equus

When a friend who believes in god asks for prayers - I would answer that I'll keep them in my thoughts. Once said that needs honouring and I found something.

In taking a moment aside to let myeslf think and feel about somebody else's situation I take away my focus just from me and my life. It also allows me to give time to the honest feeling of hope that they have more happiness and less suffering. Just giving time to reflect on a different situation seems to have some impact on how I feel, talk, think and behave, I think that impact is positive.

Taking time to hear again what they've said in my mind, and hear it more deeply sometimes helps me connect and offer maybe a little more in the way of support. As my hope for them is real being able to offer more is a great help to me.

I hope that they also know they are cared about and believe that feeling of our worth to others is positive as well and can help ease pain.

I believe the best of religion is compassion and the worst of it is dogmatism - I also note many religions teach that, for example the biblical stories such as the good samaritan, rescuing an ox on the sabbath, forgiveness - 77 times 7, and the one who is without sin to cast the first stone.

Without believing in a conscious, supernatural being I can see nothing barring me from practicing what I believe may be of benefit within religion. As I believe the benefit of prayer is a natural increase in compassion rather than a supernatural force, I practice something similar and have found it VERY worthwhile.

Differently in some situations I've found myself envious of those able to believe they will recieve help from a god when they can find no help for themselves or others. At first I felt the alternative was an empty shout of frustration, but later I gave a few moments to accepting a whole situation and my own limitations, while also accepting that as I learn I'm doing the best I can to extend my limits to offer myself help. Whatever frustrates me today might not frustrate me tomorrow.

Telling someone they're in my thoughts serves as a reminder to myself to MAKE the time for the above, it's good for me too. Sometimes I can forget altogether and I lose the benefits it brings.

Without any belief in god I still believe prayer has far reaching benefits. Mine is not a prayer but a discipline towards something I find very useful and positive.

Dan

Great post.
Prayer to me really is an instrument of offering, rather than one of receiving.

Five

I have to admit that I found prayer very useful. Perhaps it was God talking to me?

I believe that my purpose is to follow what I believe in. God does not figure so I quit praying.

equus

Five, it took me a long time to feel confident taking what I found of benefit without feeling unsure what taking it 'meant'.

In the end it comes down to something very simple for me, nothing I've learned has come from myself, it's all been taken from others who I see have something I don't. I've got no fear of sudden or accidental conversion, no muddied boundaries, and no reason to not set time aside to think about another's situation or a problem I can't solve. Perhaps using the word prayer makes it confusing but it seems respectful to me to acknowledge that I think it has valid uses without needing to believe in god.

Five

Interesting Eq, for sure.

BigSis

The universe is a big place... lots of mystery here. I figure we define this mystery in many ways... our definitions do not change the nature of the mystery.



Thank you for you well-thought out post, I appreciate your honesty.

Five

I liked this.

splendra

Now all you have to do is start meditating...

prayer = us talking to God

Meditation = us listening to God

prayer + meditation = relationship to energy neither created or destoryed...

equus

It's really not about having to do anything. It started to honour what I offer instead of prayer - since then I've continued because I think it's helpful.

I think that sort of touches on why it takes time not to be afraid of what I chose to value meaning more than I realise. It will to others sometimes but not to me unless I chose that. So far it has in no way made me feel I should become a believer if anything I'm just happier as a aitheist.

Phinneas

"My religion is kindness." --The Dali Lama

DesertEyes

Way cool equus, thanks for sharing that.

Mike :-)

KelKel

This was an intersting perspective on prayer and meditation

http://www.5thword.com/chapter_1__pr...meditation.htm

equus

kelkel - I thought contemplation fitted nearest out of those. I really don't see anything supernatural in this. I respect others have a different perspective but I can see it's usefullness without any need for a higher power to explain that.

Phinneas - The Dalai Lama ROCKS!! When he writes saying you need no religion to reason what he's saying he speaking the truth, no attempt to mislead. I find his writing down to earth and his logic very pleasant. Also he doesn't ask for faith, only to look into our own experience to test whether he's talking sense - when he suggests that I sense a genuine belief in him that we should rather than a persausive lip service.

Thanks Mr. Brocoli 'ed!