Praying For Your Departed Loved Ones

A client recently asked me if there is any benefit to praying for a loved one who has passed away? Does it make a difference in their transition to their new plane of existence? Can it somehow assist them in their continued existence in the afterlife? Can they even hear us?

We can absolutely connect with the spirits of those who have passed on, although it may sometimes feelas if they cannot hear us. Whether we are praying for them, talking to them, or simply grieving for them, we are connecting with them on a spiritual level and they are hearing us.

In fact, praying for our deceased loved ones has a very positive effect on their soul journey and they deeply appreciate it.

Some people believe that when we die, we go to some blissful realm of perfect existence where all our problems and karmic debts are instantly resolved, or left behind on the earth plane for others to deal with or pick up the pieces. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Most of us will pass away someday with some unresolved issues, negative feelings, resentments, grudges, or regrets that we will need to continue to work on in the afterlife. Of course, some of us will have much more to work on than others. Just because we leave this physical world does not mean that we are free of all our responsibilities and no longer accountable for anything or anyone.

It is therefore helpful to send our prayers to departed loved ones to help them with whatever spiritual or karmic “baggage” they may be taking along with them on their journey to the other side. Although they may leave behind symptoms of illness or financial debt, for example, their spiritual ailments will still need to be healed.

We talk about heaven being so far away. It is within speaking distance to those who belong there ~ D.L. Moody

Some of these unresolved issues require a great deal of afterlife work and atonement on the other side, so our prayers and spiritual support for our loved ones are not only much appreciated by them, but also much needed.

I like to think of a prayer as a growing snowball of energy. When we say a prayer for someone else, we are blessing and empowering them beyond the veil. Whenever we focus our attention on something frequently and intentionally, the object of our focus becomes stronger. In this way, our prayers help those who have passed on to move forward.

Our prayers give them benevolent strength and healing energy to do what they need to do on the other side. Praying for the dearly departed is essentially no different than praying for a family member in a foreign country fighting a war, or for a relative living far away who is suffering from a health problem. They do not even need to know that we are praying for them for it to help them in ways we could never imagine.

Afterlife Prayer Traditions

Praying for someone who has passed is considered important in many religions and spiritual traditions. The reasons vary according to different beliefs and perspectives. Here are some insights from different traditions:

Shamanism and Indigenous Culture: These traditions vary widely depending on the specific cultural context and beliefs of each indigenous group, but there are several common themes and practices related to caring for the deceased, such as ancestor veneration in the form of prayers, rituals, and ceremonial offerings performed to honor and connect with the ancestors and seek their guidance and blessings. In cultures with shamanic traditions, shamans or tribal healers traditionally play a central role in conducting rituals and prayers for the deceased. They communicate with the spirits of the deceased or perform soul retrieval ceremonies to ensure the well-being of the deceased in the afterlife.

Neo-Paganism and Wicca: These traditions emphasize the importance of honoring ancestors. This may involve setting up ancestor altars, making offerings to ancestors, and communicating with ancestors through rituals or meditative practices. It may also include personal prayers or rituals to remember and honor deceased friends, family members, or ancestors. These prayers may be spoken aloud or performed silently as a way to connect with the spiritual essence of the deceased.

Christianity: In Catholicism, prayers for the dead are part of the church’s tradition of intercessory prayer for souls in purgatory. These prayers are believed to assist the soul in its journey toward purification and eventual entrance into heaven.

Islam: Muslims have specific prayers (dua) that are recited for the forgiveness and mercy of the deceased. Muslims believe that these prayers benefit the soul in the afterlife.

Judaism: In Judaism, prayers for the deceased, such as the Mourner’s Kaddish, are recited to offer comfort to the living and to honor the memory of the deceased. It’s believed that these prayers contribute positively to the spiritual journey of the soul.

Buddhism: While specific Buddhist traditions vary, prayers and rituals for the deceased are generally seen as a way to provide positive energy and support for the departed soul. These prayers are believed to influence the deceased’s state of consciousness and help guide them on their journey through the intermediate state (bardo) toward their next rebirth.

Hinduism: Hindus perform prayers and rituals for the deceased to help the soul make a smooth transition to the next life. Prayers, offerings, and ceremonies such as shraddha are considered very important to honor and support the departed soul.

Overall, the act of praying for someone who has died is often seen in many faith traditions as a compassionate and supportive gesture. It’s seen as a way to express care for the deceased and to offer hope and comfort to those who remain. In addition, these prayers are often considered to have a spiritual effect, assisting the departed soul in its journey beyond life.

If the people we love are stolen from us, the way to have them live on is to never stop loving them ~ James O’Barr

Benefits Of Praying For The Deceased

If you have recently lost a loved one, pray for them. Pray that their soul crosses over safely or that they are in a good place and doing well. You can be sure that any health problems and physical pain they suffered have been completely left behind. But if you know of other specific concerns, you may want to focus on those.

For example, if they had unfinished business with a loved one or were in conflict with a relative at the time of their death, you may want to pray for these unresolved karmic issues to be resolved.

The act of praying for a deceased loved one involves engaging spiritual energies and intentions that can have several beneficial effects:

Positive energy: Prayer is a powerful form of focused metaphysical intention or energy. When we pray for someone in this life, we are directing positive thoughts, emotions, and intentions toward them in the next life. This energetic support is uplifting and beneficial to the person’s well-being, even when they are no longer in the physical world.

Spiritual connection: Praying for someone creates a spiritual connection or link between the person praying and the recipient of the prayer. This energy cord connection transcends physical boundaries and allows for continued connection and support on a spiritual level.

Spiritual healing: Prayer is healing. When we pray for someone in the afterlife, we contribute to their spiritual healing. It provides comfort, solace and reassurance to their soul.

Manifestation: Prayer is also a process of manifestation or intention setting. By articulating our desires or hopes through prayer, we influence the subtle energies of the universe toward the realization of those intentions. It helps to facilitate positive outcomes and healing transformations for our loved ones.

Karmic impact: Our prayers for others have karmic effects. By offering positive thoughts, wishes and intentions, we generate positive karmic energy on their behalf, which can benefit both the recipient and ourselves on a spiritual level.

Intercession: Prayer can also be a powerful way to intercede on behalf of others. We are asking God, Source, Spirit, the Divine, to assist and support the person for whom we are praying.

As you pray, remember to include mindful moments of silence in your thoughts, for often our loved ones will reach out and try to communicate with us when we are focused on them. You may be surprised at what they have to say in response!

While our friends and family who have died know that we love them, through prayer we can actively remind them how much we appreciate and miss them.