ahanu

Define prayer from a Baha'i perspective.

I'm interested in reading Baha'i views on prayer.

arthra

Well of course Ruhi Book One has some answers to your question... and two notable ones are mentioned ..

Prayer is conversation with God

"It is striking how private and personal the most fundamental spiritual exercises of prayer and meditation are in the Faith. Bahá'ís do, of course, have meetings for devotions, as in the Mashriqu'l-Adhkar or at Nineteen Day Feasts, but the daily obligatory prayers are ordained to be said in the privacy of one's chamber, and meditation on the Teachings is, likewise, a private individual activity, not a form of group therapy. In His talks 'Abdu'l-Bahá describes prayer as 'Conversation with God', and concerning meditation He says that 'while you meditate you are speaking with your own spirit. In that state of mind you put certain questions to your spirit and the spirit answers: the light breaks forth and the reality is revealed."

(Compilations, Lights of Guidance, p. 540)



and

Prayer is a ladder of ascent..

X. One of the deeds in obedience to the law is obligatory prayer. He Who is the Bearer of divine mysteries hath called it the ladder of ascent. He (1) saith: "Obligatory prayer is a ladder of ascent for the believer." Within it are hidden and concealed a myriad effects and benefits. Indeed, they are beyond computation.

How great would be a man's indolence and his injustice to himself if he were to abandon this ladder of ascent and attach himself to earthly treasures. It is our hope that we may be assisted to perform pure and acceptable deeds. We beseech God, exalted and glorified be He, to confirm us in that which He desireth and pleaseth and in that which will draw us nigh unto Him. Verily, He is the Almighty, the All-Powerful, He Who is wont to answer the prayers of all men.

~ Baha'u'llah

(Compilations, The Importance of Obligatory Prayer and Fasting)

LordOfGoblins

i dont know if this is a blasphemous thing to say. But in my experience prayer is something you can do but not really relly on. I mean you prayer and then continue on as if you expect no results. In that way you wont be dissapointed. What do others think?
It seems silly to put our hearts and hopes in prayer when so often it does not bring us what we said the prayer for...

arthra

Lord of Goblins wrote above:

But in my experience prayer is something you can do but not really relly on. I mean you prayer and then continue on as if you expect no results. In that way you wont be dissapointed. What do others think?

Have you ever read the advice of Shoghi Effendi on prayer? It's regarded as more of a Pilgrim Note but I believe it has a lot of wisdom..

It's called the Dynamics of Prayer and appears on p. 206 of "Remembrance of God" the Baha'i prayer book from India..

Actually it has been posted already on this forum by "Whine of Astonishment" last year almost one year ago precisely!

Dynamics of Prayer for Solving Problems

1. Pray and meditate about it. Use the prayers of the Manifestations as they have the greatest power. Then remain in the silence of contemplation for a few minutes.

2. Arrive at a decision and hold this. This decision is usually born during contemplation. It may seem almost impossible of accomplishment but if it seems to be as answer to a prayer or a way of solving the problem, then immediately take the next step.

3. Have determination to carry the decision through. Many fail here. The decision, budding into determination, is blighted and instead becomes a wish or a vague longing. When determination is born, immediately take the next step.

4. Have faith and confidence that the power will flow through you, the right way will appear, the door will open, the right thought, the right message, the right principle, or the right book will be given you. Have confidence and the right thing will come to your need. Then as you rise from prayer, take at once the 5th step.

5. Act as though it had all been answered. then act with tireless, ceaseless energy. And as you act, you, yourself, will become a magnet, which will attract more power to your being, until you become an unobstructed channel for the Divine power to flow through you.

Many pray but do not remain for the last half of the first step. Some who meditate arrive at a decision, but fail to hold it. Few have the determination to carry the decision through, still fewer have the confidence that the right thing will come to their need. But how many remember to act as though it had all been answered? How true are these words "Greater than the prayer is the spirit in which it is uttered" and greater than the way it is uttered is the spirit in which it is carried out.

~ Shoghi Effendi (Pilgrim note)

If you study how Shoghi Effendi acted I think you can see he likely believed in this dynamic process!

Ruth Moffett is believed to have also recorded this note...

Dynamics of Prayer (Shoghi Effendi)

cire perdue

Prayer is comforting. It connects me with my spiritual reality. I can't say it connects me to God, but it connects me to the part of me that is above the usual me. It can change my mood, uplift me, get me out of my own thinking and feeling which has not worked.

I am so grateful to have a prayer book of all those beauteously worded prayers. I am even more grateful to have memorized a number of prayers. Now in later life they are there. Even when in the midst of have a stroke I could silently say The Tablet of Ahmad while tears streamed down my face in an MRI, and I had a vision that was apparently true for me. While in my 30's I had not idea that what I was memorizing would be so important. These prayers help put me to sleep, helped me when hospitalized with no prayer book, waiting for the bus, and countless times. Oh how grateful I am to have a prayer book. I don't think any other Faith has them or uses them like we do. In fact when 2 Baha'i prayers were said at my father's funeral, several people said that was too much praying. Ha!

BruceDLimber

Quote:

Originally Posted by ahanu Define prayer from a Baha'i perspective.

To the extent that we're to be spiritual mirrors reflecting the Holy Spirit, prayer is said to polish the mirror.

Peace, :-)

Bruce