Prayer and Intersectionality

Everyone has a different conceptualization of what prayer should be like. By and large, prayer is considered a time of reflection, devotion and focus on the beliefs of the individual practicing. However, the manner in which prayer takes place is perhaps the largest variable.

In Christianity, prayers are said in different ways. Some prefer structured prayers such as the Our Father, while others prefer a more conversational approach. In the Catholic Church, structured prayers such as the Apostle's Creed, Hail Mary, and Glory Be, are favorite adulations. While Catholics and some Protestant churches use the sign of the cross to commence and end prayer, others begin with a salutation such as, "Oh, Heavenly Father," or "Dear Lord," and conclude with something along the lines of, "In Jesus' name we pray." Across the board, the term "Amen" is said at the end of the prayer.

Judaism encompasses many components of Christian prayer, which makes sense, given that Christianity stemmed from Judaism. However, traditional Jewish prayer is a bit more ritualistic. Jews are required to pray three times a day, and reference a special book called the Siddur. Some of the most famous Jewish prayers are the Shema Yisrael ("Hear O Israel") and the Amidah ("the standing prayer"). Communal prayer is often emphasized over solitary prayer, which is one of the more distinct differences between Christian and Jewish prayer.

In Islam, prayer is of the utmost importance. Considered the Second Pillar of Islam, Muslims pray the Salah five times a day: between first light and sunrise, after the sun has passed the middle of the sky, between mid-afternoon and sunset, between sunset and the last light of the day, and between darkness and midnight. The prayer consists of recitations of parts of the Qur'an and a series of movements including standing, bowing, prostrating, and sitting, representing submission, humility, and homage to Allah. The prayer is done facing Mecca, and is made a structured ritual to remind Muslims of the importance of their faith. Individual prayers are not required, but are encouraged.

In Buddhism, prayer accompanies meditation. In Hinduism, prayer may include anything from fire-based ritual to philosophical contemplation. In Jainism, believers pray for guidance from 24 saintly teachers, or Tirthankaras. In Taoism, the closest to prayer is the drawing of special supernatural symbols. It doesn't matter what religion you look at- prayer of some form is usually present.

In a continuously moving world, finding time for private reflection and praise can be difficult. This is especially true with women, who find themselves wearing a dozen different hats at once. Given that the majority of traditional or ritualistic prayers were written by men from a very different time, even if women have the opportunity to find time to pray, their ability to connect with those prayers may be limited.

Websites like Prayables.com aim to change that. A multifaith prayer site just for women, it provides a free collection of prayers that tackle topics that every day women face regularly, like coping with aging, obnoxious spouses, trying children, and stressful work situations, or being thankful for tiny miracles and big blessings. Written without referencing a specific deity, these prayers can be used by any woman. Moreover, the site encourages practitioners to find time to pray every day, be it in the shower, on a jog or while cooking dinner.

To make the process easier, Prayables offers several options. They recently published a book entitled Personal Peace: Prayers for Women of All Faiths. The perfect bedside companion or holiday gift for those you love most, it's available for purchase just in time for the shopping season. They also offer a service called Daily Prayables, sending devotions to your inbox every day.

Interested in learning more about Interfaith Prayer? Visit Prayables.com today!