The idea of Prayer by Vivekananda

What good is it, if we acknowledge in our prayers that God is the Father of us all and in our daily lives do not treat every man as our brother?

Prayer and praise are the first means of growth.

The feeling of want is the real prayer, not the words. But you must have patience to wait and see if your prayers are answered.

Despondency is not religion, whatever else it may be. By being pleasant always and smiling, it takes you nearer to God, nearer than any prayer.

Mother is the first manifestation of power... She is the sum total of the energy in the universe... Established in the idea of Mother, we can do anything. She quickly answers prayer.

When a man prays to God, 'Give me this, and give me that,' it is not love. How can it be? I offer you a prayer, and you give me something in return; that is what it is, mere shop-keeping.

Is prayer a magic formula, by repeating which, even if you do not work hard, you gain miraculous results? No. All have to work hard; all have to reach the depths of that infinite Energy. Behind the poor, behind the rich, there is the same infinite Energy. It is not that one man works hard, and another by repeating a few words achieves results. The universe is a constant prayer. If you take prayer in this sense, I am with you. Words are not necessary. Better is silent prayer.