How do you pray? I don't know how to do it!!!!!

[kittywise]

This might sound like a silly question, but I would like to, I would like to get that sort of comfort and strength from prayer, but I honestly don't know what to do.

I am not of any particular belief system but i do believe that there is a greater energy out there.

When I have tried to 'pray' words or thoughts don't come, I don't know why.

Any help would be great, thanks

When I pray i'm in "conversation" with God. You need to think about who you are praying to. I always thank God for the amazing things he has done and continues to do in my life.

thank you JP, do you think of God as a person, in that you are praying to someone as opposed to something? If that makes sense.

Someone and something. Not a human someone, but the Almighty. Actually, I mostly pray to Jesus. As a Christian I believe he died for my sins and it is through Jesus that I can come to God. Using Simon & Garfunkel as my analogy, Jesus is the bridge over troubled waters (my sins). I hope this is making sense! I know what I'm trying to say, but it doesn't always come out clearly!
God is almighty, all powerful and I have no right to be in his presence or speak to him, but Jesus was sent by God to intercede for us, and Jesus allows us to come to God. Read Adrian Holloway's book - he knows how to make it make sense!!

Crikey, this is a bit deep for late on a Sunday evening!!

Hope I haven't scared you away Kitty!

There is a really good book called 'Everyday God' by George Guiver: it is written from the perspective of belief in a Christian God and tells you very simply how to go about praying. It helps you look at how you make and develop relationships with people you meet and moves you on to making and developing your relationship with God. It is available on Amazon marketplace really cheaply!

Kitty, praying is just a fancy word for communicating with God. You can speak out loud, or in your head to Him - He's pretty clever!

It might help if you think about what you imagine God to be like, and then find out more about Jesus, because then you might feel more like you know who you are talking to.

Things I love about Jesus:

-He always cares for me, even when I don't pay Him any attention.
-He knows everything, so I don't have to make up anything, I can just be me.
-He is the best friend I could have.

I personally think the best first prayer would go along the lines of:

"Hi God, I don't really know You, or even know for sure that You exist, but if You do, would you make Yourself real to me." - Do You know, He WILL answer your prayer, and in a way that is just right for you.

Thank you!! I went to bed!

The books sound really interesting (to add to the enormous pile I've yet to read).
I particularly like the idea about communicating better with people, we could all do with improving on that !!
Oddly enough I thought about it this morning and realised I could just 'talk' to God. It hadn't occurred to me that I could ask questions that would be answered though .

Morning Kitty

You are unlikely to get answers directly, although sometimes something will happen & you just know it is God telling you something.

But one thing that I remember very early on in my getting to know God, (I was 16 & hadn't been brought up in churches - Dad was atheistic and Mum liked the singing when she was little but thinks you are a Christian just because of being born), was that I was suddenly struck by nature. I remember looking out one morning as I was on the bus, and seeing all the different types of 'green'. And I was suddenly amazed. Until then I had taken it all for granted, and I suddenly thought 'WOW!'.

If I was you, I would just keep it simple, enjoy it, and if you can, get hold of a Bible and read either "John" or "Romans" - they are both great places to start in getting to know who you are talking to.

Thanks lou, I ordered the 'everyday God' book that aig recommended, nice and short at 83 pages and a book called 'channeling Grace' by caroline Myss!!!

I just feel that people have generally lost their connection with the 'divine' whatever they consider it to be.

There is an emptiness now don't you think? A loss of connection with the whole and our part in it. We have become more and more obsessed with material 'wealth' yet still feel empty.

I pray mostly in silence.

I used to be a good evangelical, praying nice prayers which asked for stuff. have realised over time that it is more important to be with God rather than asking God for stuff!

My dh and I use the Northumbria Community 'Celtic daily Prayer' book as much as we can. Its good, and gives a rhythm to our day which helps us. here

Its great!

thanks weegie, I am currently reading and listening to John O'donahue, he's fantastic. The celtic view of prayer adn life is lovely.

kitty, i try and pray every day... it nourishes my heart, my soul, my life and changes my whole way of being...

not to a christian god, or to jesus, or to buddha, or to krishna or allah, but to The One, the Beloved, the Great Spirit.. the power of goodness that is at the heart of all tradition, all religion...

just to light a candle, close my eyes, open my heart to stillness, to vastness, to life itself... to call on the qualities of goodness, purity, kindness, humilty, that they may shower my being so that i may live a true worthy dignified life...

blessings

xxx

mamtilly, that's lovely. I have started with very little things. I have started to say things like (in my head) "dear cosmos, god, spirit please help me to be kind today" strangely I always 'hear' an answer .
Small steps........