Prayers from Your Religion

[Vouthon]

Prayer of Pope Francis

From "Laudato Si"

All-powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures.
You embrace with your tenderness all that exists.
Pour out upon us the power of your love,
that we may protect life and beauty.
Fill us with peace, that we may live
as brothers and sisters, harming no one.

O God of the poor,
help us to rescue the abandoned and forgotten of this earth, so precious in your eyes.
Bring healing to our lives,
that we may protect the world and not prey on it,
that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction. Touch the hearts
of those who look only for gain
at the expense of the poor and the earth.

Teach us to discover the worth of each thing,
to be filled with awe and contemplation,
to recognize that we are profoundly united
with every creature
as we journey towards your infinite light.
We thank you for being with us each day.
Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle
for justice, love and peace.

God of love, show us our place in this world
as channels of your love
for all the creatures of this earth,
for not one of them is forgotten in your sight.
Enlighten those who possess power and money
that they may avoid the sin of indifference,
that they may love the common good, advance the weak, and care for this world in which we live.

The poor and the earth are crying out.
O Lord, seize us with your power and light, help us to protect all life,
to prepare for a better future,
for the coming of your Kingdom
of justice, peace, love and beauty.
Praise be to you!
Amen.​

 

[Vouthon]

Prayer of Blessed Jacapone da Tori O.F.M. (ca. 1230 – 1306), Franciscan mystic

Love beyond all telling (from Self-Annihilation and Charity Lead the Soul…)

Love beyond all telling,
Goodness beyond imagining,
Light of infinite intensity
Glows in my heart.

I once thought that reason
Had led me to You,
And that through feeling
I sensed Your presence,
Caught a glimpse of You in similitudes,
Knew You in Your perfection.
I know now that I was wrong,
That that truth was flawed.

Light beyond metaphor,
Why did You deign to come into this darkness?
Your light does not illumine those who think they see You
And believe they sound Your depths.
Night, I know now, is day,
Virtue no more to be found.
He who witnesses Your splendor
Can never describe it.

On achieving their desired end
Human powers cease to function,
And the soul sees that what it thought was right
Was wrong. A new exchange occurs
At that point where all light disappears;
A new and unsought state is needed:
The soul has what it did not love,
And is stripped of all it possessed, no matter how dear.

In God the spiritual faculties
Come to their desired end,
Lose all sense of self and self-consciousness,
And are swept into infinity.
The soul, made new again,
Marveling to find itself
In that immensity, drowns.
How this comes about it does not know.​

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Today a friend urged me to try doing the Islamic prayers "with an open mind and heart" to see how I will feel. I tentatively agreed.

If someone managed to convince me to do Islamic prayers and play the role of a Muslim while doing so, I'm pretty sure I can give prayers from other religions a shot.

So, post prayers from your religion that don't require going to a house of worship or being in a group. Please note that asking other members to do or say those prayers is against the forum rules--specifically, Rule 8.

Hm. Can I ask here? That rule (I read) refers to not telling people they are required to say the prayers listed? Evangalization?

Your post:

Nama Muna ka ya sham.
Nama Muna ka ya sham
Ana dul ka ya ma sham
Ku ma ka ma sham
Ka ya ma
Nam

I devote myself to our Mother
I devote myself to our Mother
To the Spirits, I am devoted
To family, I am devoted
This is my act of devotion
Thank you.

This isnt any foreign language but different prayers come out in non language words and phrases. The meaning and intent behind them (action and ritual) make them real for me. Most of my prayers are either silent dancing or "speaking in tongues" if thats the best correlation.

English one:

Mother, here I am; here I am
Mother, here I am
Mother may I learn from your being
Mother may I preserve in faith
May I act in devotion
Mother, here I am. Here I am.

... there is more but I havent done this prayer in awhile.....

Mother is refering to the Earth rather than entity
We are a part of the Earth. The spirits are from the earth as well. From the waters we are born to the dust we pass.

More prayers


I am here
And I belong here
How can I not, when every deed and decision has brought me here
Whether arriving here brings good or ill
Or brought good or ill to others
Here is where I belong
It is from here, I must pray

*

Im the next words I hear
Speak wisdom, speak truth
Make clear the path that lies before me
That in the days to come, I must walk
May the words of strangers not be idle talk,
But words from the Source.

*

Moon who measures out time and space
Who puts this here and that there
This then and the other at its own time
Who orders which as it should be
Teach me to divide all I experience
Teach me to divine all I need to know
That my life may be true
So that I may live in the truth
*
~Pagan Ritual Prayer Book
There are a couple handful I like.

Here are Buddhist prayers I do sometimes before chanting with my friends.

We have a sacrament called a Gohonzon. It's a Mandala that holds all the Original Buddha Shakyamuni: Truth or Dharma. Nichiren Shonin inscribed all the teachings in one sum on this scroll Mandala. Every morning and evening, practitioners chant the Lotus Sutra to this scroll.
They chant the second and sixteenth chapters of the Lotus Sutra
http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/lsoc/Content/2 (Chapter 2)
http://www.nichirenlibrary.org/en/lsoc/Content/16 (Chapter 16)

Here are the personal prayers Nichiren Shu does. SGI doesnt do this; so, I voice it alone.

Honor be to the Great Mandala
The Perfect Circle of all Honorable ONes,
Revealed by oru founder Nichiren Shonin

Honor be to the Eternal Buddha Shakyamuni
Our original Teacher, the Lord of the Dharma, our Great Benefactor,
who attained enlighthenment int eh remotest past.

Honor be to the sutra of the Lotus Flower
Of the Wonderful Dharma
The Teaching of Equality
The Great Wisdom
The One Vehicle

Honor be to our Founder, the Great Bodhisattva Nichiren Shonin,
dispatched by our original Buddha

Honor be to the Renge-ajari Nichirji Shonin, the first overseas missionary

Honor be to the protective deities of the Dharma
We honor you all
May you come to this concecrated place out of your compassion towards us
See is with the light of your wisdom and accept our offering of chanting this sutra,

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo



Have faith in the Great Mandala, Gohonzon, the Most Venerable One of the world

Endeavor! Endeavor! to strengthen your faith,
so that you may be blessed with the protective powers of all the Buddhas.
Persue the two-fold path of practice and study.
Without practicing and studying there is no Buddhism.
Follow these yourself...
Study and pratice come with faith. Even if it is only a word or a phrase...

~This is from the Nichiren Shu Service Gongyo Book.

 

[arthra]

Today a friend urged me to try doing the Islamic prayers "with an open mind and heart" to see how I will feel. I tentatively agreed.
If someone managed to convince me to do Islamic prayers and play the role of a Muslim while doing so, I'm pretty sure I can give prayers from other religions a shot.
So, post prayers from your religion that don't require going to a house of worship or being in a group. Please note that asking other members to do or say those prayers is against the forum rules--specifically, Rule 8.

Most all Baha'i prayers can be recited individually without a group or going to a House of Worship... The only exception are certain prayers for the dead which are recited in congregation or a few prayers that are supposed to be recited when on pilgrimage to Shiraz and Baghdad. I'll post one prayer which is usually found on the first page of most Baha'i Prayer books:

Intone, O My servants, the verses of God that have been received by thee, as intoned by them who have drawn nigh unto Him, that the sweetness of thy melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the hearts of all men. Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb. Though he may, at first, remain unaware of its effect, yet the virtue of the grace vouchsafed unto him must needs sooner or later exercise its influence upon his soul. Thus have the mysteries of the Revelation of God been decreed by virtue of the Will of Him Who is the Source of power and wisdom.

BAHÁ'U'LLÁH

Additional Baha'i prayers can be found at

http://thebahaiprayers.com/

 

[DawudTalut]

.....So, post prayers from your religion that don't require going to a house of worship or being in a group. Please note that asking other members to do or say those prayers is against the forum rules--specifically, Rule 8.

Peace be on you.
As you seek, some prayers:

Quran
Translations:
[2:187] And when My servants ask thee about Me, say: ‘I am near. I answer the prayer of the supplicant when he prays to Me. So they should hearken to Me and believe in Me, that they may follow the right way.’

==

[1:1] In the name of Allah, the Gracious, the Merciful.
[1:2] All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of all the worlds,
[1:3] The Gracious, the Merciful,
[1:4] Master of the Day of Judgment.
[1:5] Thee alone do we worship and Thee alone do we implore for help.
[1:6] Guide us in the right path —
[1:7] The path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings, those who have not incurred Thy displeasure, and those who have not gone astray.

==

Some short prayers @ https://www.alislam.org/books/pathwaytoparadise/LAJ-chp5.htm

==

In the name of Allah (I seek help), the Sufficient.
In the name of Allah The Healer.
In the name of Allah All-Forgiving, The Merciful.
In the name of Allah The Benign, The Generous.
O Protector; O Mighty; O Companion; O Friend; Heal me.

==

Various aspects of institution of prayer @ https://www.alislam.org/books/study-of-islam/prayer.html

 

[vaguelyhumanoid]

Hail, day!
Hail, sons of day!
And night and her daughter now!
Look on us here
with loving eyes,
That waiting we victory win.

Hail to the gods!
Ye goddesses, hail,
And all the generous earth!
Give to us wisdom
and goodly speech,
And healing hands, life-long.

Only recorded pre-Christian Norse prayer.

 

[Tumah]

Deuteronomy 6:4-9

Sh'ma Yis'ra'eil Adonai Eloheinu Adonai echad.
Hear, Israel, the Lord is our G_d, the Lord is One.
In an undertone:

Barukh sheim k'vod malkhuto l'olam va'ed.
Blessed be the Name of His glorious kingdom for ever and ever.

V'ahav'ta eit Adonai Elohekha b'khol l'vav'kha uv'khol naf'sh'kha uv'khol m'odekha.
And you shall love the Lord your G_d with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.

V'hayu had'varim ha'eileh asher anokhi m'tzav'kha hayom al l'vavekha.
And these words that I command you today shall be in your heart.

V'shinan'tam l'vanekha v'dibar'ta bam
And you shall teach them diligently to your children, and you shall speak of them
b'shiv't'kha b'veitekha uv'lekh't'kha vaderekh uv'shakh'b'kha uv'kumekha
when you sit at home, and when you walk along the way, and when you lie down and when you rise up.

Uk'shar'tam l'ot al yadekha v'hayu l'totafot bein einekha.
And you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be for frontlets between your eyes.

Ukh'tav'tam al m'zuzot beitekha uvish'arekha.
And you shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

That's a passage from Deuteronomy with a line interpolated by Jacob according to the Talmud. It has no praise, supplication or thanks in it, nor is it a statement of intent. As far as I'm aware, saying this prayer at the correct time of day, only fulfills two commandments and neither of them are the commandment to pray. Why do you call this a prayer?

 

[Eliab ben Benjamin]

and you shall speak of them
when you sit at home, and when you walk along the way,

Yep, clearly it is instruction ...
and prayer is just common terminology ...

Perhaps i should have used the one i was saying aloud as i awoke from my
death ... ( the Rav was most impressed )




יְהוָה רֹעִי, לֹא אֶחְסָר
.בִּנְאוֹת דֶּשֶׁא, יַרְבִּיצֵנִי; עַל-מֵי מְנֻחוֹת יְנַהֲלֵנִי
.נַפְשִׁי יְשׁוֹבֵב; יַנְחֵנִי בְמַעְגְּלֵי-צֶדֶק, לְמַעַן שְׁמוֹ
;גַּם כִּי-אֵלֵךְ בְּגֵיא צַלְמָוֶת, לֹא-אִירָא רָע-- כִּי-אַתָּה עִמָּדִי
.שִׁבְטְךָ וּמִשְׁעַנְתֶּךָ, הֵמָּה יְנַחֲמֻנִי
;תַּעֲרֹךְ לְפָנַי, שֻׁלְחָן-- נֶגֶד צֹרְרָי
.דִּשַּׁנְתָּ בַשֶּׁמֶן רֹאשִׁי, כּוֹסִי רְוָיָה
;אַךְ, טוֹב וָחֶסֶד יִרְדְּפוּנִי-- כָּל-יְמֵי חַיָּי
וְשַׁבְתִּי בְּבֵית-יְהוָה, לְאֹרֶךְ יָמִים

The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures; He leadeth me beside the still waters.
He restoreth my soul; He guideth me in straight paths for His name's sake.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for Thou art with me; Thy rod and Thy staff, they comfort me.
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies; Thou hast anointed my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life; And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord forever. .

 

[EtuMalku]

Prayer is supposed to be about talking to God. Why do you need to use a prayer that someone else wrote and you repeat it over and over.? Doesn't it make more sense to just tell God what is on your mind? Pray like you are talking to a friend on the phone. Would you ever call up a friend a read something someone else wrote? Why should God be any different? Throw away all the prepared prayers and just tell God what is on your mind.

Prayer is a "lost" magical art. It has become rote recitations or simple wish-making. Prayer originally was a process of concentrated visualization, combined with emotional and mental energy, properly grounded to the physical through proper vocalization. The spoken Word became in essence praying, this was first understood by the ancient Egyptians in the way of Affirmations and made manifest in (Heka) vibrational magic. Efforts were made to align sound with the principles of a cosmic order (natural ordering of the universe) which perhaps could be seen as a LOGOS, the dialog with that part of your Self that has the ability to create any condition you need or desire. The invocation within a prayer unites our meditative state of consciousness with the power of the Word and our innate force of Will.

 

[Jainarayan]

Hail, day!
Hail, sons of day!
And night and her daughter now!
Look on us here
with loving eyes,
That waiting we victory win.

Hail to the gods!
Ye goddesses, hail,
And all the generous earth!
Give to us wisdom
and goodly speech,
And healing hands, life-long.

Only recorded pre-Christian Norse prayer.

I say that every morning, that exact translation. Also:

Hail Gods and Goddesses, Æsir and Vanir.
I thank you for the blessings you have given me.
I ask you to continue to bless me and to help me face the decrees of the Norns with courage and honor.
I ask you to help me do what is best for my faith, for my folk and for my family, this and every day.

 

[Jainarayan]

Btw, I do occasionally recite Hindu mantras and prayers that I feel are fitting, such as the Mahamrityunjaya (Great Death-conquering) Mantra:

oṃ tryambakam yajāmahe sugandhim puṣti-vardhanam ǀ
urvārukam-iva bandhanā mṛtyormukṣīya māmṛitāat ǁ

We worship the Three-eyed Lord (Shiva) who is fragrant and who nourishes and nurtures all beings. As the ripened cucumber is freed from the vine, may he liberate us from death for the sake of immortality.

And the Gayatri Mantra:

oṃ bhūr bhuvaḥ svaḥ
tát savitúr váreṇyaṃ
bhárgo devásya dhīmahi
dhíyo yó naḥ pracodáyāt

Let us worship the supreme light of the Sun, the God of all things, who can so well guide our understanding.

 

[Unveiled Artist]

Some more prayers:

I usually say this.

We respectfully dedicate all our merits now gathered to the Great Benevelent teacher, Sakyamuni the Etenral Buddha; to the Supreme Teaching, the Lotus Sutra; to the Leader of the Declining Latter Age of the Dharma, Our Founder, the Great Bodhisattva, NIchiren Shonin; and to the protective deities of the Dharma.

May all beings under the heavens and within the four seas live in accordance with the Wonderful Dharma!

May the WOnderful Dharma spread throughout the ten thousand years of the declining latter age of the Dharma!

May we realize this world is the Eternal Buddha's Pure Land!

May peace permeate all the world and all people enjoy peace nad happiness!

May all beings liv in safety and live long without misfortune!

May the peace and happiness forever and let all beings be prosperous!

We pray that all beings awaken to the true nature of reality which is the Buddha Dharma!

May all beings of all realms be helped equally, overcome suffering, and gain happiness of blissful liberation through the merits of following the teaching of the Lotus Sutra!

We pray for the spirits of our ancestors and for the spirits of the universe; (and personal prayers here)

May we purify our minds, limit our desires, learnto be content, feel free to edxperience the quiet unassuming joys of life, and learnto abandon all attachments formed int he mind!

With this prayer we endeavor to increase our understanding and appreciation of what others have given and contributed to us and to develop constant, mindful consideration of how our thoughts and actions will beneficially contribute to others.

Nam Myoho Renge Kyo

 

[Unveiled Artist]

lol

why pray to a higher power when you can be the higher power?

Spoiler: May Contain Atheism and Swearing

What about doing both?

 

[ShivaFan]

The human voice can project words that can be incantation with intonation. Some say, words have the ability to change the world. But mostly, they are just stepping stones, but only those who are going here and there step on each stone. Some are not going anywhere – you will notice they often do not talk a lot, but some talk words only in their mind. When it is not in your mind, but in your voice, some your words can have the ability to turn you another away, or another’s to turn you away. And some have the ability to convince you to stay.

Actually, I pray not for the later – never stay to long anywhere. I pray I move on, laughing.

When you “think” in your mind, do you think words? There is also a way to think in images, most think in words, but some think in both words and images.

Now when you say, prayer but the type not in a temple or in a congregation – I do not know about others, but perhaps I am typical. These words in such a “prayer” are speaking in my mind. I do not say them out loud typically in such a stage, where there is no temple and no congregation. Also, I speak in images in my “mind”, so both happen in such a “prayer”.

Do I ever speak out loud when I am alone? Of course – in fact, I start speaking out loud even in my sleep what to speak of when I am alone, just ask my wife. Maybe I have some sort of record player in there. Sometimes I sing, too, alone, or in my sleep I may sing out loud. Just ask my wife.

But such a prayer as you ask, my wife has never said I do that … if it is not in a temple or congregation. So these type of prayers, you won’t hear (rarely) if I am “alone”. But the situation is, I am rarely “alone”. Even when I am “alone”.

But for what it is worth.

PRAYER

There is nothing wrong. Why should I complain? A thousand suns can be very bright. So they say, let me take the stepping stones to the radiance that is a thousand suns. I guess that would work out ok, if I learn to walk into a thousand suns and not burn. I pray that is the story of my goal – to be strong enough to walk into a thousand suns. It may take time to learn this strength, to have the ghost that will not burn, and can walk into a thousand suns. So I pray, give me a few more days. They may be auspicious ones. But on that way, I pray that my water jug does not go empty. Let there be Ganga, Yamuna, Godavari, Saraswati, Narmad, Sindu and Kaveri in my water jug. Then it will not go empty, and on the way across those stepping stones to the thousand suns, my water will not go empty and I will not be thirsty. I will need to change along the way, so that I cannot burn. I pray to who is the cause for change, for I may have met the son of Aditi by name or word. I pray that whoever it is, I will know who will be the cause for change. Surely the one who is, is also the cause of that luster of a thousand suns. I am not a holy man. I am a soldier, because I carry a sword that says “Kali” on it. Even soldiers travel far. In fact, I pray that I will be a good soldier marching down that path of stepping stones. A long time ago, there were many soldiers who became the souls in bondage. They even gained fame by becoming this bondage. Some still speak of them. But I pray I have no such vanity. I am a freebooter, I pray that my stepping stones are not too far between to make me leap, nor too close to each to make me tip toe. Just a nice pace in my march. I pray my uniform becomes an ice armor, to keep me cool even in a thousand suns. So that I can get to the other side of the thousands suns, and see who stands behind it.


THE PRAYER. BUT THERE IS ALSO AN IMAGE. With 12 arms, 12 weapons in each.

 

[Theunis]

Prayer is a "lost" magical art. It has become rote recitations or simple wish-making. Prayer originally was a process of concentrated visualization, combined with emotional and mental energy, ....l.

To me these are the main ingredients of asking - I know not how to pray.
I always make sure that two of us are in agreement. However if there is anyone who is involved who is not in agreement then her/his mere thoughts negate the decision.
Take the case of a son praying that his mother's health to be restored but she believes what her doctor told her that there is no cure and death awaits her. No matter how you pray it will be - as she believes so it will be unto her. The son did not fail, the prayer did not fail, his God did not fail, the mother's belief prevailed.

If there are no impediments then I look into the yonder from the quiet of my mind and wordlessly ask, for once the decision is made the request is already know.
Please note I have no religious or any other affiliations.
I ask for rain, snow or justice and I have never been denied. I do not address any god or deity.
So maybe there is something out there that permeates all; Then again if we are part of it then we are part of the ALL.

 

[Demonslayer]

Doesn't it make more sense to just tell God what is on your mind?

Nothing makes less sense to me than this.

 

[Demonslayer]

let me take the stepping stones to the radiance that is a thousand suns.

Bring your Coppertone...

 

[EtuMalku]

To me these are the main ingredients of asking - I know not how to pray.
I always make sure that two of us are in agreement. However if there is anyone who is involved who is not in agreement then her/his mere thoughts negate the decision.
Take the case of a son praying that his mother's health to be restored but she believes what her doctor told her that there is no cure and death awaits her. No matter how you pray it will be - as she believes so it will be unto her. The son did not fail, the prayer did not fail, his God did not fail, the mother's belief prevailed.

If there are no impediments then I look into the yonder from the quiet of my mind and wordlessly ask, for once the decision is made the request is already know.
Please note I have no religious or any other affiliations.
I ask for rain, snow or justice and I have never been denied. I do not address any god or deity.
So maybe there is something out there that permeates all; Then again if we are part of it then we are part of the ALL.

Right On Theunis . . . I am not theistic but that never impedes my prayers, because they are never to some imaginary deity, but rather they are Thoughts Created into the Objective Universe through vibration and thus begin the Cause & Affect process.

 

[Theunis]

Right On Theunis . . . I am not theistic but that never impedes my prayers, because they are never to some imaginary deity, but rather they are Thoughts Created into the Objective Universe through vibration and thus begin the Cause & Affect process.

Perhaps you would like to view the following link concerning the "Hospital without medicine" in Beijing, China.

It is in line with your thoughts of :-
1. Prayer originally was a process of concentrated visualization.
The doctors go into intensive training to visualize how it should be.
2. combined with emotional energy.
They use feeling and faith which are both emotions.
3. properly grounded to the physical through proper vocalization.
They vocalize for concentration.
4. The invocation within a prayer unites our meditative state of consciousness with the power of the Word.
This also manifested in their healing process.
5.Thoughts Created into the Objective Universe through vibration and thus begin the Cause & Affect process.
Some would say the activation of (true) faith and mind over matter.