What is the difference between Prayer and Meditation?

Well, before I answer that, I know that there are two kinds of meditation, one is for praying, and one is for concentration to eradicate all outside thoughts, usually done by monks or some sort of that. For your question, for me the difference is that prayer is usually casual, wherein one can ride a bus, then goes silent, bows down, and talk to God. That's already prayer. Meditation is deep, and is mostly done on quiet time. This is also a form of prayer but it is solemn, long and may involve fasting. It's concentrating your thoughts to God, eradicating all outside thoughts and focusing on God, praising Him, worshiping Him, singing praises to Him, thanking Him, all in a very peaceful and solemn way. And it is usually done alone. So in a sense it's still prayer, but it is full of devotion.

see? i told you, hehe, keep meditating by praying. give to God your sufferings and he will give you his peace.

Thinking of it in a purely Judeo-Christian sense, I've heard it put this way. Meditation is when you concentrate on your spiritual life and your inner self as you relate to God. It's more a matter of examining yourself, your beliefs, and your relationship with God or Christ than speaking directly to him. It's thinking about religion or religious ideas, basically. Therefore it's a communication tool in the same way it's a communication tool to think about what you want to say during a speech before you say it, or about your relationship with a person before an important conversation with them. Most Christian meditations that I've seen end in prayer. Prayer is actually talking to God. It's supposed to be direct communication, and thus meditation couldn't replace it just as planning your speech or thinking about the reasons for it or possible outcome wouldn't replace giving it. Of course, I'm saying all this from the context of study, assuming you're talking about a Judeo-Christian concept here. In other religions, prayer and meditation can mean entirely different things. In my own beliefs, I would only use the word "prayer" when I'm trying to convey to people who use it what I do. I do a form of meditation called "journeying meditation", in which the spirit is believed to actually enter the spirit world, therefore allowing communication with Gods and spirits directly. So I might say "prayer" instead of "meditation" to describe this to someone who doesn't understand the concept.

Prayer would be for deity worshippers. To communicate directly or indirectly with the deity or deities of their choosing. Meditation ... anyone can do for whatever reason they choose. To de-stress, to clear the mind, to focus on something, to relax or to communicate with the deity or deities of their choosing.

to be short,sweet and the best,here's my answer.. [u][i][b]"PRAYER IS LOUD MEDITATION MEDITATION IS SILENT PRAYER"[/b][/i][/u] gOODDAY, sRI

to be short and sweet... [u][i][b]"PRAYER IS LOUD MEDITATION MEDITATION IS SILENT PRAYER"[/b][/i][/u] i think that the above is one of the best answers i gave(to me it feels so..u may have your own opinion!!!) Goodday, Sri