As a child, my parents taught me to pray. Raised in a non-denominational Christian church, I learned prayer was the way to talk to God. Every prayer ended with “Amen”. As I grew older, I always continued to pray. And my prayers evolved. I learned that prayer could be spoken, chanted, sung, thought, or written. Prayers could ask, give thanks, acknowledge. They could beg, negotiate, or plead.
Depending on the belief, prayer is the communication with God, communication with a deity or angel, and/or communication with self. The important lesson is that most cultures acknowledge prayer as a means to focus a person’s thoughts and spirit. My spirit is connected to so many influences and cultures. They’ve all contributed to my life’s journey and make me who I am. All cultures have words to seal the power of the prayer with a word of victory and assurance. So, today, I end my prayers with “Amen, Asé, Aho, Hotep, Jai, Swaha, And so it is,” to give honor to the African American, African, Native American, and Indian spiritual influences in my life. I’m sure you can imagine, this gives way to some very interesting conversation and even more interesting looks if I’m asked to pray at the dinner table! But prayer is prayer!! Mine just reminds us that we are truly one and connected to that Universal Thread.
Have your prayers evolved to include other languages or cultural elements? Share your own examples of how you’ve connected with other cultures through prayer below.
