I'm relatively new to both prayer and meditation. Well I've prayed all my life, but lately I've been praying with a specific intention. Below are my experiences comparing both practices.
Meditation. I've learned to meditate a number of ways. Firstly I was taught to sit using mudras, especially in the zen sitting position cross-legged upright on a zafu and zabuton, holding my fingers to form an oblong egg-shape resting intentionally and lightly in front of my abdomen. I've learned to meditate while moving through zen walking meditation and qi gong exercises, and reiki. I've learned to meditate by increasing awareness of the present here and now. (I have not meditated on zen quoans, nor by recalling an experience and bringing all those sensory memories into mind, but still want to try those techniques.)
I find that meditation can actually bring into my awareness emotions that I was not acknowledging consciously, by leading to trembling, and crying for reasons that I have to dig to understand. I find that I can use meditation to bring me into the present moment and thereby subdue my anxieties for the future, or regrets from the past, by making me aware of my actual current state.
Prayer. I've choosen to practice a primary belief that god is looking out for my personal well-being, my personal best interests in coordination with the best for all life and the earth herself. This is a practice of thanking god for whatever happens, for letting go of judging whether I like it or don't like it, but merely accepting on faith as for the greater good. This practice is of having conversations with a personificiation of god who is playful teasing as well as offering unexpected insights and reassurances. (Haven't learned to use a rosary . . . yet.)
I find both practices of meditation and prayer to be useful and helpful in quelching fears, in different ways that are both useful.Both prayer and meditation bring me to different states of awareness of my current situation, and allow me to subdue fears. They are both very useful practices, absolutely necessary to my feelings of well-being.
Meditation. I've learned to meditate a number of ways. Firstly I was taught to sit using mudras, especially in the zen sitting position cross-legged upright on a zafu and zabuton, holding my fingers to form an oblong egg-shape resting intentionally and lightly in front of my abdomen. I've learned to meditate while moving through zen walking meditation and qi gong exercises, and reiki. I've learned to meditate by increasing awareness of the present here and now. (I have not meditated on zen quoans, nor by recalling an experience and bringing all those sensory memories into mind, but still want to try those techniques.)I find that meditation can actually bring into my awareness emotions that I was not acknowledging consciously, by leading to trembling, and crying for reasons that I have to dig to understand. I find that I can use meditation to bring me into the present moment and thereby subdue my anxieties for the future, or regrets from the past, by making me aware of my actual current state.
Prayer. I've choosen to practice a primary belief that god is looking out for my personal well-being, my personal best interests in coordination with the best for all life and the earth herself. This is a practice of thanking god for whatever happens, for letting go of judging whether I like it or don't like it, but merely accepting on faith as for the greater good. This practice is of having conversations with a personificiation of god who is playful teasing as well as offering unexpected insights and reassurances. (Haven't learned to use a rosary . . . yet.)
I find that prayer will subdue urgent compulsions based on fears by allowing me to relax those compulsions with the belief that I am not in ultimate charge, but instead god is looking out for my best interests and I can rest in god's care, allowing god to show me when and how to act. I find that I can use the belief that I am in god's care to subdue plagueing regrets from the past, and anxieties about the future, by just letting go and allowing my body to relax in the trust that I am safe and well and cared for, god is looking out for me personally.
I find both practices of meditation and prayer to be useful and helpful in quelching fears, in different ways that are both useful.Both prayer and meditation bring me to different states of awareness of my current situation, and allow me to subdue fears. They are both very useful practices, absolutely necessary to my feelings of well-being.
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