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These days, I am saying a whole lotta prayers.

Praying has always calmed me down and allowed me to return to the present moment. Whether I am asking for help or feeling gratitude for something, connecting with Source energy is so important to relax our mind and move through this world with more peace.

Prayer can cover many things and, over the years, it has meant different things to different people. I heard about the five main types of prayer in a documentary and felt called to share them with anyone who relies on this important practice.

First, let’s define it:

Prayer (noun): a solemn request for help or expression of thanks addressed to God or an object of worship. Similar words: intercession, invocation, devotion.

Here are the five types of prayer:

1. Worship and Praise

This is when we thank God, Spirit, Source (whatever word you use) for simply being. We feel that connection to something bigger than ourselves and trust its presence in our daily affairs.

For me, this is meditation. Sitting, breathing, noticing, and allowing. Connecting with myself because that is a connection to God/Spirit/Source.

This is powerful, especially in the morning. Just sitting for even a few minutes and noticing our breath does wonders for our state of mind throughout the day.

2. Petition and Intercession

This is when we say a prayer for someone else. We ask for help in their lives as much as they are willing to allow it.

Praying for others is powerful. Those who scoff at “thoughts and prayers” do not understand the power behind it. We are all connected.

Studies have shown that praying for sick people helps them heal faster and decreases their hospital stays. In cities where groups of meditators have gathered and intended peace, crime rates fell, folks had fewer traffic accidents, the police were called out less, and productivity on a citywide scale improved.

Energy is real, and intending it works.

3. Supplication

This is when we are pleading for help or guidance for ourselves. We have reached a point of total surrender because we cannot see a way out or through. This form usually involves some sort of physical kneeling. Think of making a plea.

I went to a workshop years ago and learned something about what surrender really is: it’s when the ego has exhausted all possibilities and gives into a higher form of thinking. The perspective shifts from the analytical mind, which sees limits, to a possibility beyond those limits.

When we surrender, that’s when we are caught.

4. Thanks or Thanksgiving

This is the gratitude one. This is when we start focusing on what is working and on what we have versus what we think we don’t.

It’s amazing what happens when you start silently saying “thank you” throughout your day. Just connecting with the ever-present energy of creation allows you to notice it and attract it more. A “thank you” really goes a long way and it’s so simple.

Every night, silently name 10 things you are grateful for. Do this for 30 days and notice how your experience of abundance shifts.

5. Spiritual Warfare

This is when we are having some sort of internal battle and ask for God’s protection and deliverance.

My go-to angel is Archangel Michael. Whenever I feel scared, upset, stressed, or unsure, I ask him to protect and lead me. Just saying, “Archangel Michael is protecting me through this,” is enough to ease my mind and allow me to hear solutions and guidance.

It’s okay to feel scared and ask for help.
It’s okay to not know all the answers.
It’s okay to seek a better way.

Find an affirmation or phrase that helps soothe you in times of internal turmoil. Some of my favorites are listed below.

I am safe.
I am where I am, and that’s okay.
I accept my feelings in this moment.
God is all around me.
I am protected.
The arms of angels shield me.
This too shall pass.
All is well and all will be well.

May this be of benefit.

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