How do you PRAY?

1. How do you PRAY?

2. Prayer: 1: an address (as a petition) to God or a god in word or thought 2: an earnest request or wish - Merriam-Webster Online Prayeris the act of attempting to communicate, commonly with a sequence of words, with a deity or spirit for the purpose ofworshiping, requesting guidance, requesting assistance, confessing sins, or to express one's thoughts and emotions. The words of the prayer may take the form of a hymn, incantation, or a spontaneous utterance in the praying person's words. -Wikipedia

3. Christianity • Christians believe that prayer is a gift from God. It is a direct line to the Heavens. • The most well-known prayer is The Lord’s Prayer (or Our Father) which can be found in the books of Matthew and Luke in the Holy Bible. • Prayer, for Christians, can be as simple as a thought, and as elaborate as a formal written document. They can be said anywhere, anytime. • Christians say prayers for guidance, gratitude, praise, wellness of family and friends, etc. -http://www.religioustolerance.org/prayintro.htm

4. Judaism • Prayer is a central characteristic of Jewish worship. • Most prayers are found in the siddur, the traditional Jewish prayer book. • Proper concentration is very important. • Jews traditionally pray three times daily- more on the Sabbath and Jewish holidays- and it is ideal to pray in a synagogue. • (Solitary prayer, however, is still valid.) -http://www.religionfacts.com/judaism/practices/worship_prayer.htm

5. Islam • Muslims pray at least 5 times a day. • A rak’a, or cycle of prayer, consists of reciting the first chapter of the Qur’an in Arabic, followed by recitations to praise Allah. • Traditional Muslims pray while kneeling on prayer rugs with their bodies oriented toward Mecca in Saudi Arabia. http://www.themuslimwoman.com/chooseyourpath/basicguidetoprayer/

6. Bahá'í "To be a Baha'i simply means to love all the world; to love humanity and try to serve it; to work for universal peace and universal brotherhood." - Abdu'l-Baha • The Bahá'í teachings prescribe daily prayer and intimate communion with God as the foundation for a life devoted to spiritual advancement and service to humanity. • In addition to private prayer, group prayer is often encouraged. Group prayer consists of readings taken from the Baha'i writings and the scriptures of Christianity, Islam, Judaism, Hinduism, Zoroastrianism and Buddhism. http://www.bahai.us/bahai-prayer

7. Buddhism • Buddhists believe that in order for prayer to be effective it must be devoid of any self-centeredness and calculation, relying strictly on great compassion. • Buddhist prayer has nothing to do with begging for personal worldly or heavenly gains. • Buddhist prayer is a form of meditation; it is a practice of inner reconditioning. • Prayer can be performed anywhere, at any time. http://buddhistfaith.tripod.com/pureland_sangha/id41.html

8. Hinduism • In Hinduism, a prayer has two parts: one is soliciting a favor from the Almighty and the other is surrendering oneself to His will. • The success of prayer depends on one’s mindset. One must be dedicated and devoted, and one’s mind must be free of secular preoccupation. • Prayer can be silent or spoken thoughts performed at any time during the day. It is important to pray for others as well as oneself. • Prayers can be used to ask for something, give thanks, or just build communion with God. http://hinduism.about.com/library/weekly/aa121702a.htm

9. Christian Science • Prayer is seen as a central way to come closer to God and heal human ills. Prayer can be formal or informal thoughts and written Christian prayers. • For most Christian Scientists, healing through prayer is an effective first choice and, as a result, they turn to the power of prayer in lieu of medical treatment. • The sacred texts of Christian Science are the King James Version of the Holy Bible and Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures. http://www.beliefnet.com/index/index_10123.html