Please like, share and subscribe - Crisp, daily, thought-provoking and actionable insights about happiness and life, not today, but now! 100% free, forever!
With any problem in our lives, we pray for a solution.
What is this solution?
To magically make the problem go away of course.
To change the playing field, to change the circumstances, to change the experience itself.
But is that really a solution? Is that really a lasting solution?
What is the ideal solution then?
To pray to change not the circumstance, but to change me!
Leave a CommentSo what do we pray for then?
Perhaps many things, but what struck me as I was sitting quietly yesterday was the following:
1. Clarity. We are faced with innumerable choices all the time. How do we know which decision to make? Which choice is right? Hence I would pray for clarity, in all aspects of life.
2. Protection. There is so much of negativity all around us. So much of anger and hate and ego and malice. Who is protecting us all the time, if not the grace of the Guru and the blessings of God?
But what do the self-realized souls pray for?
Simply for the well being and happiness of others, always!
Leave a CommentWhat should we really pray for? We mostly pray for money and promotions and good health and good marks and success in various tasks we set out to do.
Are these the things we should be praying for? Of course, we can pray for anything we want, and no one can force us otherwise.
But all of the above things are purely material and short term, aren’t they? Except health of course. But health too is largely in our hands. If we stuff ourselves with processed garbage that is ubiquitous today, then what will our health be like if not garbage?
So then what else can we pray for?
Concluded tomorrow!
Leave a CommentMost of us, maybe all of us, are perennial wanters.
Who is a wanter? Someone who wants, of course!
I don’t think a word like ‘wanter’ even exists in the dictionary, but that’s who we are!
We want more money, more pleasure, more vacations, more fame, more cars and houses, more travel, and so much more of this and that. Everything material, we want.
Lord Krishna in the Gita says though that there is only one thing worth wanting. And that is Self Realization. How many of us pray for this in our daily prayer wantlist?
Leave a CommentEvery year this date goes by, with several devotees making pilgrimages to Lord Shiva’s temples.
A part of the critical God trinity of Brahma-Vishnu-Mahesh, or Creator-Sustainer-Destroyer, a foreign view point is always “Oh why do you need a destroyer?”
Stories from our scriptures speak of destruction of various worlds, and pralaya, and of all creation and what not. And all that is great.
But what is it that truly needs destruction? Our ego of course! And that is where Lord Shiva excels par none. He opened his 3rd eye and destroyed Kamadeva, the God of lust aka desires. How incredible is that!
That is why The Destroyer is so important. Let us pray to Him on this wonderful Mahashivratri day, so that we reduce our desires or at least keep them in check, and make huge progress on the path of spirituality. Om namah shivayah šš
Leave a CommentA lot of people, especially atheists, look for proof that God exists. What they are really looking for, are the existence of deities. And the transfer of some Shakti or energy or supernatural power aka siddhis to them or those they know. This will finally “prove” to them the existence of a higher power.
But the existence of a higher power is already obvious no?
Look at creation. Can any one species on this planet, either alone or collectively build all of creation? Nope. Even the starting point would have to be to use creation itself to create. So, disqualified before the game even starts!
Even amongst us, each one of us already has siddhis. Compared to someone who is deaf or blind at birth, those who can hear or see are surely blessed with siddhis. Just the ability to breathe and be alive is a siddhi! Even beyond that, some people have outstanding oratorical skills, or acting skills, or cooking skills, or math skills, or soft skills and so on. These are all siddhis only. If we can devote ourselves to our ishta devatas in gratitude for what we are already good at, then more will come, but it won’t matter, because the mind will already be pure.
Leave a CommentHere’s how my LinkedIn feed looks like over the last few weeks
And on and on it goes. The extremes couldn’t be more stark. Not much one can do, except pray – not just for the sick but also for the brave and selfless front-liners.
Leave a CommentAn interesting dichotomy plays out in India, on the roads. Traffic will suddenly slow down as one nears a place of religious worship like a temple. Why? Because the drivers will attempt to steal a glance at the presiding deity and mutter a quick prayer, in the hope of averting any mishaps on the road. A similar prayer is often told even at the very start of the journey, just as the car is being powered up.
So what is the dichotomy? You will expect that such people would improve their chances of mishaps being averted, and hence wear seatbelts. But nope. You will still see most people not wearing seatbelts. Even if the driver is wearing one, the co-passenger will not wear it. Often you will see a toddler perched up on the co-passenger, also completely unsecured. The same is true for bikers, who just do not wear helmets. A common sight involves these helmets hanging from the handlebars of the bike, as if to protect said bike in the event of a crash.
All of this, despite scientific proof that wearing seatbelts and helmets can significantly reduce injuries and save lives.
This reminds me of the gulf between prayer and karma. Just because one prays, it is not enough to ensure bad things wont happen. There are many things the Lord has empowered us with. A seat belt is one such thing, as are other things like our mind (if used well), intellect (to distinguish between right and wrong) etc. Prayer is a supplement, like the icing on the cake. We cannot replace our stupidity or laziness with prayer.
Leave a CommentSanskrit is one of the most beautiful languages in the world. There are some brilliant compositions, unlikely to be possible in any other language. For instance, in a poem called RamaKrishna Viloma Kavyam from the 14th century, when read from beginning to end, is about the Ramayana, while when read from back to front, is about the Mahabharata!
Sadly, Sanskrit is also a dead language. Hardly anyone speaks it today. And although there are some enthusiasts and some scholars, these are few and far between.
However, the language is also one of prayer. Most chants, mantras, shlokas etc. have all been composed in Sanskrit. Many people memorise these verses and chant them regularly. But given that the language itself is not understood, what then is the point of praying in such a language? Should one pray in their mother tongue instead? Is this a sensible argument? Surely translation from our language to His, is no challenge for a God?
Imagine we come across a beggar. He wears tattered clothes, his face and hands are dirty, he is frail and gaunt, and there is no doubt he has had little to eat in the last few days. Clutching at his stomach, he wails and cries and begs you repeatedly to give him some money. Now imagine another beggar, one dressed well, has a bit of a tummy, comes to you and says “Sir, give me some money.” Chances are, that you would help the first beggar, while doubting the intent, lack of emotion, and authenticity of the second.
Herein lies the key to prayer. Emotion is most essential. If we can figure out whether a person is faking it or not, wouldn’t God know if we are praying with sincerity or not? Without emotion, the most beautiful language cannot make a difference to the prayer. With emotion, even the absence of a language is no barrier.
The most beautiful combination however, would be both emotion and language. And that will take hard work, and intent.
Leave a CommentSomeone prayed for a beautiful wife. The prayer was answered. The wife was so beautiful that all eyes were on her. Soon the affairs started.
Someone prayed for a million dollars. The prayer was answered. The friends got jealous. Many relationships were lost.
Someone prayed for having kids. The prayer was answered. A baby boy was born. But the mother died in labour.
Someone prayed for their dream job. The prayer was answered. It was unearthed that the company had committed massive fraud. A career was lost.
Someone prayed for that vacation to Hawaii. The prayer was answered. A shark attack and a surfing accident later, a limb was amputated.
We have no clue whatsoever about what the future holds. Therefore let us not pray for things that we believe will make us happy. Let us pray instead, that we always remain happy – no matter the circumstance.
Leave a CommentHow can prayer be made more effective?
This is not about religion. We can even just pray in gratitude to the power that sustains life in this universe, and the spark within each of us. This is selfless, and perhaps the best kind of prayer.
We’ve all been in tough spots before, and life being what it is, we may find ourselves in similar positions again. Prayers do work. The proof is in the trying. Prepare to be amazed!
Leave a CommentWhen we just start to pray to get time off for our fourth vacation of the year
Let us pray instead for the front-line healthcare workers that get no time off in a pandemic
When we just start to pray for more time to spend with a loved one
Let us pray instead for the soldiers that keep us safe with no guarantee of a return to their own families
When we just start to pray for a bigger and better house for ourselves
Let us pray instead for the destitute living on the pavement
When we just start to pray for a better education or degree
Let us pray instead for that underpaid teacher in primary school to whom we owe much of our success
When we just start to pray for a promotion or bonus at work
Let us pray instead for the family that lost its sole breadwinner
When we get through all these prayers
We will have forgotten everything we wanted
All our troubles will melt away
And we will be left only with gratitude for everything we have
