Prayer Styles

 

There are many ways to pray. The most common is to close your eyes and cuff your palms and fingers together. However, this is not the only way. Some use prayer beads or Rosaries, Anglicans make ones without crucifixes and Madonnas. Still some prefer to raise their hands in adoration and stand, rocking a little as they pray in Hebraic style. The point is that one method may not work for you, but there are others! Some prefer to use a kneeler and have a prayer corner with an altar cross, saints, and candles, while others like to set on a bench and talk to The Holy Trinity in a more casual way with eyes open. Some people speak in tongues in prayer (1 Corinthians 12:10, 1 Corinthians 14:13-17), others use Latin or their native language, some even go back and forth between prayer styles. 

What matters is which style or styles help you feel closest to Christ and helps you want to pray. Some are insistent you have to pray a certain way: bowed head, eyes closed, and cuffed hands. That is a common method, but you need to find the style that fits for you and most importantly makes you want to pray. For some prayer does not come easy and if you find a cross with beads helps, candles, using tongues, laying on your face, using Gregorian Chant or hymns in background, or going on a walk as you pray in nature to God Almighty who mace nature, what matters is you pray to The One Triune God!  

So do not let anyone judge you on the style of prayer you use. People can be convinced their method is the true one, but the only instruction we have on how to pray is from Jesus, “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one.” (Matthew 6:9-13). This is more of template of what to cover in prayer such as adoration of God, seeking God’s Will, asking forgiveness for sins, for protection from evil one and so on. But its not the only way to pray, there is personal prayer, where you speak to The Holy Trinity as a friend, husband, and Lord: making petitions, listening to The Lord’s answers, communicating as friends do, and etc. We are not stuck praying The Our Father, its important, for Jesus said it, but he wants us to communicate in unique rhythms and goals as well. Roman Catholics repeat the Our Father over and over with The Hail Mary, but Jesus takes issue with repetitious prayer to achieve favor from Him, “When you pray, don’t babble on and on as the Gentiles do. They think their prayers are answered merely by repeating their words again and again. Don’t be like them, for your Father knows exactly what you need even before you ask him! This, then, is how you should pray: “’Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name..” (Matthew 6:7-9). Notice Jesus instructs on The Pater Noster (Our Father) after saying do not repeat the same prayers as Gentiles do. However, if you use The Our Father Prayer in repetition to combat anxiety, stress, calm yourself, do spiritual warfare, manage anger, or center yourself in prayer that is different and fine to do! The issue is using The Our Father in repetition to merit something from God or think He needs the repetitions to consider your needs; when He knows your needs and loves you. 

I say find the Christian style of prayer that works for you. Just like exercise, some people prefer a gym with weights, some jogging or running in nature, others use bikes and so in; in the same manner find the method of prayer aforementioned in this post that works for you. Do not practice Yoga or other religion methods like spinning like a Dervish. Amen.