Meditation and Prayer - What is the difference?

Meditation & Prayer

Prayer is expression. Meditation is Observation.

Prayer is connecting to the current of a powerful river.

Meditation is becoming a still ocean.

Meditation and prayer are vital elements of the spiritual journey. In this post, we explore their similarities and differences.

Meditation and prayer are both ways of connecting to the divine. While prayer is often religious ( although it may not always be), meditation does not conform to religion. Prayer is a conversation with the divine while meditation is an experience of the divine.

It is human nature to create intimate bonds through honest conversation and prayers allow us to express ourselves to the divine. For most people, a simple prayer is the most powerful form of connecting to the divine. Prayers utilize the power of thought to connect to a higher power. Faith plays a significant role in prayer and often, the individual praying feels protected by a presence of tranquility and courage.

Meditation is a quiet communion. It transcends thought, to become one with a higher presence. The meditator observes stillness rather than focusing on thought and becomes aware that there is a presence of stillness and calm underlying thought. This presence is one’s own divine nature. Meditation is the discovery of oneself as the higher power. Meditation does not have to conform to a religious form, although one may apply their religious preferences to supercharge their sessions.

Simply put, prayer is expression and meditation is observation. Prayer is like joining the current of a powerful river, while meditation is becoming a still ocean. In both scenarios, the divine is the destination. Choose whichever is best for your current state of evolution. The good news is that they are both complimentary.