Echoes of Devotion Trivia Quiz

Answer: Christianity

Contemplative prayer is a silent, inward form of Christian devotion that focuses on being with God rather than speaking to Him. Unlike structured prayers with words and petitions, this practice invites the believer to rest in divine presence, often using a sacred word (like 'peace' or 'Jesus') to gently return the mind to stillness when thoughts arise.

Rooted in Christian mysticism and monastic traditions, it's described as a loving gaze toward God, a way of opening the heart in quiet faith. Saints like St. Teresa of Ávila called it 'a close sharing between friends'. It's not about emptying the mind, but about attentive surrender, letting go of distractions to dwell in God's love.

Answer: Islam

Salah is the ritual prayer that lies at the heart of Islamic devotion. It's a structured, physical, and spiritual routine performed five times a day, guiding Muslims to pause and reconnect with Allah throughout their daily lives. More than just words spoken to the divine, Salah involves coordinated movements, standing, bowing, and prostrating, each reinforcing humility and worship.

It begins with purification (wudu) and quiet intention, then unfolds through verses from the Qur'an and specific praises. Each prayer is timed with the sun's journey across the sky, from pre-dawn to nightfall, creating a rhythm that binds spiritual reflection to the natural world. Its power intensifies in mosques where worshippers move in unison. Spiritually, it's a moment to realign, to let go of worldly distractions, and to step back into the presence of the divine.

Answer: Judaism

Amidah is the central prayer in Jewish worship, a quiet, standing conversation with God that blends reverence, reflection, and deep spiritual yearning. Often called the 'Standing Prayer' or Shemoneh Esrei ('Eighteen'), it's recited three times daily: morning (Shacharit), afternoon (Mincha), and evening (Ma'ariv), with additional versions on Sabbaths, festivals, and Yom Kippur.

The Amidah isn't chanted aloud. It's whispered or mouthed in near silence, creating a personal moment of intimate connection. Worshippers face Jerusalem, take symbolic steps forward, and bow at key moments, entering a sacred space of presence and humility. Over centuries, it's become a vessel for communal identity and personal devotion, echoing the rhythms of Jewish life.

Answer: Buddhism

Vipassana Meditation is a Buddhist practice that invites you to observe reality as it truly is, without filters, judgment, or reaction. The word Vipassana means 'clear seeing' or 'insight', and the technique is all about watching your breath, bodily sensations, and thoughts with calm awareness.

Rather than trying to control the mind, Vipassana teaches you to witness it, noticing how sensations arise and pass away, revealing the impermanent nature of everything. It begins with focusing on the breath (Anapana) to sharpen concentration, then moves into scanning the body for sensations, observing them without clinging or aversion.

Answer: Sikhism

Nitnem is the daily prayer routine in Sikhism, a spiritual rhythm that helps Sikhs stay connected to the divine throughout the day. The word itself comes from Punjabi: 'Nit' meaning daily, and 'Nem' meaning discipline or practice.

These recitations can be regarded as a conversation with the Guru, a way to reflect, seek guidance, and align one's life with truth (hukam). Each prayer, or bani, carries its own message, from philosophical inquiry to divine praise, and is recited at specific times: morning, evening and night.

Answer: Jainism

Samayika Meditation is a Jain spiritual practice centred on cultivating equanimity, or a calm, balanced state of mind. The word Samayika comes from the root samaya, meaning 'oneness' or 'uniformity', and the goal is to enter a state where the soul is free from attachment, aversion, and distraction.

For about 48 minutes, the practitioner sets aside all worldly roles, no business, no social duties, and focuses entirely on the inner self. This can include: silent meditation, reciting mantras like the Namokar Mantra, reflecting on past actions (pratikramana), resolving to avoid future harm (pratyakhyana) and praising the Tirthankaras and contemplating the soul's purity.

Answer: Bahaism

The Tablet of Ahmad is a powerful devotional text in the Bahá'í Faith, revealed by Bahá'u'lláh in 1865 to a devoted follower named Ahmad from Yazd, Iran. More than a prayer, it's a spiritual call to courage, steadfastness, and unwavering love in the face of trials.

The Tablet speaks directly to Ahmad, urging him to:
Recognise Bahá'u'lláh as the Promised One foretold in sacred scriptures, stay firm in faith, even if the world turns against him, be a 'flame of fire' to enemies and a 'river of life' to friends, metaphors for spiritual strength and compassion. Bahá'u'lláh promises that anyone who chants it with pure intent will receive the reward of a hundred martyrs and find relief from sorrow.

Answer: Shintoism

Norito are the formal ritual prayers of Shinto, Japan's indigenous spiritual tradition. They're not casual or spontaneous. They're carefully composed, poetic invocations recited during ceremonies to honour the kami (divine spirits or deities).

They are written in elegant, classical Japanese, often using archaic language from ancient texts like the Engi-shiki (10th century). Recited aloud by Shinto priests during festivals, purification rites and shrine rituals, they're believed to carry spiritual power through words, a concept called kotodama, where sound and language influence the sacred realm. They're often performed with ritual gestures: bowing, clapping, and facing sacred objects or directions.

Answer: Zoroastrianism

The Kusti Ritual is a daily spiritual practice in Zoroastrianism, where the devotee ties a sacred woollen cord, the kusti, around their waist to affirm purity, devotion, and moral commitment. The kusti is not simply a garment; it's a symbolic armour worn over the sudreh, a white vest representing good deeds.

The ritual begins with padyab, a cleansing wash of hands, face, and exposed skin. The kusti is untied and retied while reciting specific prayers, facing a source of light (sun, fire, moon, or lamp). The cord is wrapped three times around the waist and tied with two knots in front and two in back, each knot reinforcing the Zoroastrian creed: Good Thoughts, Good Words, Good Deeds.

Answer: Hinduism

The Gayatri Mantra is one of Hinduism's most revered spiritual chants, a poetic prayer from the Rig Veda that seeks divine illumination and wisdom. It's addressed to Savitr, the solar deity, symbolising the life-giving light of consciousness.

At its heart, the mantra is a meditation on divine brilliance. It asks that this sacred light guide and awaken our intellect, helping us see truth and live with clarity. The mantra begins with Om and invokes the three realms, earth, atmosphere, and heaven, before offering praise and a heartfelt plea for enlightenment.