do you have a favourite prayer?

[cacian]

Forgiveness is good as well. i wrote in a sense that all errors cannot be fix as no one is perfect so its better to hide here and here after and i experienced it as well

i do not agree about hiding. if one hides then one is saying they are guilty.

I rather like:

Sredni Vashtar went forth,
His thoughts were red thoughts and his teeth were white.
His enemies called for peace, but he brought them death.
Sredni Vashtar the Beautiful.

Followed by:

Do one thing for me, Sredni Vashtar.

never heard of Sredni Vashtar. He sounds rather scary.

There's the Gayatri Mantra that I find myself saying. Here's an example of it being chanted: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDnamSM3Z3s

A few years ago, I tried to figure out what it meant, but I don't think it matters as long as it is in one's head.

Others such as "Om Aim Sarasvatye Namah", I also find myself saying. Laura Di Giorgio has 6 youtube lessons in Sanskrit that center around learning various mantras or prayers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VrVhzSHeKj4 She has a very hypnotic voice.

Then there is also the ending verses of chapter 2 of the Bhagavad Gita that Eknath Easwaran recommended. I know his translation, but have looked at others as well.

There is the Prayer of Saint Francis that Wikipedia claims was originally written in the early 20th century anonymously in French. Here is a rendition of this prayer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P8bOkScxXDY

It is hard for me to separate prayer from song.

Sorry YesNo i have no sound on my computer so i cannot watch Youtube.
interesting that you do not separate song from prayer. I would have thought there is a slight difference.

[Silas Thorne]

never heard of Sredni Vashtar. He sounds rather scary.

This is a joke. Shredni Vashtar is from a story by Saki. He is a ferret.

[cacian]

This is a joke. Shredni Vashtar is from a story by Saki. He is a ferret.

LOL a ferret. Oh my. I saw and He and i thought it was person. I will check out the story i do not know it.
I am on it now. very interesting i am loving the names and the new words. EFFETE is an interesting one too

[Melanie]

Kris Kristofferson tells a short story of how he came about this prayer
and then sings the prayer with Willie Nelson scroll down for words:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tA7E7pbUws

why me lord?
what have i ever done,
to deserve even one,
of the pleasures i've known,
tell me lord,
what did i ever do,
that was worth lovin' you,
for the kindness you've shown,

lord help me Jesus,
i've wasted it so help me Jesus,
i know what i am,
but now that i know,
that i needed you so help me Jesus,
my souls in your hand,

try me lord,
if you think there's a way,
i can try to repay,
all i've takin' from you,
maybe lord,
i can show someone else,
what i've been through myself,
on my way back to you.

[cafolini]

Excellent pick, Melanie. God be with you.

[Jackson Richardson]

I rather like:

Sredni Vashtar went forth,
His thoughts were red thoughts and his teeth were white.
His enemies called for peace, but he brought them death.
Sredni Vashtar the Beautiful.

Followed by:

Do one thing for me, Sredni Vashtar.

That is the most wonderful short story in the English language to my mind. Absolutely love it.

On the other hand I do pray quite a lot. I recite the psalms for the day in the context of prayer for the day - Benedictus in the morning, Magnificat in the evening. I'm not into articulate prayers for specific persons (dear father God, please look after Tracey that she may find the right man and have lots of nauseatingly sentimental children). I just name the names at mass or light a candle for them and know that God and his mother know better than I what Tracey needs. For protestants prayer means words. For ordinary Christians, it can be action and silence as well.

[Melanie]

Prayer of Praise

Carrie Underwood with Vince Gill sing
"How Great Thou Art" (the end is amazing!):
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLLMzr3PFgk

O Lord my God, When I in awesome wonder,
Consider all the worlds Thy Hands have made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed.

When through the woods, and forest glades I wander,
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And see the brook, and feel the gentle breeze.

And when I think, that God, His Son not sparing;
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in;
That on the Cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.

When Christ shall come, with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart.
Then I shall bow, in humble adoration,
And then proclaim: "My God, how great Thou art!"

Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art.
Then sings my soul, My Saviour God, to Thee,
How great Thou art, How great Thou art!

[YesNo]

Sorry YesNo i have no sound on my computer so i cannot watch Youtube.
interesting that you do not separate song from prayer. I would have thought there is a slight difference.

There might be a difference that I'm overlooking. I enjoyed the songs/prayers that Melanie posted. Sandra Ingerman wrote in "How to Heal Toxic Thoughts", page 53:

When you really sing a song with gusto, you will find that your energy moves from your head into your heart. The oxygen moving through your song also awakens the rest of your body.

That may sound obvious, but her point later was that we don't sing enough because we think we can't sing (which I can't).

Ruggerlad's Benedictus and Magnificat (although I don't know what they are), are ways to get sound and words (intentions) active in our consciousness rather than the drivel that might be there otherwise. A non-believer might see these practices as simply healthy living. The believer would likely see them also as ways to become open to the truth.

Saki's story about Shredni Vashtar was amazing. The way the cousin was portrayed was perfect.

[YALASH]

Peace be on every one.

Holy Quran Chapter 2 Verse 202 partly: alislamDOTorg

Transliteration:

"RABBANA AATENAA FI-DDUNYA HASANATAN WA FIL AKHERATEY HASANATAN WA QANA AZABAN NAAR"


Words-Meanings

RABBANA (our Lord, Sustainer)
AATENAA (grant us)
FI-DDUNYA (in world)
HASANATAN (good)
WA (and)
FIL-AKHERATEY (in the Hereafter)
HASANATAN (good)
WA (and)
QANA (save us)
AZABAN (torment of)
NAAR(fire)


Translation:
Our Lord, Sustainer! grant us, good in this world and good in the Hereafter and save us from the torment of fire (troubles).

[Nicoletta]

My teacher taught me a song in third grade that I still remember, "Hee-nay matov hoo-ma-nai-im. Shev-it-a-chim gum-ya-had." I had no idea what it meant for the longest while except that it was catchy because it's sung in rounds. Then I found this: www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHNQIsZxDKo. (Skip to 1:51 to hear it sung). I had been singing Psalm 133 which translates to: "Behold how good and how pleasing if brothers could sit together in unity."

[Heaven'sflower]

much more but now a days that one is
O Lord!
"The Directer Of Hearts __ Direct my heart To Your Obedience "
Aameen

[Melanie]

"The Prayer" sung by 7 yr old Rhema Marvanne
click on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HRvcW1T3e-s

~~~~ OR ~~~~

"The Prayer" sung by Celine Dion and Josh Groban
click on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CT1kO8mxbUE

The Prayer
I pray you’ll be our eyes
And watch us where we go
And help us to be wise
In times when we don’t know

Let this be our prayer
As we go our way
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace
To a place where we’ll be safe
La luce che to dai

I pray we’ll find your light
Nel cuore restero
And hold it in our hearts
A ricordarchi che
When stars go out each night
L’eterna stella sei
Nella mia preghiera
Let this be our prayer
Quanta fede c’e
When shadows fill our day
Lead us to a place
Guide us with your grace

Give us faith so we’ll be safe.
Sognamo un mondo senza piu violenza

Un mondo di giustizia e di speranza
Ognuno dia la mano al suo vicino
Simbolo di pace e di fraternita

La forza che ci dai
We ask that life be kind
E’il desiderio che
And watch us from above
Ognuno trovi amore
We hope each soul will find
Intorno e dentro a se
Another soul to love

Let this be our prayer
Let this be our prayer
Just like every child
Just like every child

Needs to find a place,
Guide us with your grace
Give us faith so we’ll be safe
E la fede che
Hai acceso in noi
Sento che ci salvera

[Gilliatt Gurgle]

A simple, beautiful phrase uttered quite often and best heard in a Chant...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aah_ITLw3R8

[ZTay]

Psalm43:3

[cacian]

Psalm43:3

ZTay I do not know this one