So the next thing to increase your faith is to pray. As much as you can.

I guess I have been a believer since birth because I always felt the need to pray. As a child, I would pray to get good grades or out of fear. My parents also taught me how to pray. All the elders in my family, men and women alike, would pray every day, and I took their lead. I used to pray at night too because I was afraid of ghosts, and my mother would tell me to take Ram’s name to ward off all evil ghosts. When I read Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography, I was surprised to learn that Gandhi shared the same fear and that his mother had also suggested Rama Naam put an end to any fear. We were also taught to pray in the assembly hall at school. Because of these habits I developed as a youngster, I still pray every day, and over time I have added my own rituals to it. For example, I adore the sound of the conch blowing, and I also burn a dhoop or incense stick.

When I was a child, I would pray for good marks academically because that was important to me. When I started my own business, I used to pray for clients. When my parents’ health deteriorated, I would pray for their better health. Once,, when I was sick and hospitalised, I prayed for my own better health.

When I pray, I feel as though I am speaking with God and that He is listening to me. Your experience of prayer depends on how you see God or visualise Him: as a Protector (King/Lord), as a Parent (Benovolent), or as a Friend. Seeing Him as a friend, in my opinion, is the ideal approach to communicate with Him since friends never criticise one another, so you will not feel judged.

In Hinduism, we have a prayer that goes like this -

त्वमेव माता च पिता त्वमेव ।
त्वमेव बन्धुश्च सखा त्वमेव ।
त्वमेव विद्या द्रविणम् त्वमेव ।
त्वमेव सर्वम् मम देव देव ॥

Source: https://greenmesg.org/stotras/others/tvameva_mata.php

It means you truly are my father, you truly are my mother, you truly are my relatives and you truly are my friend. You truly are my knowledge, and you truly are my wealth, You truly are my all, oh God of Gods.

You can pray to God or Bhagwaan about anything that is on your mind and heart; He listens to all that you have to say, and it is okay to pray for money, wealth, or good health. You can chant an ancient hymn or mantra, a shloka from a book, or a couplet from a bhajan written for Him by a saint.

In Bhagavad Gita, Chapter 7 Krishna says that

चतुर्विधा भजन्ते मां जनाः सुकृतिनोऽर्जुन ।
आर्तो जिज्ञासुरर्थार्थी ज्ञानी च भरतर्षभ ॥७- १६॥

There are 4 types of devotees who worship me: — for money, for relief from distress, the curious ones, and the wise. The wise one prays only because God is. He surrenders everything to God.

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FAQ:

1. Are prayers done out of fear wrong? No, it is okay to pray in times of fear or uncertainty. You can pray in times of tension as well. If you consistently practice taking His name, you will soon notice that your mind naturally takes His name in times of stress.

2. Does God listen to your prayer? Yes, believe in your prayers and trust He is listening to you. While praying you can also offer God something — flowers, sweets. God will accept those. Bhagavad Gita says that one who prays to me, I accept all his offerings.

पत्रं पुष्पं फलं तोयं यो मे भक्त्या प्रयच्छति|
तदहं भक्त्युपहृतमश्नामि प्रयतात्मनः ॥९- २६॥