This topic was brought up in another fodom so I thought it might be fun to discuss all the ways we pray because many of us have differing thoughts and belief systems.

While praying on my knees was typical for me as a child, I rarely do it at this point in my life. I pray standing up, sitting down, behind the wheel, in the garden, at the table, in bed, in the shower/bath, while posting for others, at the kitchen table daily, and any other place in the world where I feel moved to do so. Prayer has no boundaries.

How about you?

I pray by writing letters to God. Then I shred them because they are so personal I wouldn't want anyone to read such private thoughts.

I usually pray in the kitchen. The kitchen has always been my favorite room in any house, just about. I face the East, too. Why? I don't have a clue. Just seems "fitting."

I pray all over and at anytime. My prayers are so different, tho, in that I don't pray to God or Jesus, but to the universe. I focus my thoughts towards the needs, wants and positive spirit to others and for myself.

Sometimes, I confess, that I do hesitate to tell the gals on the forums that I will pray for them, because I know that my beliefs are about universal spirit and not about Christianity. I don't know how some would feel about my prayers for them and their loved ones.

Informally and formally. The former would be more like conversations with God and often prone to distractions especially when done in the course of the day and alongside the day's activities. But those distractions eventually become part of the prayer.

The latter would be contemplative and in private where the heart can be fully contrite, humbled and grateful. I still pray the rosary on my knees as part of my devotion to Our Lady of Fatima.

Mine come in the form of chatting inside my head...and I do that all the time when I feel like it. It becomes more formal for me when I meditate though...

When I am particularly lonely or emotionally sore, or indeed when I feel especially joyous or greatful and connected, I pray in gealic...using prayers from my childhood and the rosary, it realy soothes me...and I say them out loud for Celtic and I think she gets some of that soothing feeling too. The prayers sound so beautiful in Irish...it's nearly like singing.

Lola....I could teach you the rosary in gealic if you like...I have a wee feeling you might enjoy that too a chara(my freind in gealic)

Popea

Lola, I'm so glad to see you back! Welcome home girlfriend.

Anno, I would feel really special if you ever felt the need to pray for me. When it comes from the heart, such as yours would, how can this be a bad thing? I for one, would be happy about it. Very.

I don't know how to describe it but I'll try. I live in a state of constant connectedness like my thoughts are conversation with Christ. Any news that comes to my mind automatically is transferred as prayer or conversation with Christlike we are constantly connected (?)

An example of that is while watching the news, I hear a story of a newsman who is killed in Iraq and my heart, mind and spirit automatically reacts in prayer, "Oh, God, in the name of Jesus, please comfort his family!" and at that moment all my senses are involved, my heart, mind and spirit.

When I've had too much to drink or are afraid for some reason, even then, I ask for help on many levels. Sometimes I just have a premonition of tragedy or danger like the day Aaliyah almost drowned, right before my daughter called me, I had a vision of her in a pool underwater, then my daughter called me...at that very moment of the vision, I pleaded and pleaded for (1) it to just be bad pizza but (2) for her safety and wellbeing..while I was at it, I prayed for all my grandkids safety and my daughters and mom and dad too.

Sometimes in that connectedness with Christ, prayer is just a feeling of total happiness, elation, peace and joy and at those times I'm thanking Christ for being, for loving me and for all His blessings.

Po, sometimes I pray in another language when I don't exactly know what to say but the Holy Spirit knows and the other language just flows from my spirit and I feel releaf and overwhelming peace when I'm through.

Hi, Po: An Irish lady at the retreat addressed all of us "am chara" but I never got to ask her what it meant. Well, after a full week of vespers, angelus, matins etc at the cloisters in Latin from dawn to dusk, I'd surely appreciate the "Hail Mary" in Gaelic. Can you please share it with me?

Glad to be back, JJ. I'll be off again shortly after Easter, however, to be with my grandchildren four days a week for a full year!

Hi, Anno: To be carried by someone in prayer in heart, mind and spirit in any form and manner, is a communion of souls despite differences in expressions. I would not hesitate to request your prayers at all.

Hi, Newleaf: I hope all is well with Aliyah now. I can understand how frightful that experience must have been for her and you.

Anno, I truly believe just your heart and mind caring enough to call out to a higher being is such a sweet thing. God, who hears all our thoughts anyway, must be able to capture and act on the intent as well as the content. Its nice just to be thought of.

ANNO as long as its to a loving god i don't mind either, ya know me god universal spirite, devine being all same entitie just diffrent names..

The onlie time i get botherd or dont want someone to pray for me is when i think/know their praying for somthing SPACIFIC for me...i got a strong sence of faith in prayers therfore consider it rude to ask for something spacific for someone and applie and aske others to grant me the same to me in reverse.....

Physics has long time shown that thought affects matter. Prayer is focused thought therfore can effect matter, put god behind that and thats one big lump of energie....

i don't consider myself as knowing whats right for me (outside of gods will) so wouldn't presume to know whats right for another. So my praying is always generall ie love , health, good fortune etc...If i do get spacifik i end it with in accordance to devine or universal will, ....the your will be done not mine, is my favourite one.
It may sound complicated but it aint.

My mum was in a coma for 1 day i wanted her to live, said so to god but ended with "your will be done not mine" continued in that fashion and she diead the next day....My conclusion, that WAS gods will not that prayer didn't work...

The route learned prayers, our fathers, hail marie etc i think a bost of focus towards god that god then dose what in their best intrests or what is devine will anyway...

I love prayer in irish as po said it dose sound butifull. She learned how to pray this way so sometimes its hard for her to translate into english, some spacific wee prayers. LOLA youd love it your accent would suite it. Po talking about doing you a phonetic chart so you could pronce it right, its verie melodic.

NEWLEAF are you talking about talking in tounges....with the diffrent language????

I pmed someone a question about a prayer titled "hail holie queen" po says it irish, i heard it before so think it not necasarilie irish but is catholic....One great line in it is "divert thyn holie eyes towards us" as...etc. I get her to write the whole thing...Anyone know this or is it irish afterall....LOLA do you know this one?

LOLA....2 things 1 how or what has changed that you get your grandkids 4 days a week if you dont mind saying in public...

2 How well do you feel after the retreat?....How did you feel when you weer their?...
i think its a lovlie thing you got to go and a verie spacial thing you wanted to go especiallie at theis time of year....TELL US ABOUT IT, WOMAN HEHEHE. I am bursting to know...

Hi, Celtic: My daughter's six months maternity leave is over by mid-April and intends to go back to work part-time i.e. four days a week. Those are the days I have been asked to help with the grandchildren as the baby is much too young to be sent off to creche. He is only five months old and needs a lot of hugs. Excellent as the creche and the nannies may be with babies, I am always reminded of Romanian babies left to cry in their cots and I don't want that for any of my grandchildren so, I have taken a sabbatical in part from work for at least 6 months. When the baby starts to walk and can express what he wants more or less, then I'd be happier for him to go to creche and I can go back to work with a calm heart and mind. We're also still on standby for my other grandson's operation.

The retreat was wonderful! My sister-in-law, the Carmelite nun, spent part of it with me at the convent. Each of us had a room which was 8 x 10, very basic with just a bed, a dresser, a night table, a lamp and a chair. Very monastic. But, at least, each had a private shower room!

There was a prayerful rhythm to life within cloisters. My day started at 5:30 A.M. when everyone started to trickle into the chapel for private prayers an hour before daily Mass which was celebrated by a visiting Franciscan friar, who became my retreat director. We spoke at great length about Padre Pio, my study in Catholic apologetics and the Shroud of Turin. The latter of which I had studied in depth in the past. The days revolved mostly around prayers, solitary and community-wise. So, I have had a good dose of the familiar in the company of the nuns and a few retreatants. It felt almost like I had gone back to school. Peaceful and familiar. But at least, this time, I did not get pulled up by the nuns for listening to my Ipod in my room and taking my laptop along

For the other part of your second question. How did I feel after? Sad: considering that I had once thought of that vocation once and had wished it since childhood. I cried when I left. Comforting: because the religious community life thrives despite the challenges it faces. Happy, peaceful and grateful: because it has been good for the soul and brought the spirit to give to God what is God's.

I like to pray in the morning, when I'm out walking, but since I haven't gotten out all winter, I now do it in my closet! It's dark, fairly quiet and I have room to kneel or even lay flat out. It also faces east which is the direction of where my church is located and so, the tabernacle. I pray the rosary, with beads brought back from Medjugorje by our Priest, blessed by Mary in the apparition room. I also pray a Divine Mercy chaplet (2 during Lent) for the souls in purgatory. I add some other rote prayers and spontaneous ones. I still get distracted but when I think of someone or a situation, that becomes part of my intentions.
I look forward to prayer time now, whereas in the past, I used to put it off.

thanks lola for sharring that about the retreat i was happie to read it..Could you still go into closter life? if you could would the grandkids and your kids be the thing that was stopping you?

cool you get to be with the grankids and i agree it brakes my harts a little to think of L being away from such a young age hence i am luckie enough to be a full time mummie, the carrer can waite this i do (for him and I) is a bit more important...and thease special days when they so young just fly past.

PADRIE PEO....i worked for a boss a verie strong intutive woman, started her own companie in a male dominated field and excelled, (70's) she ended up for a time in stormount, a few years back, and over heer you can't get much higher...she also Ansons godparent and once we weer best frends but it was for a seasson or a spacific time in out lives.....

Anyway her mum had loads of kids and was thought to be to old to have kids. They had her to everie professional doc trying to find out what to do with the tumer she had in her tummie....they wrote to PP and he answered saying not to worrie she was pregnant and the babie she would have would be a spacial child....yep the above said women and she is a verie special woman. lol.

did you heer of the healing power in one of his gloves, what do you think of that....Any ideas how it works???

OH LOLA ipods, laptops at a retreat, those nuns are letting you away with faaaaar too much hehehe what is the world comming too. tut tut tut

BLUEBIRD hi your the second woman to say she faced that direction to pray (you said it was facing your church) the other woman didnt know why she faced that direction. Is it a coincedences or is their some other significances with that direction?

QUESTION. what is everie ones favourite prayer???

Thank you everyone for letting me know that my prayers are welcomed.

Celtic - the only prayer that I can recite is in Norweigan, oh the Lord's Prayer, I guess. I love the little Norweigan prayer, but I cannot remember what it means. It will give me something to talk with my parents about this coming weekend.

I love the St. Michael prayer and the Holy Spirit prayer.

BLUE BIRD can you type them up and post them....

ANNO how about doing the translasion of the norweigian prayer?

just so we can all know them maybee we get a new favourite out it all. then we can chatt about the best lines and what they meen to us...just thinking

I don't know any specific prayers except for the Lord's Prayer or Our Father. Prayer for me is a constant flow of language and sharing between me and Christ like thinking with someone as partner in your thoughts, interacting with them and them with you.

I do pray in the Spirit. I don't plan on it. Once the girls and I were travelling through Texas...the sky was gray and then green. I spotted a twister coming straight for us. The prayer language just bubbled up and out of me and the twister turned the other way...then I had to clean up my seat...lol

Speaking of which, I have a joke:

A world renowned hypnotist decided to hold a show in a senior citizens home.

Normally he would just select three people from the crowd to hypnotize but this particular evening he decided to change things up a bit and hypnotize the whole crowd.

He took out his enormous pocket watch and slowly swung it back and forth, back and forth, back and forth. Suddenly! It dropped out of his fingers and landed in tiny pieces all over the floor!

"Oh S@**!", he exclaimed.

It took weeks to clean up the mess........

our fathers a prettie universal prayer as a christion one...i sure the prayers of bluebirds are christion but they aint ones i familour with...that is untill i read them. I am still intrested in them

individual chats with the boss i bet go on for most people nearlie all the time to borow a nice phraze by content or intent. That sort of thing and chatt goes beyond religon or its variouse denominasions thankfullie its universalle to all and even the non beliver...(god may be their or not and is not dependent on our limiting thoughts or belife in him/her)

I have a neer constant streem of chatt and i belive all of its heard and acted upon...in one form or another and as i have said before in concise prayer "in accordances to devine will"...make you kinda humble to think that god is listening and responding to what you aske or provides for you before you have even asked for it...

i got an opp tomorrow and i was thinking it over and relized their no need to worrie as its alreadie taken care off so why wast my time with worrie.....so gess who is not worring and is comphorted, secure and feels safe regardless of how it all goes...So no real need for anyone else to pray or for me to pray anymore...

no it aint open hart surgerie but i never had a generall anistetick before ...either way its all good...and managed

Praying nonetheless that all goes well with the procedure, Celtic. Make sure to rest, rest, rest as well.

exilent lola and i willlll telll po you told me i had to rest rest rest, hmmmmmmm... ah well thanks for praying lol. i been distrurbed from slepp now i going back to bed....love you too lola sleep well X

I was always taught not to pray for material gain. Most of my prayers are for the well-being of others who are in medical need, or in need of safety. I ask the universe to let goodness flow and heal those in need. Sometimes I specifically ask Goddess/God/Universe, because that covers all aspects. For instance, if someone is sick, I will think of them and concentrate on their being healthy. I always focus on positive statements ("you will be healthy") as opposed to dwelling on what is wrong. I ask for the light of purity to shine through them and cleanse all that is not light.

My absolute favorite prayer is Avinu Malkenu, which I also love to sing. There are two different melodies that I alternate between, both exquisitely beautiful.

My second favorite would be Sh'Hechiyanu.

Well i woke up from the operation asking for 5 more minuets becouse i was so tired and it couldn't be time to take the child to school yet and could i just have 5 more minuets..........thats what i said after i woke praying and babling insiting they tell po that i had worked a wee thing out about christ can you belive and my mother, as well as shouting across the recoverie room to another woman who was quite sick was the toast and coffe nice....it did make her laugh and she was kinda poorlie so that was worth it..

Once fullie concise i pretended as did the nurses that nuthing out the ordenerary was said, but i was a bit embarresed.

I did aske had they told po what my insight was she said no, so i had to tell her she thought it was funnie too.

I did however heer one nurse tell another i think to see how confused i was (or she was just ammosed) but by that time i wasent (confused) and knew to shhhhh all by myself....

i gess it could be have been worse...

so seminlie i pray when waking from surgierie and talk to god and also want feed...

and will i tell ya exactlie what i was praying about as loud as i can , NO.. Some things have to stay with me and the recoverie nurses.

Newleaf said:
Speaking of which, I have a joke

I'd be fine with this in the Laughter forum, but I honestly find it very inappropriate in a thread about prayer.

Celtic,

Glad your surgery went well

i don't know thos prayers either meradith, their so manie i dont know that sound intresting....do you think a prayer sang has a whole diffrent feel to it?....i do
when you sing a prayer dose it change your own mood too???

Well, the God I serve has a sense of humor. Sorry, you're sensitivities were inflamed. Honestly.

Celtic, I'm glad your surgery went well and recovery is well on the way.

Glad you're being taken good care of.

Meredithbead, I sing in the Spirit also. Its like an offering to God. I think He stores/saves our tears also. What a beautiful way to express yourself and your innermost feelings. Songs are one of many ways of worship.

Celtic, when we sing the prayers, something wells up from our soul, more than just reading words on a page. Words are good too, when they're heartfelt, but singing connects us more to the rhythm of the universe.

Anno, ocean waves are part of that same rhythm. And Newleaf, the molecules from your tears evaporate and become part of the atmosphere, then later rain down over ocean and land.

That's a beautiful concept, Meredithbead. I like that. I'm so thankful for emotion. Anno, I've always been drawn to the ocean. When things in my life are going downhill, I find that communing with the ocean is soothing and healing to my spirit.

I've always been drawn to and preferred what I refer to as "things that are more powerful than me." ie. the ocean, mountains, geysers, deep natural springs, deserts, the Great Salt Lake. That's why I live in Florida on the coast, because I almost need the ocean to feel good, to feel comforted.

one gets negative ions from the sea....the negative ions has a calming and positive effect on our emotions...

but those greater than i things have a lovlie way of humbling us...not making us unimportant just humbled in the face of them..

I think that's it. People like me need to feel power greater than their personalities. It is humbling and stirs a deep reverence for nature's Creator.

When I lived in the heartland of the US, Nebraska, I owned a sound machine that I fell asleep to every night. It made the sound of ocean waves and tree frogs, rain, etc. I loved it.

Now I actually live near my ocean and can enjoy the waves anytime I want to. I'm really blessed.

Those of you who live near the beach are so very blessed. I am three hours away and would love to walk the beach in prayer every morning. Instead, I sit at my kitchen table and still feel blessed.

A famous saint once said that when we sing, we pray twice.

As I type now, I pray. As I shall do in all manner and form as I carry on with life tomorrow and the days ahead. My thoughts will be of my sister and her family, my niece and her husband most especially. My prayer intentions will be that they may find thanksgiving and peace despite the sadness which now dwells in my sister's household.

In the middle of my visit here tonight, I received a phone call from my sister who informed me that her only grandchild passed away today. Gabriel would have been 7 months old on the 12th April and was born with holosencephaly. We have been told from the day he was born that his life would be short. Holosencephaly alobar is a birth defect of severe physical imperfections and facial deformities. His very short life on earth taught us to be stronger people, to pray for our hearts to love unconditionally, to always find good in bad, to have faith when all seemed hopeless, to trust when all seemed lost but most of all, to perservere when the road well travelled became too exhausting. And for a time such as now, to find peace and gratitude. God blessed us with a very special child. My niece need only to look at a mirror to find the special mother and person Gabriel has helped her become. As she cared for her child, each task undertaken was a prayer in itself. She looked directly in his eyes despite his profound blindness and hummed him to sleep despite his profound deafness. What a blessed and gracious thing it is to be able to pray in that way.

Lola, what a beautiful way to remember a child! I am so sorry for your loss. I will add my prayers for your family.

Bluebird, I love that! I really don't understand what it is that creates the feeling of elation and joy when singing hymns or words of respect, love and adoration to the one we worship. I guess its reciprical at that point. Our songs and prayers in song go out and are received and returned by the one we worship.

Lola, I'm so sorry for your family in the loss of a most precious child. There are no words to express the horrible grief and sense of loss.

I'm so thankful you have seen the beauty and purpose in this short life. Bless you.

Lola...I too feel your sorrow and joy...this precious child's life was truly a prayer...and we hold you and your family in our prayers now

Lola, I'm so sorry. What a befitting name for a child's short life. Gabriel, an angel. Thanks so much for what you wrote as to what his short sweet life brought to you and others. Love and Light, Lynn

Lola, your words are precious. What a testimony to Gabriel's life and all he taught during his very short life span. I am carrying your family in prayer.

Dotsie,
I pray in bed before I fall asleep. I pray in the middle of the night and in the morning when I awake. I pray when I get out of bed and start the day. I pray when I hear a siren, ambulance or the news of someone in trouble. I pray for God to heal and bless the abused, those in pain, the ill, and the financially strapped. I pray whenever and wherever my thoughts turn to those in need of God's help.
And I too would be honored if Anno and/or anyone prayed for me. Ciao for now,
bonnie rose

Dear Lola: With deep sadness I read about your family's loss. But what a gain in insight, gratitude, compassion, etc. May God continue strengthening you and yours, for there is no sorrow on earth that heaven cannot heal.

It's truly interesting to read about each others' view on prayer. About singing a prayer... music prepares our worshiping heart to receive God's message. It connects us to heaven. It moves us trust him more, etc. Heaven is the place where music was born. When we worship through music we can have a better understanding. Music is a great expression of the thankful soul towards its Creator. It's more than rythm and sound. Many beautiful prayers are sung. In fact, hymns are considered prayers meant to be sung. Each time I sing to worship God, ithink about the words as my prayer that moment. It is a beautiful, humbling and moving experience.

Dear Lola, I will include your little angel Gabriel (what an appropiate name) in my prayers. May he rest in peace.
What a wonderful strong sister you must have, to be able to grow into a better mother through her sick child.
My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Hannelore

Lola, I offer my prayers to you and your family for the short life and passing of little Gabriel.

I will offer up prayers also. I'm so sorry to hear this.

Many thanks for all your prayers and support. Gabriel's funeral was yesterday and all of us are at peace. We are sad, but nevertheless, at peace. We continue with our 40-day novena which commenced on the day Gabriel passed away. It is a practice where we gather to pray for the repose of the soul of the dear departed and the duration is in keeping with our family tradition which has been handed down by previous generations. Each member of the family will keep to the novena wherever they may be. In our case, my children and I will be doing it in the UK. The rest of the family are in New York.

Once again, on behalf of my loved ones, I thank all of you for the kind thoughts and prayers.

What a special tradition. Do you get together or just do it on your own?

I'm glad that you feel peace.

Hi, Jane: Family members who live in close proximity to each other would be doing the novena together. Then the rest do it wherever they may be. Either as a family unit, individually, or with a prayer group. A Mass is offered on the first and last days of the novena.

Lola, so glad to hear that the funeral is behind you and everyone is praying together. What a lovely thing to do. I've always been touched by the faithfulness of your family. I recall your mother passed it on from generation to generation. God bless her. Was your grandmother also a faithful woman?

Lola, I just gor back but wanted to tell you that my prayers are with you and your family. The novena tradition truly is different, I hadn't heard of it before.

Hi gals...Celtic has been on at me to post my favourite prayer from my childhood...here it is..and it is even more beautiful in Gealic.

I am using it with my novena for Lola and her loved ones.

Popea


Hail, Holy Queen

Hail, holy Queen, Mother of Mercy!
Our life, our sweetness, and our hope!
To thee do we cry, poor banished
children of Eve, to thee do we send
up our sighs, mourning and weeping
in this valley, of tears.
Turn, then, most gracious advocate,
thine eyes of mercy toward us; and
after this our exile show unto us the
blessed fruit of thy womb Jesus;
O clement, O loving, O sweet virgin Mary.

Pray for us, O holy Mother of God

That we may be made worthy of the
promises of Christ.

yep i love this one for a few reasons its almost like a poeam its great sentiment and its to the mary A womann and its so dramatic but wait till your reallie sad before doing this one then see how much it means to you ...all good eh!

its the 1st 2 lines i love the best.

I pray by the river near my house, and in the woods where I take walks. I often see Eagles and Deer and feel so close to God at these times

Madalyn

Madalyn, I feel close to God when I'm in my garden and the bees are swarming, but not stinging, and the birds plunk down very near for a rest as though I'm not there. It's touching, isn't it?

I pray many, many times a day: morning, noon and nighttime, too. And I pray with lots and lots of fervor!!!!

I recently attended an outdoor retreat in a gorgeous setting. I have since been spending ten minutes outdoors every day with the sole purpose of breathing in nature. Ilearned for the first time that English Ivy leaves have lots of heart shapes in them. It's fun to make these kinds of discoveries.

Outdoors is where I always feel so close to God. Dotsie~~The retreat sounds wonderful. Isn't it so true that if we just look around at nature there are many, many majestic things there that we seldom take time to notice. We should all do as you're doing and take some time to just be quiet and take it all in.

Blessings~~Madalyn

Check out this site. This is the link for the place where I attended the retreat.

http://bonsecoursspiritualcenter.org/

Browse around and see what you can find.

Dotsie~~This is a beautiful retreat. It looks so peaceful and calming. Thanks for the website. Loved looking thru it

Blessings~Madalyn