Posts: 29107
Threads: 218
Joined: August 9, 2014
Reputation:
155
RE: Questions of Novena Prayers and Offerings
November 17, 2015 at 12:12 pm
I think not doing so would be a stoning offense under Anusius.
Posts: 158
Threads: 8
Joined: October 25, 2015
Reputation:
3
Questions of Novena Prayers and Offerings
November 17, 2015 at 1:37 pm
(November 17, 2015 at 11:55 am)Rhythm Wrote: Think of prayer like meditation Mia. Especially in the case of rote or repetitive prayer. It constricts your breathing to a pattern, and shifts your focus away from self. If it's a standardized regimen of prayer it imposes structure. Prayer and "divine experience" show an unsurprising correlation. Does this help you to understand why your friend prays to "let go" of difficulties?
Yes sir I understand if you were to compare that to Christian meditation. Love God with your heart, mind and soul. They tend to develop their minds to understand Gods love or truth better.
Where as Buddhist meditation is to make one's self better. To improve ourselves for a better state of mindfulness, concentration Etc. Yes both concepts are more or less the same but two different outcomes.
As to my friend praying asking for benefits (him sacrificing to enjoy a drink) is hard for me to understand. To overcome difficulties it's ones responsibility and dedicated hard work. Praying will not make a sick child better. Visiting a doctor will.
"No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path" - Gautama Buddha
Posts: 67361
Threads: 140
Joined: June 28, 2011
Reputation:
161
RE: Questions of Novena Prayers and Offerings
November 17, 2015 at 1:38 pm
(This post was last modified: November 17, 2015 at 1:44 pm by The Grand Nudger.)
They also see prayer as a route to self improvement (and some see it as a route for improvement of things even beyond themselves), as a part of a godly life. The outcome is supposed to be the same.
OFC praying won't make a sick child better, but meditation won't make a person any "better" either - sick or otherwise.
Theres a pattern here, I'm trying to help you see. What we are discussing, is people engaging in superficially different methods to achieve fundamentally similar goals. Why would you even expect it to be something else? We're all human, we're all very similar, just a few points this way or that way in deviation from the mean.
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
Posts: 2791
Threads: 107
Joined: July 4, 2015
Reputation:
35
RE: Questions of Novena Prayers and Offerings
November 17, 2015 at 3:39 pm
Novenas are a Catholic practice, not unlike saying the Rosary . . . which is a long drawn out affair, apparently intended for deep thought and supplication, but usually ends up being a droning, meditative set of 55 + prayers.
http://www.usccb.org/prayer-and-worship/...rosary.cfm
Novenas are a set of prayers in addition to the rosary. (And if you're in a convent or monastery, you also stop for prayers (liturgical hours) during the day - schedules vary, but average prayer-time every three hours.) Novenas are a set of prayers that have a theme, and are prayed over nine days.
http://catholicism.about.com/od/prayers/g/Novena.htm
A lot of Catholic church bulletins show a Novena schedule, with a new theme every nine days, and printed prayer examples.
Since I am not Catholic (I only work there for a few hours a week.) I'm a little shaky on the intent of all these prayers. Obviously there is a meditative element, and the intent of bringing one "closer to god" by spending hours in prayer. And certainly the people believe that they are having a positive effect on the world by doing so.
That is about where my ability to explain ends. Perhaps our devout Catholics have more to say on the matter.
"The family that prays together...is brainwashing their children."- Albert Einstein
Posts: 18510
Threads: 129
Joined: January 19, 2014
Reputation:
90
RE: Questions of Novena Prayers and Offerings
November 17, 2015 at 3:52 pm
(November 17, 2015 at 12:12 pm)robvalue Wrote: I think not doing so would be a stoning offense under Anusius.
Anusius really works in mysterious ways...
The fool hath said in his heart, There is a God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.
Psalm 14, KJV revised edition
Posts: 69247
Threads: 3759
Joined: August 2, 2009
Reputation:
258
RE: Questions of Novena Prayers and Offerings
November 17, 2015 at 4:29 pm
Just like 'god.'
Posts: 158
Threads: 8
Joined: October 25, 2015
Reputation:
3
RE: Questions of Novena Prayers and Offerings
November 17, 2015 at 11:42 pm
(November 17, 2015 at 1:38 pm)Rhythm Wrote: They also see prayer as a route to self improvement (and some see it as a route for improvement of things even beyond themselves), as a part of a godly life. The outcome is supposed to be the same.
OFC praying won't make a sick child better, but meditation won't make a person any "better" either - sick or otherwise.
Theres a pattern here, I'm trying to help you see. What we are discussing, is people engaging in superficially different methods to achieve fundamentally similar goals. Why would you even expect it to be something else? We're all human, we're all very similar, just a few points this way or that way in deviation from the mean.
In our practices meditation is not used to work miracles (which it cant anyway). It is used to enhance a persons mindfulness, be more compassionate , be calm , basically to be a better person (Study's have proved it and meditation has been used on patients with metal disorders). Calling out for God and asking for miracles to happen and wanting to be a better person are two very different outcomes. The way of doing either may be the same, The purpose is different by a big margin.
"No one saves us but ourselves. No one can and no one may. We ourselves must walk the path" - Gautama Buddha
Posts: 20476
Threads: 447
Joined: June 16, 2014
Reputation:
110
RE: Questions of Novena Prayers and Offerings
November 18, 2015 at 4:14 am
(November 17, 2015 at 11:58 am)Minimalist Wrote: ![[Image: namaaz_muslims_prayer_mosque630.jpg]](https://images.weserv.nl/?url=img01.ibnlive.in%2Fibnlive%2Fuploads%2F2010%2F07%2Fnamaaz_muslims_prayer_mosque630.jpg)
Free Halal prostrate inspections if anyone's interested!
No God, No fear.
Know God, Know fear.
Posts: 67361
Threads: 140
Joined: June 28, 2011
Reputation:
161
RE: Questions of Novena Prayers and Offerings
November 18, 2015 at 8:57 am
(This post was last modified: November 18, 2015 at 8:59 am by The Grand Nudger.)
(November 17, 2015 at 11:42 pm)miaharun Wrote: In our practices meditation is not used to work miracles (which it cant anyway). It is used to enhance a persons mindfulness, be more compassionate , be calm , basically to be a better person (Study's have proved it and meditation has been used on patients with metal disorders). Calling out for God and asking for miracles to happen and wanting to be a better person are two very different outcomes. The way of doing either may be the same, The purpose is different by a big margin. Nor is christian prayer thought to be able to work miracles(that would be god). You can "use" meditation on whomever you like, it doesn't cure mental disorders..............I'm not sure what you think "studies have proved"......
Why do you need them to be so different? Are you familiar with the term cognitive dissonance?
I am the Infantry. I am my country’s strength in war, her deterrent in peace. I am the heart of the fight… wherever, whenever. I carry America’s faith and honor against her enemies. I am the Queen of Battle. I am what my country expects me to be, the best trained Soldier in the world. In the race for victory, I am swift, determined, and courageous, armed with a fierce will to win. Never will I fail my country’s trust. Always I fight on…through the foe, to the objective, to triumph overall. If necessary, I will fight to my death. By my steadfast courage, I have won more than 200 years of freedom. I yield not to weakness, to hunger, to cowardice, to fatigue, to superior odds, For I am mentally tough, physically strong, and morally straight. I forsake not, my country, my mission, my comrades, my sacred duty. I am relentless. I am always there, now and forever. I AM THE INFANTRY! FOLLOW ME!
Posts: 29107
Threads: 218
Joined: August 9, 2014
Reputation:
155
RE: Questions of Novena Prayers and Offerings
November 18, 2015 at 9:00 am
(This post was last modified: November 18, 2015 at 9:00 am by robvalue.)
You can do meditation just fine without having anything to do with Buddhism. Obvious I know, but just thought I'd point it out. I use the techniques myself, and the benefits are very good. People can make unfalsifiable claims about what spiritual business is going on if they want, but I think it's pretty well understood scientifically.
|
