-prayer is one of the ultimate forms of meditation, and I wish that I could remember that more often.
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StressedOut
Member
Joined: 3 Apr 2008
Posts: 25
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# Posted: 29 Apr 2008 21:00
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Prayer has always helped me deal with stress and I think that it is one of the more stronger stress relief techniques.
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Dr_Broadland
Member
Joined: 19 Jul 2007
Posts: 62
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# Posted: 30 Apr 2008 13:21
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Whether as routine before going to bed to help sleep, or during an effort to meditate, prayer always helps in the task. During prayer, we ask God or the supreme power for something. Some people experience God speaking to them during meditation. That is one of the essential differences between prayer and meditation. A short prayer before sleep gives the relaxation necessary to get a good sleep.
Some people consider selfless prayer as the ideal. I would simply state that if the purpose of meditation is to detach and attain an enormous level of tranquility, the question of asking God for something is just not there.
A lot of people feel compelled to use the prayer route to meditation. The "Prayer Meditation" is as follows:
Sit quietly in one place – it could be your sacred place or home temple. Relax and center yourself. Witness yourself praying to God. Witness silently, detached, without commentary, judgement, or comparisons. Say a prayer for yourself. Say a prayer for someone else. Say a prayer for everyone and everything. Do this again and again
Notice that in the above method, the salient feature is detachment and repetition (like a chant) to achieve the goal.
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TajviRAC
Member
Joined: 7 Apr 2008
Posts: 80
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# Posted: 15 May 2008 13:26
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If you think about the whole universe and all the things around you form an atheist view, there are a lot of questions which needs to be addressed.
It's true that the base of religion is mostly faith and not proofs.
However, when you can't get a satisfactory answer, there's no other way than to resort to the religion.
And it's the prayer that materializes your faith or religion.
No wonder, religions have solutions for stress also. Prayer is one of them.
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