Should we pray?

[RandMart]

@gofigure

To your first question (in the title): if ever there were the right time, it probably is now, and to be followed up with, it can’t hurt.

Conversely …

Cryin won’t help you
Prayin won’t do you no good

[RogerC39]

@Thiswasit

@BCtriguy1

It makes me wonder if controlling our thoughts is a sort of muscle or skill that most of us just never learn to develop, so we have the experience like you describe: being a somewhat passive vessel where thoughts come in and out of our consciousness.

Many meditation practices are basically exercises to develop the mind akin to exercise to develop the cardiovascular or musculoskeletal systems. Nonetheless I don’t believe “you” generate your thoughts any more than “you” make your heart beat or determine the forces skeletal muscles cells are producing at any given moment.

That’s pretty much what I’ve drawn from my experiences and observations while meditating. That I have no conscious control over my thoughts. They just appear in consciousness.

There may be types of meditation that have the effect of clearing the mind. I’ve never practiced TM, but limited understanding is that is one of the potential benefits, if that’s considered a benefit.

That’s not to say that I haven’t felt something like that though Vipassana or some form of Zen or insight meditation. But it really isn’t the goal.

[Dapper-Dan]

I and the rest of my family (along with 1.3 billion Muslims) pray 5 times a day. When I first converted to Islam I found this difficult and only prayed 1 or 2 times a day (every night, some mornings). Now it is easy…sometimes a pain to get the boys to join me as they are always slow and goofing around before we start, but it does get everyone together rather than everyone in their separate rooms watching youtube or whatever. Also in the summer in the PNW the prayer times can get challenging…currently the morning prayer starts at 4:10 am (must finish before 5:51am…it only takes 5 minutes), and the last prayer for evening starts no sooner than 10:03pm. Those times will continue to get earlier and later with the sunrise/sunset. Right now I only need to do 1 prayer (noon prayer or Dhuhr) at work, which I do in a conference room. I like that it adds structure to the day.

[edbikebabe]

My dog walks are the same. We have an offleash ravine to walk in, so I try and notice “little things”. This time of year it’s easy. New leaves/buds/tiny flowers.

[TMI]

A musical reply to the question posed. For anyone who is a parent.

[spockman]

If you are a Christian or a Muslim you are instructed to do so my your Scriptures. If you are not a theist I am not sure I have an answer for you. I pray the Lord’s prayer in the morning followed by prayers for people I know who are having problems. The Lord’s prayer was Jesus’ response to his disciples asking him, “Lord teach us how to pray” Praying for other people helps keep them in my thoughts. So praying for other people is thinking about other people. Maybe Trump could try thinking about other people instead of just himself.