The Use of Meditation & Prayer
Whatever your religious or spiritual beliefs are, we can all practice a form of meditation and prayer. Prayer is the practice of remaining hopeful and expressing gratitude. It can give you the opportunity to look at challenges or struggles from a different perspective. Life can be overwhelming, and when you are able to have faith in possible solutions, prayer can be profoundly empowering.
When we know there is something in this world that is greater than us alone, it can be easier to surrender to a lack of control or negative things that happen to ourselves, others, and society as a whole. One might receive answers to their prayers in the form of intuitive interpretations of your inner, deepest thoughts, opportunities that present themself, or having help from others.
“Prayer is the contemplation of the facts of life from the highest point of view. It is the soliloquy of a beholding and jubilant soul.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
Meditation on the other hand is the practice of being present. There is an inner stillness that occurs during meditation that promotes feelings of peace, and tranquility. When life happens, sometimes it can be difficult to remain centered. In these moments, practicing meditation can greatly reduce feelings of stress, anxiety, and depression. When used daily, meditation can also build up your tolerance for such experiences.
The practice of meditation and prayer may complement one another, or one can choose to do them separately. There is no right or wrong way to do these activities. I encourage you to do what feels natural to you.
Praying can be done by talking to God, or your higher power either out loud or use of your inner voice to speak your truth. Also, this can be done in a form of writing or journaling. During this process, you may choose to keep your eyes open or closed, sit, lie down, or kneel, whatever makes you feel most comfortable. Adding meditation to this practice can be seen as the listening part of a prayer by remaining open and relaxed.
Getting started with meditation is actually more simple than some think. Everyone has different preferences, but you may choose to sit or lay down in silence, listen to soothing music, or play audio of meditation through various apps, streaming devices, CDs, or videos. There are several different types of meditation practices to explore. They include loving-kindness meditation, nature sounds, transcendental, mindfulness, body scanning, zen, instrumental, drumming, binaural beats, ASMR, singing bowls, or Gregorian chanting.
“To stay present in everyday life, it helps to be deeply rooted within yourself; otherwise, the mind, which has incredible momentum, will drag you along like a wild river.” -Eckhart Tolle
There is a common misconception that meditation requires a lot of time. This is untrue because daily meditation can be practiced in as little as 2-5 minutes a day. For those wanting to be more habitual about their practice, scheduling it at the same time every day can be a helpful solution.
While practicing meditation, it is important to remind yourself to remain focused on the rise and fall of your chest, as well as what you are hearing audibly. With intrusive or distracting thoughts, use positive self-talk and remind yourself you will get to that thought later or you may choose to write all of your incoming thoughts down on paper as a way to symbolically get them out of your mind. It can also be beneficial to set intentions before this practice and make a statement to yourself about what it is you hope to get out of this experience.
Meditation has been shown to improve mood, decrease anxiety, and help induce sleep. It can also enhance productivity and energy throughout the day, more so than a nap. This is because when you fall asleep for more than 20 mins, your body might go into a deep REM cycle and make you feel more drowsy waking up.
The spiritual aspect of healing is not well understood as there is little logical or tangible proof of its existence. For those that are skeptical of this phenomenon or hesitant to practice it, I would encourage you to consider being open to receiving loving, supportive, and healing energy, with whatever your belief system is. If you are unsure of what your religious or spiritual beliefs are, give yourself time for self-exploration to identify what aligns with your life morals and values. You might also choose not to have a label for your spiritual or religious beliefs.
“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” -Aesop
Some people may argue that their spirituality or religion is “the only right way”. My response is, as humans we are gifted with free will. I’d like to think that whatever our higher power might be in this world, that sometimes we are meant to find and develop this through our own discovery. This journey of building some sort of spiritual relationship is very personal and I encourage others to find their own path with what might resonate with them. Being spiritual can also promote acts of kindness and compassion, which can be influential to the wellbeing of others and make you feel good about yourself.
Quotes:
“Prayer is the contemplation of the facts of life from the highest point of view. It is the soliloquy of a beholding and jubilant soul.” -Ralph Waldo Emerson
“To stay present in everyday life, it helps to be deeply rooted within yourself; otherwise, the mind, which has incredible momentum, will drag you along like a wild river.” -Eckhart Tolle
“Gratitude turns what we have into enough.” -Aesop
Recommended Meditation Resources:
Calm, Headspace, Youtube, & Insight Timer
Suggested Reading:
20 Scientific Reasons to Start Meditating Today:
The Psychological Benefits of Prayer:
https://www.cnn.com/2020/06/17/health/benefits-of-prayer-wellness/index.html
This Is Your Brain on Prayer & Meditation:
https://www.nbcnews.com/better/health/your-brain-prayer-meditation-ncna812376
