I think seeking assistance from the spiritual realm is essential. Praying is something taught to us from a very young age. I would say from the age of two years, parents are already introducing their children to prayers in the Garifuna culture.
One thing I can say is we put God first, and through prayers, we are able to achieve the favors we seek from God. However, prayers are not as simple as they sound. Let’s take a look at it:
What Does Prayer Mean in Garifuna Culture?
As a Garinagu, not only to me but also to others who are deeply into the culture as I am, prayers are our foundation, the root to a guided and blessed life through God the Almighty. Through Him, we seek everything: blessings, personal protection, guidance, and protection from our ancestors and the angels in the spiritual realm.
Do All Garinagu Believe in God?
If a Garinagu is closely connected with their culture and practices, then they are closely connected with God because there is nothing in our culture that omits His Almighty presence.
Even when our ancestors return and relay a message to us, they remind us to put God first because only through Him can they help us, and only through Him will we be blessed. To distance oneself from God, a Garinagu person would have to completely distance themselves from their culture and practices.
How to Master the Art of Prayer
To effectively use prayer, we first need to master it. By mastering it, I mean learning to say it with our spirit and heart. Only this way will we be able to connect with the spiritual realm and transmit our prayer effectively. It is not as simple as just saying a prayer and expecting everything to come through. Prayer is profoundly meaningful and functions as a way to connect with God.
It’s like a spell: anyone can say the words of a spell, but not everyone can make that spell happen. Similarly, we believe that anyone can say a prayer, but not everyone can make a prayer be answered. After we have mastered how to pray, it can then be said automatically, and the prayer will connect because you have gained the skills and power to do it.
Different Methods of Communicating with God
We also communicate with God through simple talking. For example, if you just want to say, “Good morning, God, I noticed that it’s a bright and beautiful morning; thank you.” As simple as this, God can hear us. But again, you must learn the skills to allow these communications to transmit into the spiritual realm.
We believe that a person can pray until their knees are bleeding, but if they do not know how to activate their spirit and heart during a prayer and master it, then they may not get that prayer into the spiritual realm.
This is why some people say they pray, but it seems there is no God to answer their prayer. We believe in the existence of God, but you are probably simply not praying the right way. It is not what you say; it is how you do it in order to activate these words to transmit meaningfully to the ears of God.
What Do I Pray For?
- I send prayers into the spiritual realm to God for continuous blessings and His guidance for me.
- I send prayers to God, seeking His permission so that His angels may come to my aid when I need them for protection and so on.
- I send prayers asking God to allow our ancestors to guide us and to keep the communication with them, and also to bless them where they are in the spiritual realm.
- I offer prayers to God for ongoing protection and blessings for my family.
When Do I Talk to God?
- I talk to God when I need to acknowledge His wonders, such as a beautiful day.
- After achieving success at work.
- For me reaching home safely.
- If I am sad and need someone to talk to, to explain my situation to.
- When alone and the need to talk.
Personal Experiences: The Impact of Prayer
I have seen prayers work. I have seen prayers answered, so my belief in prayers is not by making it up; it is because of my personal experience. Let me share one with you that I know that God never let me down. Sometimes, life puts you in a situation, or let me say you get yourself in a situation, and you feel like there is no way out.
I got myself in the situation, but I knew that getting out alone wasn’t possible. When everything seemed like life was done with me, I called upon God through prayer. This was an urgent situation, so it needed a prayer. After I prayed, I put all my faith in it, and just a couple of minutes later, I was out of that situation.
I have also seen people pray to God when someone is sick, and that person gets well again, even after doctors had no more ways of getting that patient better. I have seen what prayers can do, and this is one of the reasons that I believe.
Have I Met People That Do Not Believe in Prayer and God?
I have met people outside my culture who do not believe in prayer or God. I used to have a coworker who said outright that he is not a believer, but he was of a different culture. Again, I respect people’s beliefs; probably he has never seen the power of God, which is why he remains ignorant of it, but I respect him. That is not my place; that is a battle between him and God. All I know is that me and God are on good terms.
The Journey of Understanding Prayer Across Cultures
You will meet people who will challenge your belief in prayers, but it’s not your place to show them that prayers work. Prayers are not something to go around bragging about or convincing people. Prayers are something one must seek and find on their own, only through which they will be able to find the skills to master prayer.
I want to say that there are many religions and cultures that believe in God and prayers and probably use the same method as we do to send communication into the spiritual realm. If you want to learn more about prayers and other cultures or religions, you can go and research; being open-minded is important.
