Prayer

Buddhism – How they pray {0}

stock-photo-asian-woman-pray-buddha-in-thai-temple-111765935Buddhism has been derived from the word ‘Budhi’ which means ‘to incite or kindle’. Buddhism is not just a religion but also a philosophy, a way through which individuals are guided to lead a life of inner peace which is not crowded with materialism and worldly pleasures.  It is influential in helping people live a life of values, to be able to have complete control over their actions and their thoughts and to awaken in them love for humanity. Buddhism provides a way through which one can attain ultimate happiness.

One of the main objectives of the Buddhist teachings is that wealth is not permanent and happiness which is sincere and true will only be achieved when one is rich from inside the heart. It despises the love humans’ shower on material wealth.  It also believes that our all problems have solutions and that such solution can be found within us. The answer truly rests within our soul.

Buddhist prayer, on the other hand, is an embodiment of meditation.  An individual just closes his/her eyes and introspects and tries to find out the meaning of their existence on this life. It is said that such a prayer helps to restore positive thoughts and feelings by eliminating negative vibes. By being untouched and sound, one is able to listen and make quality decisions regarding one’s life.  Buddhists do not necessarily have to worship in a temple to offer their prayers. All they need to do is place any part of their room as a shrine and they can continue their prayers at home. They will require Buddha’s statue, an incense burner and some candles.

Temples of Buddhism vary in shapes and structures. Five important elements are designed to exemplify their worship; Air, Fire, Earth, water and wisdom.  Worship is done in many forms and ways; mantras or prayers.  One of them is the Mahanyana Tradition. Here worshippers face an image of the Buddha while they sit shoeless chanting. They will hear the monks praying and chanting while they may give an active participation during the prayers which are often followed by instruments.

By Category: Buddhism, Prayer

10 Reasons Why Not To Give Up On Prayer {0}

A prayer is an offering, a cry of help, a sincere appeal to an object who is the supreme ruler of this universe. We pray because we want to get closer to the almighty, we pray because in our hearts we are grateful to him for providing us with another day in our life, we pray because whatever we are today is his giving and no one else’s.  You don’t need a particular occasion to pray to God. You definitely do not require any material that would help you in your prayers. Praying to god should come from within and it should not just be motivated by your personal benefits. We have no control over the contingencies and catastrophes that keeps occurring day in and day out but we can control our relationship with the all powerful God.

Prayer

If we take out time from our schedule to religiously pray every day showing our gratitude and benevolence we are sure to experience a greater zeal in life, a healthier self control and better understanding of oneself and of people we love and associate with. Difficult times bring us closer to god as we realize that the only way we can overcome our troubles is by asking for forgiveness for all the wrong things done. There are certain reasons as to why you should never give up on prayers:

1)      Prayers tell us that we can do nothing but accept the challenges and hope that God would help us overcome them. He is the creator and the destroyer of this universe.

2)      It brings you closer to God.

3)      Prayers give us a ray of silver lining and hope.

4)      It cleanses the heart of selfish desires.

5)      It concentrates on the future of what one can be when he’s dedicated to no one but God himself.

6)      You learn to be humble and down to earth.

7)      It gives us wisdom and strength to tackle our problems and deal with certain situations.

8)      Prayers keep our families, homes and nation blessed.

9)      Eternal peace is achieved.

10)  It helps us overcome temptations

By Category: Bible, Buddhism, Christianity, Faith, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, Paganism, Prayer, Religious Experience, Salaah, Spiritualism

How To Clean Yourself For Prayer In Islam {0}

The Holy Quran has stated that before an individual offers his prayer he has to thoroughly clean himself. It is mandatory for Muslim’s to perform ablution or the act of getting rid of impurities. The prayer will not be accepted if it hasn’t begun with cleaning of oneself meticulously with extra clean water.  Washing yourself with clean water is a prerequisite but one should also have pure intentions of performing ablution. The purpose, here, is to worship the Almighty with complete faith and dedication. Remove the heart from all malice and the mind from all negative thoughts.

Start the ablution by whispering Allah’s name. You will then have to wash both of your hands up to your wrists. The water should be allowed to run in between your fingers.  The next thing you need to do is wash and rinse your mouth three times with water making sure there is no food inside it. You have to clean your nostrils by sniffing the water in and out thrice. This helps get rid of impurities. Starting from your forehead, heading towards the chin and ultimately to your ears; the water should reach each and every portion of your face to clean it.

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After this, you proceed by focusing your attention on cleaning your arms and elbows. The right arm should be cleaned thrice which will be followed by the left. Use your fingers to wipe the earlobes and similarly use your thumb to clean the externals of your ear. Wet the palm of your hand and press it at the back of your forehead without wetting your neck.  Start washing your right feet first up to your ankles and then slowly proceeds to your left foot. Rub your feet while it is being washed and allow the water to run in between your toes. Make sure that no part of your feet is left dry. This should be repeated three times.

Although ablution will be nullified if one falls asleep while praying or loses consciousness or if there’s any vomiting. In such cases, you are required to repeat ablution to be clean.

By Category: Islam, Prayer, Salaah

The Benefits Of Prayer(Salaah) In Islam {0}

Prayer or salaah is considered to be an influential and unabridged part of every Muslim’s life.  It is often referred to as one of the Five Pillars of Islam. Every Muslim should pray five times a day without any failure. The idea of praying five times a day is not just a mere obligation. It has behind it a well formed thought.  The timings of these prayers are not untimed but are suited to everyone’s schedule; when you get up, at noon, late afternoon, during the evening and at night. The key is to remember Allah at all times irrespective of the busy timetable, when you wake up and before going to sleep.

The benefits of Salaah are many and is said to offer great health benefits. Many scientific observations have proved that the postures in Islamic prayer are said to increase the attention and memory span. Not just this when a person kneels down in prostration or sajda; the head is touching the ground, the palm of the hands and the knees are in the same position. This sends blood to our brain and increases the blood circulation. Recent studies have also found out that if a person is suffering from headache, nervousness or exhaustion, he/she should perform prostration as it relieves you of such illnesses.

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Our body is unprotected by certain electromagnetic waves which if not nipped in the bud can cause serious diseases such as cancer tumors and the like. The idea here is to get rid of them without relying on anti-biotic or tranquilizers.  Prostration, as a matter of fact, will help you with your problems.  Before offering the prayer, one has to perform ablution which is cleansing of the mouth, nostrils, face, ears, arms and feet. It helps you in living a more hygienic life and protects you from tooth decay and various bacterial infections.

Islamic prayers act as physical therapies to several joints present in your bodies and gives you aid in fighting against arthritis, disc problems and back pains. It also reduces anxiety, depression, tension and stress by gives you mental satisfaction and inner peace.

By Category: Islam, Prayer, Salaah