- Renews your strength
- Provides clearer thinking
- Rejuvenates your soul
- Brings calm
- Gives spiritual guidance and direction
- Brings a sense of peace
- Provides hope
- Provides protection
Prayer and meditation is a practice and belief that extends back many centuries. There are many religions, spiritual beings, spiritualist, around the world who have varying beliefs about prayer and meditation. I respect the practices and ideologies of those who believe in prayer and meditation. However, this article is solely based on a Christian perspective on the benefits of prayer and meditation. I have listed only seven benefits of prayer and meditation but there are so many more.
It is good for your mental and physical well-being to find alone time to pray and meditate. It is a great self-care tool. Some may say well what is prayer. Well, I am glad you asked. Prayer is a direct communicative line between you and a higher entity other than yourself in which I call him God.
In times of national crises that happen globally often you hear leaders petitioning people to pray. There is much empirical evidence that supports the benefits of prayer and studies suggests that praying can be quite helpful as my list above suggests. Prayer is not exclusive to religious communities either. Many people who are not a part of organized religions believe in the practice of prayer and meditation. People from various cultures, faiths, and backgrounds pray daily.
In an article by the National Review (Rutledge, Clay, 2018) entitled What Prayer is Good For: and the Evidence For It listed many scenarios where people stated that prayer and meditation helped their overall well being. It was so eloquently stated that “Clearly, many people find prayer to be a worthwhile spiritual activity”. Those who want to dismiss this should at least consider the tested psychological and social benefits of prayer as well as the reality of how most believers turn to faith-based practices in addition to, not instead of, other courses of action. One cancer patient in the article was noted to say that, prayer reduced their level of depression. The article also stated that, “Other studies find that prayer inspires forgiveness and reduces anger and aggression.”
Ascribing to the ideology that prayer and meditation have many intrinsic benefits is a belief system that everyone may not by into. However, there are millions of people who do and millions of others who I hope will see the benefits as well. I am not saying that if you pray and meditate you will not have life problems. However, prayer and meditation can help you through it. Prayer has been a lifeline of mine since early childhood. I was introduced to praying by my mother and as a full grown adult the benefits for me have been endless. During some of my most darkest days in life especially after losing my baby prayer and mediation have calmed my fears and it gave me a sense of hope when I felt like sometimes just going in a cave to hide.
I believe it is critical to have a prayerful and meditative lifestyle. Praying individually and corporately has many benefits that people around the world can attest to. Science even states that prayer and mediation is a powerful and meaningful resource for those that do it. Utilizing prayer coupled with other resources in the Earth like therapy, support groups, exercise, proper nutrition and diet, medical care are recipes for great holistic filled lives. You do not have to take my word or the millions of others. Try and do it for yourself and you too will benefit greatly.