Prayer as Psychological Therapy

Scientifically, to overcome psychological stress, individuals who are ill must be truly relaxed. Scientists have found that when the body is relaxed, we can absorb and embed desired knowledge into our minds and hearts, making it part of our memory, also known as suggestion. Scientists conclude that good times to acquire knowledge are before sleep or upon waking, as the body is in a relaxed state. To achieve a relaxed state, we can practice relaxation. And an effective relaxation training method is performing Prayer (Sholat). Several medical experts acknowledge that Prayer (Sholat) can bring peace to the soul and calm the nerves. This was also commented on by Dale Carnegie, who said, "If you are not religious, learn relaxation through natural methods." Prayer (Sholat) is part of the process of regulating thoughts, as it allows individuals to determine which matters should be prioritized. This thought regulation is the process of ordering the work of the human mind. By understanding the meaning of Prayer (Sholat) in life, humans can control their desires that lead them to do something contrary to the will of Allah SWT. And if they resist, the soul will be shaken. Furthermore, Prayer (Sholat) can also train concentration. Often, during Prayer (Sholat), people think about other things, such as a kind lover, a crush, children, what to eat, how to earn money, and so on. This needs continuous practice to achieve focus. Focus during Prayer (Sholat) can be achieved by lowering one's gaze, praying in a quiet place, and not having anything distracting in front of them. William James, the father of Contemporary Psychology, said, "The most important thing is the fusion of work. You will be able to maintain attention if you make the body and mind work simultaneously in a task." Bibliography: Bahnasi, Muhammad. Shalat sebagai terapi Psikologi. Jakarta : Mizania Note: This regulation process is very helpful for me, who every day, every moment, even during Ramadan, still has to face voices that tend to confuse, anger, and cause momentary memory loss, like forgetting what I just read. However, I continue to fight it myself, and focus is more achievable when performing congregational Prayer (Sholat).