When I think of a group prayer the first image that comes to my mind is of Muslim men kneeling with their foreheads touching the ground. Prayers need not be in a group they can be your one-on-one conversation with God. A prayer need not be done in a temple or church, but can be done anywhere, such as in a car, on the bus, or when an airplane is taking off or even waiting outside the doctor’s office.
Praying in Gratitude
Frequently people pray to ask God for favors, please help me find my keys, a good job and a house, a life partner, or a clean chit from the doctor. Every one of us has indulged in asking God, but if a thought to consider is how frequently have you prayed to God to thank him for what you have or what you have received? You pray hoping to get that great job at a much higher salary, but how frequently do you thank God when you get that job? Did you get that job from Divine intervention or do you keep the full credit with yourself?
Frequently a prayer is a dialog with God, your conversation with Him, similar to a conversation you would have with a friend, sharing your concerns, unburdening your load, and having a chat with him as if he was your buddy.
Prayers: Food for the Soul
In 2008 Robbins, Francis, and Edwards did a research on 131 college students in Wales (UK). The research was on the correlation between prayer frequency and happiness. The conclusion of their study was “The data demonstrated an apparent simple correlation between prayer and happiness. At face value, this finding is consistent with the view that prayer promotes a more positive attitude toward life. It enhances personal happiness. “In another word, someone who prays regularly is happier than someone who pray’s infrequently or not at all.
There is an important question on the frequency of prayers. A well-known fact is that prayer is as important for the soul as food is for the body. How much or how frequently you eat is best known to you both underfeeding and overfeeding of food is unhealthy as is prayer.
Prayers and Spiritual Awakening
As a guest at a Christian family’s house, I felt spiritually awakened when the family invited me to join them in blessing the meal and thanking God for his abundance. Many years later, I infrequently eat without a prayer. My personal adaptation of a Catholic prayer is “Bless us God, and these gifts, which we are about to receive, from your bounty through you, my God. Amen.”
Prayers and Happiness – Dr. Prerna Kohli, India’s Topmost Psychologist
To learn more about Dr. Prerna Kohli click here
All images courtesy Pixabay
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About Dr. Prerna Kohli
Dr. Kohli believes that “You can talk with a close friend or relative about what’s troubling you, but it’s not the same as a professionally-trained experienced psychologist who knows exactly what kind of help you need.”
She is a 100 women Achievers Award Winner (2016) from the Honorable President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee.
Dr. Prerna Kohli is a Clinical Psychologist, a Public Speaker, a Workshop Facilitator and a Holistic Practitioner. She offers Heart-based workshops and lectures that focus on Life Balance, Self-awareness, and Inner Peace. Dedicated to sharing her knowledge and compassion with others, Prerna blends intuitive wisdom with a solid understanding, creating a powerful holistic approach, specializing in the areas of Emotional change.
Dr. Prerna Kohli is a leading Psychologist in India and provides families, individuals, parents and children counseling on being happy.
