Prayer vs meditation

[Stephen Whiteside]

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.

[Dave Smith]

Wow Stephen I think you have opened a can of worms and left yourself wide open. Be interesting to read the response.

Me I think I will keep strum.

TTFN

[Stephen Whiteside]

Dave, one of the great joys of life these days is leaving myself wide open...

[Bob Pacey]

Funny that Stephen, I do not consider myself religious but do consider myself a Christian.

I see so many people who go to churches ect but do not follow through in their life by their actions.


As for Meditation never tried it so cannot comment .


Bob

[Stephen Whiteside]

Yeah, I get that, Bob.

[Maureen K Clifford]

I go along with my old Dad's theory that going to church doesn't make you a christian and you don't need a special place to pray. I don't pray as such but I have occassional conversation with the man upstairs and usually feel the better for it and my church is the blue sky cathedral. Meditation - can't say that rows my boat ...the Uhmmmmms become a bit of a giggle factor and the girls look at me funny, plus I am too bloody old now to get my legs into the Lotus position and can't get up off the floor real easily either once I get down there

[Glenny Palmer]

I'm with you Stephen...spot on.

[Glenny Palmer]

Hey Mausey...you meditate alright. You couldn't write what you do if you didn't. I dunno where you got the idea that you have to be a contortionist to meditate ....just sitting on the grass communing with the 'great blue cathedral' is meditation. It's good for ya! You can get 'guided meditations' on CD & you'd be surprised at how that re-energises you. (I just got the funniest vision of you all tangled up in your legs, humming 'aummm'....& 'the girls' expressions were hilarious. I feel a poem coming on....

That reminds me....I know a bloke who thinks a manila folder is a Philipino contortionist........

[warooa]

Prayerditation: pleading with God to unlock your siezed up knees and ankles, whilst a wet worried dogs nose probes your earholes

definetly a poem there

[Stephen Whiteside]

One thing I will say about meditation is that it is not easy - especially when you start. I found it quite terrifying initially, and was convinced for quite a while I would never be able to get on top of it. I still find that I have to endure a fair bit of pain on a daily basis before the good feelings come, and some days - many days - they never come, but it still helps me enormously.