Praying is a way of communicating with God. We always communicate with friends, relatives, our parents, and teachers. To pray means to humbly request what we desire, what we want, what we wish for and for success in whatever we are preparing to do. Prayers are usually the outer expression of man's desire to obtain something.

Meditation is the inner prayer, worship or request of our own conscious or God within.  Prayers are necessary as long as human beings have some needs. Prayer also makes us aware of what we want, and there is somebody who can give it to us or at least listen to us.

--Swami Radhanandaji