Guardian Life  

Prayer Is The Key: The Culture Of Prayer And Communication In Religion

By Chinelo Eze

24 August 2022   |   12:32 pm

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In life, many people practice a religion that they are familiar with, and that might just appear odd to other people. However, prayer seats at the heart of many forms of religious beliefs. Prayer, according to a famous tune, is "the master key." It is a high level of faith displayed by its followers. Prayer…

mixed-ethnic-group-holding-hands-in-prayer

In life, many people practice a religion that they are familiar with, and that might just appear odd to other people. However, prayer seats at the heart of many forms of religious beliefs.

Prayer, according to a famous tune, is “the master key.” It is a high level of faith displayed by its followers. Prayer is a form of communication between the divine and the worshippers that act as the lifeline of one’s faith.

Whether practised by ancient peoples or modern mystics, prayer is an important and universal part of any religion that represents the wide spectrum of religious thoughts and attitudes that guide human ties with the hallowed or holy.

According to Britannica, it defines prayer as “an act of communication by humans with the sacred or holy God, the gods, the transcendent realm, or supernatural powers.” “Found in all religions in all times, prayer may be a corporate or personal act utilizing various forms and techniques.”

To grasp the understanding of many religions that exist, prayer is the pathway of communication to the divine that is bound in all forms of religion and customs around the world.

Prayer is one element that is found in many religious belief systems.

In “Purple Hibiscus” Kambili sees papa Nnukwu pray which surprises her because she

In “Purple Hibiscus,” Kambili watches Papa Nnukwu perform what is termed the “declaration of innocence” rite. She was stunned by his act because she believes prayer to be an act that cannot be performed by a “heathen”.

But seeing Papa Nnukwu, the traditionalist, pray for her self-righteous father, struck a nerve in her.

Seeing Papa Nnukwu, who is a traditionalist, pray surprised his granddaughter Kambili, who felt that his faith did not include prayer as an element of his heathen way of life.

Many religions, like Islam, Christianity, Buddhism, Wicca, and Judaism, all pray.

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There are different ways and manners to pray, and for other practises that do not have a belief system in the existence of a god, meditation/contemplation and chants are done.

There are different types of prayers and different ways to pray. For instance, the Christian doctrine has in the bible “The Lord’s Prayer” as a model laid out precepts on how to pray and a type of prayer.

In Judaism, the Jews pray three times, all to give thanks, and praise, and ask for help from the divine. Even in the typical Igbo setting prayer is customarily said in the presence of the kola nut.

In Islam, there are five daily prayers said by the devout. And all of these prayers are specific to time, another element shared by varying religions.

Writing-Prayers-on-Ema-Board-in-Japanese-Culture

Among the myriad of influences that form an individual, for most, religion is a part and parcel of their whole being. Religious leaders often encourage their worshippers to pray as a means to inspire a meaningful spiritual connection to the divine.