How Do You Pray? What Are Your Favorite Prayers?

In my heart/mind.

(Prologue: I'm using the word God, below for simplicity. As you'll see why.)

I don't pray out loud. I LOVE listening to others pray, but I don't use words, myself. I just think at or feel at.

HOWEVER... If its not in English... I'm golden. I can sing to god with my Jewish friends in Hebrew (Sh'ma Yisrael), Recite my Latin masses (in nomine Patris, et Filii, et Spiritūs Sancti), perform Salat in Arabic (Allah' Akbar), ride the wave of the bells or curl of smoke in Buddhist temples, etc... And feel God. As much as I do, in my ongoing conversations with just thoughts and feelings. If not more. The beauty of sound is that it focuses ones thoughts... Or at least mine. It's a set aside special time. But not in English.

For me, if I'm using English, I'm usually griping. 'Was that REALLY necessary?', 'A bit over the top, don't you think?' which is just wrapping paper for what I'm really feeling and can be completely ignored for the facade it is.

I find god everywhere. In beauty, in movement, in surfing, in riding, in science, in art, in that amazing moment right before all hell breaks loose, in tears, and sore muscles, in grief, in hope, in people, in an indrawn breath, in all things great and small.

I think it may stem (the no English bit) from growing up overseas, as well as in my friends' places of worship -I've never had my own-, which were rarely conducted in English. Hebrew, Latin, Arabic, Japanese, CajunFrench... Combined with being told I don't know how many times, in how many places that you can never lie to God, because what's in your heart is truth, and god can see into your heart.

Unless I'm writing, I rarely talk about god/religion. What I have makes sense to ME... But it sounds strange talking about god -in English- out loud. Incomplete.

How OFTEN do I pray? It depends. I talk to god all the time (several times a day), but I very rarely ASK God for anything. If I can do it myself, I should... And asking for help is dangerous. Be careful what you wish for... You might just get it! I've found to be VERY true in my own life. Talking to god... Asking... I find very different than Praying i see/feel as Sending thanks or hopes. Talking several times a day. Asking, rarely (foxhole style, tends to be life and death). Thanks & Hopes at least every morning and every night, and usually midday as well as any time I find something stirringly beautiful.

Most people wouldn't guess I'm deeply religious... Just because it's something I don't have the words for. But others do. So I use theirs and feel mine.

On the spot thoughts.

Whether it be an Aid Car or Police Vehicle.......Or someone speeding and driving like a jerk. I whisper ''God be with them, where ever they are going''

When it comes to prayer for certain people, I make it simple. I figure god knows the specifics already. I normally ask him to just be with whoever and then the family, and ask for the help through healing...Because when it comes down to it that is the most important thing...to be with them through healing..Whether it be from illness, or sadly the loss of a loved one.

When my head hits the pillow I start with a Thank you for the end to the day. And if he granted me the next I would try harder to be in his image.

Then I will just ask him to touch each and every person in my life I know is struggling(this way I dont have to get to specific...unless I feel it is needed to be talked out).

My thing is during the day I have a constant conversation going on with him.....not out loud per say....Although it sometimes can be out loud....Anyways I have the constant conversation.

If something happens...I ask him to help guide me through it....I may not get the results but I am always paying attention for those tiny tiny signs even.

They can come in conversation with strangers, people I know or with in myself.

My other way of connecting to the higher power comes from my occasional puff of green(I am a medical patient I have proper paper work and it is never around my children). I have found that sometimes I can pray more deeper while in mediation. I have had some of the most amazing GOD MOMENTS. And it has all been because I can focus. Pray and dig very deep within myself to find some of the answer's I am constantly looking for.

My Day is one non stop prayer. From the moment I wake up to the moment my head hits the pillow...I am talking and in relationship with god. I love when my kids ask me questions about comments I will make through out the day pertaining to my relationship with him....Because it is proving to them...Church is where you stand and worship is something you can do anywhere anytime and in any fashion you choose.

I love you sweet mama:) Love Love Love You!!!

P.s.
I also love praying WITH the Homeless....I have found they are some of the most humble, down to earth God fearing and respecting souls out there. If have never taken the time to give a homeless person a moment...They love to pray with people(even if they dont believe....It is personal contact and not someone degrading them to another bottle of booze):)

Enjoying the HOT HOT HOT!!! Hope the Girls are staying COOOOL.....

When I was a child, I prayed as a child. (Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep . . . )

As an adult, I pray as an adult. I address my prayer to my Heavenly Father, thank Him for my blessings, tell Him the things that concern me and that I need help and guidence on, and close the prayer.

Good luck to you and yours.

i was never a pray-er :) growing up in the church, we prayed in the church and said the lord's prayer before bed each night, but i never really "prayed" much. i'd stew and obsess and analyze to death but never make the connection between that and prayer....

until my son turned 5 and my mom mentioned how we used to say the lord's prayer at night. i started saying it with him (he memorized the entire thing in just a week or so, it was amazing) and at one point, i admit, i was tired from a long day, and i thought, "oooh that will take SO LONG." and i decided to do a "special prayer". when we do a "special prayer" we just say a short personal thank you or what have you to god for a great day or our loved ones, etc. and THAT is my favorite prayer. because i never did that before! and if i can teach my son HOW to pray i feel like that will be so huge. so that has turned into my favorite prayer :) (my absolute favorite is when he does it...just melts me!)

Lots of minute to minute prayers, but my favorite prayers to concentrate on are The Lord's Prayer and the Hail Mary. I repeat them at night until I center on one phrase or word and then let my mind consider the beauty and layers of meaning in that phrase or word. Right now I'm loving the fact that both prayers are not about me (or any individual), but rather both are prayers for all God's children. They speak to our connections, our oneness.

And I love the words of the Mass, working to "be in the moment" during each prayer. Of course, the mind may wander with the heat or any distraction, but recentering and really, really listening is heartening and humbling at the same time.

I love putting my little girl down every night with an Our Father and a thank you for a wonderful day.

for me, prayer is an ongoing conversation. A few words here & there, a quiet moment of reflection or request...& an acceptance of what is happening- with a quick "thank you" or "please make this better/show me how".

Been saying a lot of prayers lately....my older son's future is hinged on a meeting w/ his voc rehab counselor next week. I am sooooo ready for him to move on into schooling & his career choice!

As a child, I was not raised in a church. My attendance was sporadic, & with my Gma. Most weekends were spent at our lake house, precluding regular Sunday attendance. On the other hand, I was blessed with having those weekends at the lake....talk about Peace!

passionately.
there's ongoing dialogues, of course, which are internal or at least quieter, but when i'm praying ritually or have something specific i'm thanking/requesting/desperate for advice about, i use a traditional ritual formula (in my case it usually involves a libation and stance with head uplifted, palms raised and facing up), calling upon the deity using epithets appropriate to subject of my prayers, and let my words and emotions pour out. i love my gods SO much. i bare my soul to them, and open myself to the outflow of love i receive from them.
other than the ancient opening and closing formulae to the prayers i don't use anything rote like the lord's prayer, although there are times in formal ritual when i do use rote poetry or prayers that have the wonderful effect of putting you *there* where you need to be. i don't think that's what you're asking about though.
when i'm having a conversation with my gods, it's heartfelt, spontaneous and passionate.
khairete
S.

We pray from our hearts. No pre-written prayers.

I remember my grandmother had a lovely dinner prayer. She prayed "We thank the Lord for happy hearts, for rain and sunny weather. We thank the Lord for this, our food, and that we are together. Amen."

When everyone is asleep, at night, and I am alone in my thoughts.

I taught all my kids this kids prayer..Now I lay me down to sleep, I pray the Lord my soul to keep, if I should die before I wake, I pray the Lord, my soul to take. Thats the prayer I was taught as a child. But when I became a grown up I say the Lord's prayer

I usually just pray what is in my heart to pray, but my favorite prayer- and most used- is, "Help me". Does that count? :)

I don't recite a specific prayer, but I use feeling grateful as a way of prayer, For example, throughout the day, I give thanks for all the many blessings I have received .. it could be as simple as thanking God/Buddha (whomever) for a nice warm shower or the cool air this morning... As I go about my day, it's the little wonders that amaze me.. Like, wow.. we wouldn't have this computer if someone "out there" didn't make it.. or I wouldn't have a roof over my head if someone didn't build our house... Of course, I am also thankful for things like my family but I like to remind myself each day of the fact that I surrounded by so many blessings. This includes a rough childhood.. I am thankful because having heard so many stories from former foster kids who didn't fair quite as well I did (luck was on my side) I feel like wow.......... I guess things could have gotten more out of hand than they did.. (mind you, I didn't always feel this way) However, I now feel like... Boy am I ever blessed.. As for favorite prayers.. I keep it simple with a thank you ... yet, it never escapes me that in my life, no words can really be expressed as to how much I feel grateful and blessed...

which leads me to.........

Blessings to you on this Sunday morning..

When I put my kids to bed each night we say " I see the moon, the moon sees me. Goddess bless the moon and Goddess bless me". We don't pray in the tradition sense.

I like centering prayer. You block everything out; focus on God and connect with God. There are used books and cds on amazon.com> This type of prayer is so awesome. Everytuesday morning there is centering prayer at a retreat house called The upper room at 11:30am to 12:30 pm and on thursday nights from 6:30pm to 7:30pm. It is free. Upper room spiritual center/ neptune, Nj (phone ###-###-####-0550.)