How do you pray?

[Jwanon]

.

[DancesWithWife]

All of them. I find myself praying throughout the day. If I am in a formal situation, such as the meeting I stand. When it's my wife and I at home for study, I sit. If we are leaving out the door, it's standing. I pray according to the situation, which includes when I am in a dark mood or very gloomy. I guess you could call it situational prayer circumstances. 

[Kyria]

It is interesting to see how many of us are seated! xx

[Qapla]

Prostrated is defined as lay oneself on the ground face downward - some of us pray while in bed laying on our back face up ... an option not offered except in "other".  However, since I also use other positions, it would have been nice if you could select all options that apply instead of only one option.

 

[cme]

Well, middle-easterners pray prostrated, laying down but, middle easterners are demonstrative.  It all depends on a situation.  Does it even matter?  We can close our eyes for a quick sec and pray to Jehovah for an urgent situation.

 

If its supplication we might go into our bedrooms and pray kneeling or, standing and pray in private.  Certain situations and stations in our lives will likely dictate the urgency and importance of our position in our prayers.  All depends.  Right?

[truce]

I know that the position is not the important thing, but when I want to pray indoors, I find that kneeling puts me in that worship mood. 

[dljbsp]

When I pray,

My heart speaks its truth.

No matter how my body bends or bows,

It’s the rhythm within, steady and true,

That makes my prayer whole and complete.

 

For this is a conversation,

A sacred exchange,

Between Jehovah and me.

In the stillness, it’s personal,

A quiet whisper shared by us alone.

[Tia]

1 hour ago, dljbsp said:

For this is a conversation,

A sacred exchange,

Between Jehovah and me.

In the stillness, it’s personal,

A quiet whisper shared by us alone

 

On occasion I maybe sitting, or gazing out the window, taking a walk,

short drive, but as stated above it is the stillness, personal

alone and quiet time, between me and Jehovah 

truly uplifts and comforts me

[Jwanon]

3 hours ago, cme said:

middle-easterners pray prostrated

 

In ethiopia too

[Rickie]

We can pray in every position and situation. I usually adapt myself to the environment.

 

I like to kneel before going to bed in private, but when in public or at the meetings I tilt my head down and cover my face with my hands like muslims do. It's very comfortable to me, the downside is that from time to time people will interrupt my prayers with the classic "why are you crying?" 😂

 

[BLEmom]

I pray in different positions. I actually don’t give too much consideration to it. When you need to talk to a friend, you do it. 
One of my favorite times is when I am alone and driving. Of course, I don’t close my eyes. 😁

[Pjdriver]

Have you ever gone to a public restaurant with a few friends and a brother wants everyone to hold hands and prays for the group out loud?

I think this is very showy, at least it comes off to me as Pharisaical.  Maybe it’s just me. 

[coony77]

12 minutes ago, Pjdriver said:

Have you ever gone to a public restaurant with a few friends and a brother wants everyone to hold hands and prays for the group out loud?

I think this is very showy, at least it comes off to me as Pharisaical.  Maybe it’s just me. 

 

No, never. Sounds very weird.

[coony77]

22 hours ago, truce said:

I know that the position is not the important thing, but when I want to pray indoors, I find that kneeling puts me in that worship mood. 

 

Although I feel the same way, it unfortunately doesn't work for me in practice. My prayers are usually quite long. When I kneel during all this time, the most “harmless” result is that my knees hurt. Most of the time, however, my back also hurts and I have to concentrate so much on my body posture (trying to find a pain-free position) that I can no longer focus on the content of my prayer. That´s why I pray seated.

Edited August 14 by coony77

[Jwanon]

28 minutes ago, Pjdriver said:

Have you ever gone to a public restaurant with a few friends and a brother wants everyone to hold hands and prays for the group out loud?

I think this is very showy, at least it comes off to me as Pharisaical.  Maybe it’s just me. 

 

Maybe he wants people around to hear the prayer so they pay attention to Jehovah

 

Jesus didn't condemned the pharisees for praying publicly, he condemned their motives for doing so

Edited August 14 by Jwanon

[Doug]

2 hours ago, Pjdriver said:

Have you ever gone to a public restaurant with a few friends and a brother wants everyone to hold hands and prays for the group out loud?

I think this is very showy, at least it comes off to me as Pharisaical.  Maybe it’s just me. 

 

I can recall at least two times while at a restaurant with a group that I was asked to pray.  No holding hands.  I didn't bow my head, I just spoke to Jehovah and thanked him. Head up, eyes open.  Anyone observing would have thought I was talking to someone at the table.

 

One sister said she used to bow her head at the restaurant until one time when the waitress came running over because she thought the sister was choking!

[Tortuga]

1 hour ago, Doug said:

One sister said she used to bow her head at the restaurant until one time when the waitress came running over because she thought the sister was choking!

A nice opportunity to explain about prayer...

[Lori]

I rarely ever stand to pray.  But that's because of mobility and pain issues.    

 

If I tried to get into a prostrated position,  I'd have to call 911 to help me get off the floor.   Lol

[truce]

3 hours ago, Doug said:

 

I can recall at least two times while at a restaurant with a group that I was asked to pray.  No holding hands.  I didn't bow my head, I just spoke to Jehovah and thanked him. Head up, eyes open.  Anyone observing would have thought I was talking to someone at the table.

 

One sister said she used to bow her head at the restaurant until one time when the waitress came running over because she thought the sister was choking!

Maybe she was bowed over for too long. 

[undeserved]

On 8/13/2024 at 11:19 AM, Qapla said:

Prostrated is defined as lay oneself on the ground face downward - some of us pray while in bed laying on our back face up ... an option not offered except in "other".  However, since I also use other positions, it would have been nice if you could select all options that apply instead of only one option.

 

In all seriousness…

would you ever worry about falling asleep while praying in bed?

[LeolaRootStew]

8 hours ago, Pjdriver said:

Have you ever gone to a public restaurant with a few friends and a brother wants everyone to hold hands and prays for the group out loud?

I think this is very showy, at least it comes off to me as Pharisaical.  Maybe it’s just me. 

 

My congregation was told to not hold hands when praying at the Kingdom Hall, even married couples, because prayer is always between you and Jehovah. Not sure if anyone else heard this.

 

As for it being showy, I'd have to say it's probably cultural, like kissing someone as a greeting. Some people probably expect it, others might think it's too much.

Edited August 15 by LeolaRootStew

[LeolaRootStew]

33 minutes ago, undeserved said:

In all seriousness…

would you ever worry about falling asleep while praying in bed?

 

I fell asleep praying in bed once. I guess I've technically been praying ever since!

[Qapla]

29 minutes ago, LeolaRootStew said:

My congregation was told to not hold hands when praying at the Kingdom Hall, even married couples, because prayer is always between you and Jehovah. Not sure if anyone else heard this.

 

Not as such. We were cautioned about an entire row holding hands or even reaching for the row in front/behind. But husband/wife or families ... that was not prohibited.

[Jwanon]

9 hours ago, LeolaRootStew said:

My congregation was told to not hold hands when praying at the Kingdom Hall, even married couples, because prayer is always between you and Jehovah.

 

They can't just impose that. That's their personal opinion 

[Dages]

10 hours ago, LeolaRootStew said:

My congregation was told to not hold hands when praying at the Kingdom Hall, even married couples, because prayer is always between you and Jehovah. Not sure if anyone else heard this.

I agree with Jason.
We often hold hands with my family.

On the other hands, I would find it very weird to have the whole cong hold hands.