Prayer
is an effort to communicate with God, or to another
deity or spirit, either to offer praise, to make a
request, or simply to express one's thoughts and emotions.
Praying has many different forms. Prayer may be done
privately and individually, or it may be done corporately
in the presence of fellow believers. Some outward
acts that sometimes accompany prayer are: ringing
a bell; burning incense or paper; lighting a candle
or candles; facing a specific direction (i.e. towards
Mecca or the East); making the sign of the cross.
A variety of body postures may be assumed, often with
specific meaning (mainly respect or adoration) associated
with them: standing; sitting; kneeling; prostrate
on the floor; eyes opened; eyes closed; hands folded
or clasped; hands upraised; and others. Prayers may
be recited from memory, read from a book of prayers,
or composed spontaneously as they are prayed. They
may be said, chanted, or sung. They may be with musical
accompaniment or not. Prayer may be unconcious. There
may be a time of outward silence while prayers are
offered mentally. Often, there are prayers to fit
specific occasions, such as the blessing of a meal,
the birth or death of a loved one, other significant
events in the life of a believer, or days of the year
that have special religious significance. |
|
Welcome...
Download Programs Here!
