I’m just going to be honest and say it: praying doesn’t always have something to do with religion. I’m pretty sure that during your life, you’ve met people who didn’t believe in a deity, yet often found themselves praying. That’s because prayers are more about spirituality, about believing in an unseen force, whether it’s a God, destiny, or the fleeting sense of life.
Praying has tremendous benefits, because they give you hope, a sense of inner peace, but also a chance to meditate on the really important things. So setting up a prayer room doesn’t mean that you’re religious; it could also mean that you are a profound soul. And what if I gave you a few tips on how to create a prayer room that gives you the sense you’re emerging into something deeper?
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What Is a Prayer War Room?
The concept behind war room ideas is to depict a space where military strategies and tactics were born. Throughout the years, war rooms have achieved a more business-oriented definition, being headquarters where meetings and planning sessions took place.
And, when you transfer these two meaning to religion, the war prayer room is a place where you can focus on the spiritual side of your life. Don’t take this the wrong way, God will listen to your prayer regardless of where you sink in them but having a quiet spot where you can speak to God does sound heavenly.
One could argue that the entire concept behind a war prayer room came from the actual movie “War Room”. It motivated people into turning their closets into sanctuaries dedicated to their time alone with God, but also inspired others to create a simple spiritual corner, where they could meditate and become more aware of their current self.
Ways to Use a Prayer Room
The idea derives from Indian and Hindu cultures. Naturally, the main purpose of the prayer room is to actually to pray, but that doesn’t mean that non-religious people shouldn’t have one. A prayer room can actually serve a lot of different purposes, considering the spiritual meaning behind a place like this:
- It can be an old room that’s sitting empty or even a small closet that you can repurpose. There are tons of prayer closet ideas around!
- It can be an individual spot for prayers or a space designed to invite in multiple people and engage in collective prayer.
- It can be a place where you meditate and get in touch with your inner self.
- It can be a corner where you can focus on your daily problems, while taking a step back to find calm and objective solutions.
- It can even be a place where you do yoga, and practice means of relaxation.
- It can be everything that a “war room” actually stands for: a place to assess, plan, and analyze. This is great for youth such as college students.
Prayer Room Accessories & Ideas
A Sign from Right Here
With beautiful lettering and a design that meets rustic and modern standards alike, your prayer room feels like it almost NEEDS a sign like this one. You can hang it above the entrance or straight on your prayer room door, inviting people into your sanctuary.
INRI
Could a prayer room be truly complete without the holiest of symbols: the cross? Whether you choose a larger cross and mount it on the wall, or a simple, yet very significant table one like the cross in the photo, this element stands for the most iconic moment in the history of religion: the crucifixion of Jesus for the redemption of mankind.
Invitation to Prayer
Here is yet another perfect sign that’s worthy of being hung at the entrance of your war prayer room. The beautiful dark brown wooden background comes in contrast with the handwritten-imitation lettering, creating a poetic icon for a sacred place. One of many items you could have in your space.
Candle in the Wind
Candles do more than just emit a romantic vibe: they are symbols of prayer. In the Christian religion, people that visit churches will often light candles and pray for the protection of their loved one who are still alive, but also for those who passed away, so that God may protect their souls in Heaven. So, having candles in your prayer room is almost a must, if you consider their strong meaning.
Joshua 24:15
You may have across vinyl wall stickers with family and love related messages, so why not one with a religious quote, to personalize your prayer room. Some people might think that this is far-fetched, but the whole idea of having a prayer room is to step into that spiritual mode, and to create a place of refuge, where you are free and at peace with yourself.
Bringing Nature Inside
If you’ve ever seen of the grand Catholic cathedral, or had the pleasure of visiting the Vatican itself, you know that golden elements are no strangers to religion. You probably won’t be able to spend money on an authentic golden plate, but you can find an imitation in plenty of shops. You can decorate it with rose petals, even pour a few drops of scented essential oils inside it. You can also use it as support for candles. Whatever the case, there’s something about such an element that speaks religion.
The Prayer-Holder
The prayer box is much like a guest book, but for prayers. The entire concept behind such a box can expand outside the prayer room, to be used throughout the entire house, or even in a classroom. It can give people a chance to write their prayers down and place them in here, without having to speak out loud about it. It’s sort of a more intimate approach between you and God. While available for purchase, prayer boxes can also make for a wonderful DIY project.
Muslim Prayers
The beauty of having a prayer room is that it doesn’t matter what religion you belong to: you will have a private praying corner for you to be alone with your thoughts. In the Muslim religion, a prayer room is often designed with minimal decorations, but it needs to have a prayer mat, which is often woven in a factory, and typically contains images of important Islamic landmarks, much like the Kaaba.
Happy Corner
A prayer room doesn’t always have to be a room: it can be a small corner with a specific tables laid out to host symbols of the religion you belong to. Here is a perfect example of how to bring spirituality and the love for God closer to your children, right in the comfort of their own room. This idea can help you make due with limited space, but also provide a better known and more friendly environment for your little one to say Grace.
Screen Prayers
Praying is often something that should be done in private, but what can you do when you have limited space? Witness this example of how to create a more private praying corner for two, with the help of a screen that divides two Muslim praying rugs. It’s a simple, quick, and efficient method of giving prayers the privacy they deserve.
Buddhist Peace
Siddharta Gautama, or Buddha, was a prince who meditated in search of the ultimate happiness. He spent his entire life teaching people about the joys of active compassion and courage, and has created a movement that now lies at the base of one of the world’s most inspiring religions. This praying corner shows a statue of Buddha, surrounded by candles and natural plants, against a black wall with asymmetric patterns.
Inside a Cathedral
This image is from Lincoln Cathedral, in Britain. It depicts a prayer room inside one of the country’s iconic landmarks. Predominantly red and brown, this prayer room is a golden example of an intimate, yet collective spot, beautifully adorned with fierce-red and floral chair tapestries, and a large window that invites in the perfect light to complete the ambiance.
Home Altar
Everyone has the possibility to create a small Church altar in the comfort of their own home. The elements are simple: you need an empty table, a simple wooden cross hanging on the wall in front of it, two hanging lamps which can be replaced by candles, some decorative flowers (just to add more color to the decor), and your Holy Book.
Collective Prayers
There are so many beautiful elements in this picture, giving out a very rustic and traditional vibe. As you may have noticed, there aren’t many religious elements in the photo, yet the entire ambiance has a certain tranquility to it. The beautiful dinner table and matching chairs make for a perfect spot for collective prayers.
The Light Within
This is one of my favorite photos yet. It’s filled with light, nature, and a book of the uttermost importance: the Quran. It’s the perfect example of how can make do with whatever room your have, and that praying doesn’t really need fancy decorations or an entire room for itself. All you need is a spot that inspires you.
Conclusion
Prayer rooms don’t have to be about opulence. Their main goal is to create a safe space that brings you closer to God and your inner peace. There is no specific guideline on what a prayer room should look like, and if you don’t have a spare room to allocate to prayer, don’t fret. Even a table in a quiet room corner can give out a spiritual vibe. People have even created prayer boards with inspirational images and items to take to their office with them.
Have you ever seen a prayer room or a prayer room accessory that you really liked?
