We
often hear people say that behind every successful man is a woman. I will modify
this by saying, behind every success, there is the Divine, saying, “I am behind
you”. The Divine dawns in you when you pray for Grace; when you cry for
it.
Prayer
is a vital tool to improve your life. What you can do, do it. What you cannot
do, pray for it! When you feel the obstacle is too much to handle, deep prayer
can work miracles. Whatever you do, know that a higher power has the final say
and you can tap that power through your prayers.
You
don’t need any special qualifications or abilities to pray. Whether a fool or a
wise person, rich or poor, anybody can pray. Prayer doesn’t mean just sitting
and chanting some words. It’s about being in that serene, calm, meditative
state. That is why, in vedic tradition, dhyana, meditation, is done before
prayer as well as afterwards. When the mind is focused, prayer becomes far more
powerful.
Prayer
is the cry of a soul. To whom you pray is not so important. Whereas religion
puts words to the prayer, and adds symbols and rituals to it, prayer itself
transcends them. It happens at the subtle level of feelings; feelings transcend
words and religion. The act of praying itself has the power to bring
transformation.
When
you pray there should be total involvement. If the mind is preoccupied elsewhere
then that is no prayer at all. When there is pain, there is more involvement.
That’s why people turn to prayer when they are in pain. Prayer happens when you
feel grateful or when you feel utterly helpless. In either case your prayers
will be answered. When you feel helpless, prayer happens by itself. That’s why
in Hindi we say 'Nirbal toh Balram'. If you are weak, God is with you. Prayer is
that moment when you get in touch with your limitations, your
boundaries.
Usually
when you love something, you want to possess it and you pray for it. True
prayer, however, is just the opposite of wanting to possess. It’s about
honouring and offering everything to the Divine. Honouring brings devotion and
leads to surrender. Devotion heals.
True
prayer can’t happen without devotion and faith. Having faith is to realise that
God’s protection is there for you. Devotion is inner flowering; it starts from
where you are. Unless you are lit in devotion to the Divine, your life will
remain restless. In devotion, longing will arise in you and true prayer happens
by itself.
Be
sincere in your prayers. Do not try to outsmart the Divine. What type of time do
you give the Divine? Usually you give time that is leftover; when you have
nothing else to do, no guests to attend to, no parties to go to, then you go to
the Divine. This is not quality time. Give prime time to the Divine. You will
definitely be rewarded. If your prayers are not answered, it is because you have
never given quality time.
There
are four types of people who go to God -- first, those who seek the truth
(knowledge and freedom); second, the wise ones (gyanis); third, the ones who
seek material comforts (wealth) and fourth, ones who are in misery. The wise one
does not pray for something. His life itself is a prayer.
If
at all you have to pray for something, pray for happiness of all the people in
the world. Loka Samastha Sukhinou Bhavantu -- May everybody be
happy.
