Prayer vs meditation
Posted: Sat May 25, 2013 1:26 pm
I often hear people talk about prayer and meditation as though they are pretty much the same thing. They do have silence in common, and a certain degree of reflection perhaps, but, to my mind, that's about as far as the similarities go
I am not a religious person, so I do not pray often. It might sound odd that I pray at all, but sometimes I do. It makes sense to me, although I can understand it might puzzle others.
On the other hand, I meditate on a daily basis - often more than once a day, and often for quite long periods of time - up to an hour or more. It is a technique I was taught almost twenty years ago - stumbled onto, really - and which I have found extremely helpful in my life.
So what are the differences?
Of course, this is a purely personal opinion. I have not read anything about this, or even found anybody else much that I can talk to about it, but in my experience, it goes something like this.
Prayer gives me a warm feeling - the feeling of being with somebody or something much more powerful than myself that is on my side and trying to support me - but it doesn't do much to help me to relax, and it is not something I can sustain for very long.
Meditation lacks that warmth. I wouldn't call it coldness, more a form of emotional neutrality. It also brings with it a great sense of 'alone-ness', which is very different to loneliness, though, because with that 'alone-ness' comes a feeling of great strength, rather then weakness. Prolonged meditation puts me in touch with myself far more powerfully than anything else I can think of.
I am not a religious person, so I do not pray often. It might sound odd that I pray at all, but sometimes I do. It makes sense to me, although I can understand it might puzzle others.
On the other hand, I meditate on a daily basis - often more than once a day, and often for quite long periods of time - up to an hour or more. It is a technique I was taught almost twenty years ago - stumbled onto, really - and which I have found extremely helpful in my life.
So what are the differences?
Of course, this is a purely personal opinion. I have not read anything about this, or even found anybody else much that I can talk to about it, but in my experience, it goes something like this.
Prayer gives me a warm feeling - the feeling of being with somebody or something much more powerful than myself that is on my side and trying to support me - but it doesn't do much to help me to relax, and it is not something I can sustain for very long.
Meditation lacks that warmth. I wouldn't call it coldness, more a form of emotional neutrality. It also brings with it a great sense of 'alone-ness', which is very different to loneliness, though, because with that 'alone-ness' comes a feeling of great strength, rather then weakness. Prolonged meditation puts me in touch with myself far more powerfully than anything else I can think of.