In defense of mindless prayer

Abstract

This paper defends the habitual performance of religious rituals, such as daily prayers, against the view that worship must always be mindful and focused on spiritual matters. Teachers in all religions emphasize the need for our minds to be engaged in the worship, yet this view overlooks the experiences of the body. Through habits, our bodies can have experiences that our minds may not recognize, or only partially recognize. Some of these experiences may involve a sense of unity with something greater than ourselves, which, for religious believers, may be interpreted as a religious encounter.