[attishina]

I don't believe it is necessary for there to be some one to pray to in order for prayer to be useful or beneficial. Prayer can just as easily be seen as guided meditation or contemplation.

But then it becomes an equivocation of the meaning of the word "prayer".

Guided meditation is guided meditation. Contemplation is contemplation. Prayer is a petition to a supposed outside entity to perform some action, for example, for the Cubs to win a game this year.