4. How to Pray

World Scripture

When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him.
Matthew 6.7-8

Call on your Lord with humility and in private.
Qur’an 7.55

O believers, when you stand up to pray wash your faces, and your hands up to the elbows, and wipe your heads, and your feet up to the ankles. If you are defiled, purify yourselves; but if you are sick or on a journey, or if any of you comes from the privy, or have touched women, and you can find no water, then have recourse to wholesome dust and wipe your faces and hands with it. God does not desire to make any impediment for you; but He desires to purify you, and that He may complete His blessing upon you; haply you will be thankful.
Qur’an 5.6

Prayer should not be recited as if a man were reading a document.
Jerusalem Talmud, Berakot 4.3 (Judaism)

The Great Spirit is everywhere; He hears whatever is in our minds and hearts, and it is not necessary to speak to Him in a loud voice.
Black Elk (Native American Religions)

It is better in prayer to have a heart without words than words without a heart. Mohandas K.
Gandhi⁶ (Hinduism)

Teachings of Sun Myung Moon

When you pray, you should shed tears and sweat.
(112:54, March 29, 1981)

What prayer position do you prefer? The best is to kneel and lower your head. You have to restrict your body. You will feel pain and discomfort, but you must be serious to overcome it. Then God will accept you as His.
(104:110, April 15, 1979)

Prayer is powerful. It is a pledge, an oath and a proclamation to Heaven.
(240:35, December 11, 1992)

The way of righteousness requires that we declare our intentions and then report what we do. First declare in your prayer, “Father, I will do such and such today,” and later on report, “I have accomplished those things today.”
(308:211, January 5, 1999)

Prayer is to honestly report your situation to God; then you draw closer to Him. Since you are not just saying idle words but reporting what you have practiced, your report remains as a record. Because your report remains as a record, God acts to give blessings. That is why a person who prays is powerful. Though he prays quietly, he is a powerful person.
(233:105, July 30, 1992)

The Tao—the spiritual path—begins with prayer. Traditionally, people pray in the mountains. They pray in the mountain fastness, alone and solitary. In such a place you should cultivate yourself.
(157:13, February 1, 1967)