The word prayer or prārthanā (in Sanskrut) is derived from two words ‘pra’ and ‘artha’, meaning pleading fervently. In other words, it is asking God for something with intense yearning. Prayer includes respect, love, pleading and faith. By praying, we express our helplessness and endow the doership of a task to God. Praying benefits us at the level of action, thought and attitude. It is a cornerstone in spiritual practice because it enhances the potency of chanting the Name of God, gives us Divine protection from ghosts and departed ancestors, reduces ego, and increases our faith. Over time, frequent prayers help to dissolve our mind and intellect and through them we gain access to the higher Universal Mind and Intellect. It is also an effective means of awakening our spiritual emotion (bhāv) and experiencing communion with God and the Bliss (Ānand) that results from it. This section is dedicated to increasing our understanding of prayer through spiritual research, and to give us motivation to pray frequently and sincerely so that we can experience its tremendous benefits starting today itself.
Research articles on prayer
Definition of prayer
The word prayer is derived from the two Sanskrut words ‘pra’ and ‘artha’ meaning pleading fervently. In other words, it is asking God for something with intense yearning.
Importance of prayer
By praying for spiritual growth, we slowly dissolve the mind, intellect and ego and experience more Bliss as a result.
Benefits of prayer
Praying improves spiritual practice, enhances chanting the Name of God, brings us Divine help in spiritual practice, reduces our ego, protects us from Ghosts, grants us forgiveness of mistakes and more.
What is the importance of gratitude?
A seeker with the spiritual emotion of gratitude is always close to God.
What is the difference between prayer with expectations without expectations
Praying without expectation results in faster spiritual growth and conserves our spiritual energy.
The effect of prayer - spiritual research using biofeedback machines (DDFAO)
Making use of the DDFAO technique, we were able to see the clear benefit prayer has on our chakras.
Research Suggested
How does prayer work?
In this article we provide an overview of how prayer works.
Prayer before meals - a spiritual perspective
Praying before meals allows us to imbibe the maximum spiritual benefit from the food.
Case Studies
Overeating
Pratik overcame compulsive overeating by praying in just a few days.
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Forces of nature assist video shoot after a prayer
SSRF editor Sean Clarke recounts a heartening spiritual experience of prayer while shooting an SSRF documentary.
Pray for me, please remember me in your prayers
How many times have you asked others to pray for you? How many times have others asked you to pray for them? Suppose one has 50 to 100 people praying for one - is it of any value and does anything come out of it?