Prayer..

Do you say a prayer when you're hopeless and helpless? How do you communicate with God when you're looking for direction or when you're looking for a helping hand? There are times when I feel so lost and feel like I can use a helping hand from anywhere I can reach. Most of the time it feels good and I feel relieve after saying a prayer, only because I have been able to say all the things I've kept in my mind and heart. Makes me feel that I am not alone, that somewhere out there God is listening.

So, I was thinking about the right way on saying a prayer. Not on a religious side but more on a general aspect. Below is a quote from Mahatma Gandhi about prayer. The quote touches me a lot because most of the time I couldn't find the right words to say a prayer. It's sometimes hard to put how I feel inside into words. But then I saw this quote which changes everything. It says that prayers are better with heart without words than words without a heart...

“Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul.

It is daily admission of one's weakness.

It is better in prayer to have a heart without words

than words without a heart.”

Mahatma Gandhi

I quotes three points below from wikihow.com regarding How To Pray.

How To Pray

• Take the time to pray. No matter how you pray or who you pray to, it can be difficult to find time for prayer during busy times. One way to deal with this is to make prayer part of your daily routine, such as praying as soon as you wake up in the morning, right before you go to sleep, or before every meal. Many people also pray during emotional times, like when they feel sad, scared, or happy. You can pray at any time of day, and as much or as little as you feel is sufficient for your spiritual life. Some people make it their goal to maintain a state of prayer all the time by remaining conscious of their spiritual connection throughout the day. No matter what, if prayer is an important part of your life, you need to put first things first and make time to pray on a regular basis.
• Make the request, or ask the question. You can ask questions, seek strength, send good wishes to others, or give thanks. Perhaps the most basic forms of prayer are requests for help in becoming a good (or better) person, and requests that God direct your prayer.
• End the prayer. Some people end or close the prayer with a special word (like "Amen") or phrase (like "May God receive our prayers") or a gesture (like bowing or making the sign of the cross), or simply by standing or sitting in silence for a minute or two.

(article source: wikihow - Image sources: ilya-mostex.livejournal & flickr.com)