Should we pray? What is the value of a prayer?

PRAYER.

Prayer is being used by millions all over the world, and almost all religions have attributed many benefits to prayers. (

( Except for Jainism, and Buddhism, which stresses going within and meditating – of course, followers of these religions are also not heeding this message and are heavily into idol worship and prayers for salvation – which is sad .)

But no one really wants to stop and analyze prayer.

Prayer is a beautiful thing, or rather it CAN be a beautiful thing.

Prayer is a product of the human mind.

You will never see an animal praying, even an animal as sacred as a cow.

It’s just not natural to pray.

Because people in Sansar pray to God only to get something from Sansar.

But no one asks for God himself, who is above and beyond the Sansar.

Expectations ( desires ) by the human mind spoil the beauty of prayer.

Desiring can take different forms, though.

Money, fame, position, job, girlfriend, boyfriend, attention, etc., are standard desires.

Even wanting God himself is also a desire.

Desiring Kaivalya, Nirvana, Moksha, and Samadhi – all are forms of desire.

God cannot be desired; God has to be realized.

Dhan chaho, ya dhyan chaho,
Paad chaho, ya Parmarma
Chah hi sansar hei
– Osho

( whether you want money, or you want meditation, whether you want recognition, or you want God himself – wanting is Sansar ).

People also pray, thinking that praying will make them humble.

Even praying to become humble is also a desire.

You cannot BECOME humble. For that, you have to change your nature from within to BEING really HUMBLE.

Lack of humility is really our problem because as long as we have an Ego, we cannot get humble, and for that, we need spiritual wisdom, which comes only from deep reflective meditations, to destroy the roots of our Ego from within.

But we don’t want to do that because it is very difficult, as going within might prove us to be wrong, and nobody likes that.

So our Ego wants an easy trick – calling God to come with his magic wand and make us humble.

That’s passing the buck. That’s avoiding the responsibility.

We want to stay the way we are, but we want Him to do the dirty job – remove our Ego

That’s just a cunning trick of the Ego itself.

No, it’s never gonna happen.

Asking anything in the prayer spoils it.

And.

Prayer cannot be TAUGHT to someone else, either.

It is not an act that can be TAUGHT or LEARNED.

But all religions have made this a motto to TEACH prayers to people over thousands of years, and that way, to make them humble ( and, of course, make themselves rich ).

History is proof that this hasn’t happened. Many so-called religious people have big Egos  – I did this ritual, and I chanted these many shlokas, etc

Teaching prayer is too shallow.

Religions are under an illusion.

No, prayer is not that simple.

Prayer is an innermost and profound state of mind.

It has to arise from within.

And when and how does it arise?

In one of the several deep reflective meditations, eventually comes the point when the Ego realizes that it has been running after meaningless and futile transient things all its life, and it crumbles.

At that point, the inner consciousness ( Godliness ) surfaces from within and shows its true, divine Swaroop.

At that time, you don’t have to pray.

PRAYER HAPPENS.

You don’t have to ask God to make you humble.

Humility HAPPENS –  because you realize how insignificant you are in front of almighty Godliness.

What is the value of a tiny lamp in front of the almighty Sun?

Humility is a RESULT of God’s realization that God is infinite.

God-realization brings His grace, power, and glory to you, and at that time, you become speechless.

And prayer arises from within.

This prayer will have no desires but only gratitude and thankfulness.

Thankfulness for what?

1. Making you realize that you’re not SOMETHING anymore; in fact, you are NOTHING. And –
2. Making you also realize that,  yes,  you are NOTHING, but you are EVERYTHING. You are a part of this infinite existence. You are DIVINE.

This enigmatic inner state brings you the bliss and joy of life.

How can any of this be taught to our children or anyone?

People can only be guided to go within ( meditate ), where this silent treasure of divinity is hidden, waiting to be explored and experienced.

So, MEDITATE, don’t expect anything.

Let the prayer remain PURE. Don’t spoil it.

Let it arise with Him.

Because expecting, desiring, is begging, no matter how fancy name you give to it – like “prayer.”

The nature of the consciousness is to be self-reliant and give – exactly the opposite of the state of mind of people who pray.

So, in short, praying is meaningless as long as you have an Ego because as long as you have the Ego, you will be desiring, and prayer will become fake.

And when Ego drops ( via meditation ), there won’t be any desires, so the NEED for prayer will not even arise -prayer will automatically HAPPEN at the time of communion.

Don’t worship Krishna.

KNOW Krishna ( the consciousness ).