Difference Between Meditation and Prayer

During a religious convention, a young man in the audience asked if meditation was a form of prayer, and if prayer was meditation. The celebrant had difficulty providing a satisfactory answer...

Perhaps you are in the same situation and are wondering what the difference is between meditating and praying?

Today, we are going to look at what distinguishes meditation from prayer. Here is a brief summary just for you:

Meditation and prayer are sometimes synonymous and sometimes complementary. Both require concentration to awaken the consciousness.

In this article, you will discover:

• The difference between meditation and prayer;
• Conceptual clarifications;
• Synonyms or enemies.

Without further ado, let's get to the heart of the matter!

Conceptual Clarification

Long associated, rightly or wrongly, with spirituality, meditation in the broad sense is now considered an exercise in reflection and free thinking that can be undertaken outside of a spiritual context. It is a deep reflection, an exercise in concentration of the mind on a subject, an object, or even a thought. In philosophy, it consists of a search for truth through the contemplation of nature, a truth that cannot be reached through deductive reasoning. It can be spontaneous, as when Newton was walking in his garden and was struck by an apple falling on his head, revealing to him the laws of gravity. It can also be prepared, as in the case of Descartes and his metaphysical meditations. On a spiritual level, religious or mystical meditation is a purely spiritual practice that takes place in several religions (Judaism, Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, to name but a few) or sects (Aum in Japan in particular).It consists of seeking a state of personal well-being, such as inner peace, relaxation, or a divine experience.

Prayer, on the other hand, is a spontaneous and direct act, an inner communication with a deity or its mediator. It can be a formula consecrated by religion or left to the free choice of the believer. Whether codified or not, it takes the form of praise, a request for intercession, or acknowledgment. Through prayers of praise, the faithful celebrate and praise the greatness and goodness of the deity they serve. They express calls for help or assistance when in distress or misfortune through prayers of intercession (also called supplication or request prayer). Finally, through prayer of gratitude, the faithful express to the deity they worship their gratitude for a blessing received (deliverance, forgiveness, healing, consecration, etc.).

Prayer can also be synonymous with meditation, when it takes place in a purely metaphysical context, insofar as it seeks not communication with the deity, but communion with it.

Meditation and prayer, grouped together within spiritual exercises, can be defined according to Pierre Hadot as “an activity, almost always discursive, whether rational or imaginative, aimed at changing, in oneself or in others, the way of living and seeing the world.” In a much more spiritual approach, Ignatius of Loyola defines spiritual exercises as "any way of examining one's conscience, meditating, contemplating, praying vocally and mentally, and the other spiritual operations of which we shall speak later. Indeed, just as walking, running, and jogging are physical exercises, so too are the various ways of preparing and disposing the soul to rid itself of all its disordered affections and, after ridding itself of them, to seek and find God's will in the ordering of its life, with a view to its salvation."

Meditation

Meditation, with its strong religious connotations, is part of several major religions as a recommended exercise for achieving various goals. In Judaism, the concept of Hebrew meditation refers to an exercise of both reflection and concentration on religious texts in order to free oneself from human limitations and attain a state of inner purity that offers access to new senses. The beginnings of this meditation can be seen in the trance process of the ancient prophets, notably that of Elisha shortly before the military expedition of the northern kingdom of Israel against the land of Moab. In Christianity, meditation is an exercise in self-examination to recognize one's sins and turn away from them. It is also a reflection on life, passion, death, resurrection, and the teachings of Jesus. It allows us to understand their meaning and significance, and to discover the works of God. Catholics also meditate on the mysteries (moments in the lives of Jesus and Mary). In Islam, one of the five pillars is constant meditation, or daily prayers. Thus, every good Muslim meditates at least five times a day, every day, through prayer.

Islamic meditation, like Judaism and Christianity, is also based on a holy book, in this case the Koran, and on contemplation of the works of Allah. In Buddhism, meditation known as “mental development” is at the heart of the religion. It is based more on a philosophical than a mystical aspect; Buddhist meditators seek inner peace or develop their awareness to learn new things. Buddhist meditation, which dates back several thousand years, is believed to lead to spiritual enlightenment. Hinduism is undoubtedly the religion that has contributed most to the world in terms of meditation. There are several types of Hindu meditation, the most famous being yoga. Yoga is a spiritual practice that seeks to unite the physical, psychological, and spiritual aspects of the human being. It is based on physical movements or exercises.

Meditation, which is almost devoid of spiritual aspects on a philosophical level, is practiced by several sub-branches of religions such as Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, etc. In Buddhism, there is also mindfulness meditation, which consists of focusing on the senses, a thought, emotions, or things in the world in order to awaken one's consciousness and achieve liberation. It allows one to go beyond wisdom and attain full knowledge. In Hinduism, through Vedanta (a form of yoga), Hindus meditate in a particular position, alone or in a group, until they attain transcendental reality, a state of full consciousness based on relaxation. In Taoism, we talk about Taoist meditation, which aims to make the practitioner happy and free. It is based on concentration on visible things such as objects, a part of the body, or abstract things such as the breath.

Another approach is that of health. Meditation has many applications, especially in cognitive therapy. When done at a calculated pace, it can reduce stress, anxiety, and pain. By learning to focus on their thoughts, patients who meditate accept and understand them and can thus combat those that are negative in their lives. This same approach is used to prevent relapses of depression, and therefore suicide and personality disorders. On a social level, meditation helps to combat psychological disorders.

Prayer: Christian religion

Prayer is central to many religions as a deeply religious act of seeking communication with a deity. In Judaism, prayer is codified and follows a set number of times and times of day. For example, the sacred Jewish prayer is said three times a day (four to five times on the Sabbath and holidays). Jews pray to Yahweh for all kinds of reasons, either privately or in community in a synagogue, with readings from the Torah, the holy book. In community, prayer is led by a rabbi. In Christianity, prayer is no different from Jewish prayer, with the major difference that it is not codified and can be done at any time and anywhere, without any special arrangements.

Christian prayer may or may not be accompanied by fasting and meditation, or objects of worship. Some devote their lives to prayer, such as monks (in a monastery) and, to a lesser extent, priests and pastors. In Islam, people pray to Allah to celebrate his greatness and ask for his help. Islamic prayer can be performed at any time and in any place, although it is codified. Muslims pray five times a day, facing Mecca, after performing ablutions; men do not pray with women. Friday prayer is the most important of the week and is usually performed in a mosque. Prayer in polytheistic religions does not differ greatly from that in monotheistic religions. The faithful praise the deities and address their requests to them. In Buddhism, on the other hand, prayer is not recommended, although it does exist.

For Christians, we offer our religious jewelry for prayer

So what is the difference between meditation and prayer? If you can answer this question spontaneously, then this article has been of great help to you. If you can't, perhaps this conclusion will help.

Meditation and prayer, from a purely mystical point of view, are sometimes synonymous, sometimes complementary. Both require concentration. However, meditation can also have a non-mystical aspect. This is not the case with prayer, which only takes place in a spiritual context.

In addition to this article, we would like to present another article that answers a question many believers ask themselves: what is the difference between Jesus Christ and God? If you would like to know the answer to this question, just click here.