What will happen if I start praying regularly?

[Anonymous]

Not religious. I mostly feel like this is all a happy accident, though it's also simultaneously/paradoxically proof that there IS something bigger than me. I mean, what is all this <looks around, waves hands> if not something more than me?
I also know there is good, and evil, and a whole lot in between.

Sometimes I think about praying, as a way to tap into that something larger than myself.
I've even done a few days, and then I stop. Mostly that's because I forget...but I think I forget because nothing happened the first couple of times.
If I were to start praying daily regularly, would I begin to feel something?
I guess the question is, does the belief have to come first? Or does the prayer itself unleash something?

Not sure if my question is making sense.

[Anonymous]

I wonder if you'd like to meditate daily? It is supposedly very relaxing and centering.

[Anonymous]

In my experience, nothing will happen.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:In my experience, nothing will happen.

But you will get used to it, like any habit, and might eventually find comfort in it, even if your prayers are never answered.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if you'd like to meditate daily? It is supposedly very relaxing and centering.

OP. I’ve gone through phases of regular breath work meditation (Ten Percent Happier type stuff, mostly). I have found it incredibly helpful, mostly to notice and by extension detach from my own thoughts. It made me much less reactive, and I felt more present/relaxed in my own life.( I am out of the habit right now, and typing this I realize I should get back into it.)

But meditation never made me feel connected to something bigger. It wax always kind of all about me — my breath, my thoughts, my observing, my returning. That sense of “oneness” that people sometimes describe… I just never felt it. I’d like to. I’d like to feel like there’s something more, and that there’s some way of tapping into it.

I wondered if prayer was a way in, or if the fact that I don’t really “believe” (in what? In the bearded guy in white robes, I guess) means by definition it wouldn’t be prayer. Maybe I just have to try and keep at it and see for myself.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if you'd like to meditate daily? It is supposedly very relaxing and centering.

OP. I’ve gone through phases of regular breath work meditation (Ten Percent Happier type stuff, mostly). I have found it incredibly helpful, mostly to notice and by extension detach from my own thoughts. It made me much less reactive, and I felt more present/relaxed in my own life.( I am out of the habit right now, and typing this I realize I should get back into it.)

But meditation never made me feel connected to something bigger. It wax always kind of all about me — my breath, my thoughts, my observing, my returning. That sense of “oneness” that people sometimes describe… I just never felt it. I’d like to. I’d like to feel like there’s something more, and that there’s some way of tapping into it.

I wondered if prayer was a way in, or if the fact that I don’t really “believe” (in what? In the bearded guy in white robes, I guess) means by definition it wouldn’t be prayer. Maybe I just have to try and keep at it and see for myself.

The only time I've felt that way is after swimming the crawl for about 10 minutes - then I swim 10 minutes more and feel great for several hours afterwards and sleep very well. I think it's a combination of even breathing and physical exertion

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if you'd like to meditate daily? It is supposedly very relaxing and centering.

OP. I’ve gone through phases of regular breath work meditation (Ten Percent Happier type stuff, mostly). I have found it incredibly helpful, mostly to notice and by extension detach from my own thoughts. It made me much less reactive, and I felt more present/relaxed in my own life.( I am out of the habit right now, and typing this I realize I should get back into it.)

But meditation never made me feel connected to something bigger. It wax always kind of all about me — my breath, my thoughts, my observing, my returning. That sense of “oneness” that people sometimes describe… I just never felt it. I’d like to. I’d like to feel like there’s something more, and that there’s some way of tapping into it.

I wondered if prayer was a way in, or if the fact that I don’t really “believe” (in what? In the bearded guy in white robes, I guess) means by definition it wouldn’t be prayer. Maybe I just have to try and keep at it and see for myself.

When I don't know what to pray, I look up collects (a funny word for a written prayer) of the ancient church. I find it helps to get some words that have been considered valuable enough to have lasted centuries or even millenia. Maybe this would help you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if you'd like to meditate daily? It is supposedly very relaxing and centering.

OP. I’ve gone through phases of regular breath work meditation (Ten Percent Happier type stuff, mostly). I have found it incredibly helpful, mostly to notice and by extension detach from my own thoughts. It made me much less reactive, and I felt more present/relaxed in my own life.( I am out of the habit right now, and typing this I realize I should get back into it.)

But meditation never made me feel connected to something bigger. It wax always kind of all about me — my breath, my thoughts, my observing, my returning. That sense of “oneness” that people sometimes describe… I just never felt it. I’d like to. I’d like to feel like there’s something more, and that there’s some way of tapping into it.

I wondered if prayer was a way in, or if the fact that I don’t really “believe” (in what? In the bearded guy in white robes, I guess) means by definition it wouldn’t be prayer. Maybe I just have to try and keep at it and see for myself.

When I don't know what to pray, I look up collects (a funny word for a written prayer) of the ancient church. I find it helps to get some words that have been considered valuable enough to have lasted centuries or even millenia. Maybe this would help you?

The ancient church is Catholicism, as is the word "collect". You may want to do this if you're Catholic or don't mind doing something that is Catholic.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if you'd like to meditate daily? It is supposedly very relaxing and centering.

OP. I’ve gone through phases of regular breath work meditation (Ten Percent Happier type stuff, mostly). I have found it incredibly helpful, mostly to notice and by extension detach from my own thoughts. It made me much less reactive, and I felt more present/relaxed in my own life.( I am out of the habit right now, and typing this I realize I should get back into it.)

But meditation never made me feel connected to something bigger. It wax always kind of all about me — my breath, my thoughts, my observing, my returning. That sense of “oneness” that people sometimes describe… I just never felt it. I’d like to. I’d like to feel like there’s something more, and that there’s some way of tapping into it.

I wondered if prayer was a way in, or if the fact that I don’t really “believe” (in what? In the bearded guy in white robes, I guess) means by definition it wouldn’t be prayer. Maybe I just have to try and keep at it and see for myself.

When I don't know what to pray, I look up collects (a funny word for a written prayer) of the ancient church. I find it helps to get some words that have been considered valuable enough to have lasted centuries or even millenia. Maybe this would help you?

The ancient church is Catholicism, as is the word "collect". You may want to do this if you're Catholic or don't mind doing something that is Catholic.

The word collect comes from the Catholic church but the liturgical Protestant churches use it (and have their own prayer books).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if you'd like to meditate daily? It is supposedly very relaxing and centering.

OP. I’ve gone through phases of regular breath work meditation (Ten Percent Happier type stuff, mostly). I have found it incredibly helpful, mostly to notice and by extension detach from my own thoughts. It made me much less reactive, and I felt more present/relaxed in my own life.( I am out of the habit right now, and typing this I realize I should get back into it.)

But meditation never made me feel connected to something bigger. It wax always kind of all about me — my breath, my thoughts, my observing, my returning. That sense of “oneness” that people sometimes describe… I just never felt it. I’d like to. I’d like to feel like there’s something more, and that there’s some way of tapping into it.

I wondered if prayer was a way in, or if the fact that I don’t really “believe” (in what? In the bearded guy in white robes, I guess) means by definition it wouldn’t be prayer. Maybe I just have to try and keep at it and see for myself.

When I don't know what to pray, I look up collects (a funny word for a written prayer) of the ancient church. I find it helps to get some words that have been considered valuable enough to have lasted centuries or even millenia. Maybe this would help you?

The ancient church is Catholicism, as is the word "collect". You may want to do this if you're Catholic or don't mind doing something that is Catholic.

The word collect comes from the Catholic church but the liturgical Protestant churches use it (and have their own prayer books).

Some Protestant Churches may use the word "collect" but its origin is Catholic. Protestant churches that use it, got it from Catholicism

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not religious. I mostly feel like this is all a happy accident, though it's also simultaneously/paradoxically proof that there IS something bigger than me. I mean, what is all this <looks around, waves hands> if not something more than me?
I also know there is good, and evil, and a whole lot in between.

Sometimes I think about praying, as a way to tap into that something larger than myself.
I've even done a few days, and then I stop. Mostly that's because I forget...but I think I forget because nothing happened the first couple of times.
If I were to start praying daily regularly, would I begin to feel something?
I guess the question is, does the belief have to come first? Or does the prayer itself unleash something?

Not sure if my question is making sense.

It's the result of evolution -- and evolution is still happening.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if you'd like to meditate daily? It is supposedly very relaxing and centering.

OP. I’ve gone through phases of regular breath work meditation (Ten Percent Happier type stuff, mostly). I have found it incredibly helpful, mostly to notice and by extension detach from my own thoughts. It made me much less reactive, and I felt more present/relaxed in my own life.( I am out of the habit right now, and typing this I realize I should get back into it.)

But meditation never made me feel connected to something bigger. It wax always kind of all about me — my breath, my thoughts, my observing, my returning. That sense of “oneness” that people sometimes describe… I just never felt it. I’d like to. I’d like to feel like there’s something more, and that there’s some way of tapping into it.

I wondered if prayer was a way in, or if the fact that I don’t really “believe” (in what? In the bearded guy in white robes, I guess) means by definition it wouldn’t be prayer. Maybe I just have to try and keep at it and see for myself.

When I don't know what to pray, I look up collects (a funny word for a written prayer) of the ancient church. I find it helps to get some words that have been considered valuable enough to have lasted centuries or even millenia. Maybe this would help you?

This is good advice, and as an Anglican, I do the same. I would recommend buying a Book of Common Prayer. The most traditional one is the 1662 version, then the 1928 version, with the 1979 being the approved version for the Episcopal Church today. I use the 1928. The Collects collect the thoughts and intentions associated with the scripture readings associated with the day/week, which in turn are associated with the date on the church calendar.

The form of a good Collect, as perfected by Thomas Cranmer in the 1500s (in my humble but accurate opinion) helps form your own personal prayers once you get the hang of it. But the written prayers are a wonderful, comforting, and thoughtful resource. I often find that the Collect truly expresses my true desire, hope, and intention, but more clearly than I would have said it without help.

[Anonymous]

I will have the same effect as meditating daily, which is good.

All prayers is a form of meditation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I wonder if you'd like to meditate daily? It is supposedly very relaxing and centering.

OP. I’ve gone through phases of regular breath work meditation (Ten Percent Happier type stuff, mostly). I have found it incredibly helpful, mostly to notice and by extension detach from my own thoughts. It made me much less reactive, and I felt more present/relaxed in my own life.( I am out of the habit right now, and typing this I realize I should get back into it.)

But meditation never made me feel connected to something bigger. It wax always kind of all about me — my breath, my thoughts, my observing, my returning. That sense of “oneness” that people sometimes describe… I just never felt it. I’d like to. I’d like to feel like there’s something more, and that there’s some way of tapping into it.

I wondered if prayer was a way in, or if the fact that I don’t really “believe” (in what? In the bearded guy in white robes, I guess) means by definition it wouldn’t be prayer. Maybe I just have to try and keep at it and see for myself.

When you’re meditating if you just stop thinking about your mind so much and yourself so much and thinking about the universe and how we’re all connected that might be better than just obsessing over your wandering thoughts.

Or do guided meditations.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Not religious. I mostly feel like this is all a happy accident, though it's also simultaneously/paradoxically proof that there IS something bigger than me. I mean, what is all this <looks around, waves hands> if not something more than me?
I also know there is good, and evil, and a whole lot in between.

Sometimes I think about praying, as a way to tap into that something larger than myself.
I've even done a few days, and then I stop. Mostly that's because I forget...but I think I forget because nothing happened the first couple of times.
If I were to start praying daily regularly, would I begin to feel something?
I guess the question is, does the belief have to come first? Or does the prayer itself unleash something?

Not sure if my question is making sense.

OP thank you posting this. It’s an interesting question to ponder.

As an evangelical Christian my response to you is that praying to our God and Creator is not about “tapping into something larger than yourself.” It’s about finding a true relationship with God. Like any relationship it becomes a two way street.

I suggest that you start perhaps along with reading the Bible. Start with the book of Matthew or John and read about Jesus’s life and ministry. Pray that God will reveal Himself to you.