Recently a friend asked me to pray for her, “Hey if you’ve ever believed in a god at all can you just like pray that I pass this mathclass because that would be great thank yous much,” she said. Now, I am incredibly close with this friend, in fact she’s an incredible editor when I need any help at all, so I know her well and I know her intention. However this statement isn’t uncommon, “If you believe in god in any way/ if you’ve ever believed in God can you pray for — ”
I’ve got a little problem with this. Who said you had to believe in God to pray? Prayer (n.): 1) a solemn request for help, or expression of thanks addressed to God or an object of worship. 2) an earnest hope or wish. Prayer does not have boundaries or limitations. It is a practice that is commonly spiritual, and spirituality isn’t limited to religion or belief in God.
Because of its limitlessness, prayer also comes in different shapes and sizes… and forms. Meditation can be a form of prayer, getting on your knees with hands in prayer and vocalizing your wishes is a form of prayer. Letting go and opening up can be a form of prayer, saying, “This is not working, and so I let it go, and I am open to something new.” is inviting something new, which to me is what prayer is all about. Saying , “I invite and am open to ____.” is all prayer is, varying between scripts and belief systems.
Prayer is a way of putting wishes and wants out into the world just like a mantra or manifestion, for Source/God/The Universe/Creator to respond to. It is a practice, and it is not defined by or limited to religious beliefs or belief in God or the title you choose to give your form/definition of God. Prayer has no boundaries or limits, similarly to meditation. It doesn’t matter who or what you believe in for you to pray (or meditate, or use healing crystals, or get in touch with & understanding of your soul, etc.).