Is there a need to take time out, to give something back?

Hi barehugs, This is something that many religious people do and I guess that some of them at least feel it's important, maybe even something that they saw their parents do. I really don't like the idea of making such a show and can't understand why a silent prayer would not do the same thing. I agree with what you say about a spiritual person, in a sense his/her life itself is a prayer of thanks. I think of my life as a prayer and while I do take time to count my blessings and to give thanks for life I don't feel the need to pray in a restaurant or for that matter in a church. Everything we do is a prayer. Blessings.

Prayer is the language of God, the language of communion with Him. It is mingling our little life with God's great life. It is listening to God. He is the source of our lives so we should always be thankful for what He has given to us.

I really do not think a person that prays before eating is trying to make a public statement..I think it is a proper thing to pray before eating...The gift of food is not more important than any other blessing in life..I am sure that christians do pray in the morning or whenever, but prayer before eating is a custom that Jesus taught his disciples, and the tradition followed by all christians...

I think prayer of thankfulness for the blessing you are about to partake is different from praying of protection. When you are traveling or driving in a risky place or dangerous road, you prayed for protection. Like you said, you pray everyday and that includes the food? I think for others, thanking for the blessing before you eat is a different thing than that of praying for protection. There are people who prayed not only once in a day but others prayed 3 times or more.

To me, the ritual I do each morning is more to remind myself of what I need to be thankful for... so I don't take the simple greatness for granted. I don't want to forget the gifts I'm given. Friends, family, food, and the necessities of life. I think that helps me "keep the prayer all day, all year, and forever" If I get too busy living I can forget and that would negate much of what I've learned.

I sort of get a chuckle when watching football games or such where you'll witness someone do a quick sign of the cross hoping for that touch down, 3-point shot, or perfect putt. I don't feel that doing any of these actions makes you more or less spiritual then the next, if done with a sincere belief. If someone is just doing so for show, only when they need help, then perhaps they indeed do not have a deeper connection to the Divine. I've always been a fan of the transcendentalists in America and Emerson put it so well in his poem Nature. We find God in all we see. Even the yogis of India know this. I have a day planner with quotes by Paramahansa Yogananda, and all of them relate the Divine presence in nature. In a book that I enjoy going through each year, Simple Abundance, the author speaks of simple prayers given each day. So, for me I've chosen to meet my mornings with my own ritual that I wrote myself for this purpose. I also begin the morning with a reading from a book called The Goddess Companion. I also practice transcendental meditation so that I am focused for my morning, and revived at the end of the day.

^_^ Howdy!.... barehugs!.... Giving with full of graceful thankfulness to blessings or foods is giving the emotions of positive energies to the One who had given the blessings or foods positively. That at least in a day they can still have small piece of blessings such as food or blessing. Praying is like an always open line of communications or cellphone conversation of the spiritual soul to his provider or the creator of life or to the most higher and powerful emotional energies and spiritual wisdom consciousness. ^_^ Thanks!.... God bless!.... Peace!.... and Enjoy!.... myLot!....