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Summary of Question:	Are There Different Prayers For Different Situations?
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Saturday, 12/21/2002 1:17 PM MST

Sat Sri Akal

Dear Sikhnet,

I find your website very informative.

I am not a Sikh myself, but I have a Sikh friend and we were talking about prayers. My friend has not been used to praying, so I recommended that she should study Sikhism from the basics and try to pray and praise God in her heart while she could study and learn about her religion.
I don't think I've recommended her anything that would be contrary to Sikhism. I just meant for her to develop a relationship with God by praising Him and also praying in her own words.

She has a question regarding prayers, are there different types of prayers, and are there e.g. specific prayers that are more powerful for specific situations/problems?

I hope you can help me out with the questions I am posting.

Thank you

(REPLY) Sat Nam (that means "Truth is God's Name/ Truth is your identity) There is a basic traditional prayer called "ARDAS" into which a person may insert his or her specific request. Of course there are the fundamental prayers to be recited at specific times of the day, these are called "Banis" -- and if your friend wants her prayers to be most effective, she would make it a habit to recite those banis every day, so that she becomes more and more in tune with her highest consciousness, and be more open to guidance from God and Guru There are also specific mantras which are words that appear in the Siri Guru Granth Sahib (our "Shabd Guru" -- the living Guru of all Sikhs) that have more specific intent. I suggest your friend get the book called "PSyche of the Soul" as well as go to the Home Page of this website and investigate all the links. She is fortunate to have such a wise friend as you! Blessings, SP