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Chapter
XIX PRAYER
Prayer is the salt of life and we cannot do without it. It is ingrained in the nature of man to pray
for the fulfilment of his wish whatever these may be. More often than not we do not know what we may really pray for,
how to pray and what we may do to make our prayer a great dynamic force as may
stir up Heaven’s mercy. ______________________ All the religions are in agreement on the point that prayer at
the seat of the soul wells out all the latent powers of the Godhead within and
one can achieve spiritual beatitude through it. It is a connecting link between the Creator and His creation,
between God and man. It is a supporting
staff in the hands of a spiritual aspirant and a pilgrim soul cannot do without
it from the beginning to the end of the journey, for it saves one from many a
pitfall on the way and transforms the mind through and through until it shines
forth and begins to reflect the Light of the soul. ______________________ Selfless service is a tonic for the heart of the initiate, who
inculcates a deep sense of loving devotion for the gracious Master-Power. Prayer and effort go hand in hand. The former grants an impetus for righteousness, whereas the
latter makes the provision for such truthful living which is higher than
Truth. Regularity of meditations brings
in all which is sublime and helpful for inner spiritual progress with the grace
of the Master. ______________________ The secret of successful prayer lies not so much in the words we
use, nor in the time we devote to it, nor in the effort that we put into it, as
it lies in the concentrated attention that one may give it at the seat of the
soul so as to make it soulful. The most natural form for a fruitful prayer is the yearning of a
soul without the agency of words, oral or mental, with the tongue of
thought. A prayer like this generates
and releases such a fund of spiritual energy that all the Cosmic Powers are
attracted, and combine together, shaping out things as best as possible. A true prayer is one continuous process,
independent of form, time and place, and leads ultimately to perfect equipoise
and no desire whatsoever. This then is the climax of a genuine prayer and here prayer
itself ceases to be a prayer and becomes a state of being as one gradually
rises first into Cosmic consciousness and then into Supper Consciousness, with
the Divine Will fully revealed unto him.
This is the be-all and end-all of prayer. ______________________ Prayer is, in a strict sense, another name of collecting the
outgoing and wandering faculties of the mind at the root of the mind. Like the rays of the sun, these are spread
out into the world, and likewise these can be withdrawn and collected at their
source. This concentration while
begging for help is called prayer. ______________________ Prayer nothing but a concentrated will falling back upon its
source, the great reservoir of power, in which are lodged all sorts of
possibilities—physical, mental and spiritual—and one can draw upon any of these
according to one’s needs. ______________________ In all trying circumstances, prayer is the last weapon in our
armory. Where all human efforts fail,
prayer succeeds. ______________________ I am sorry for your illness.
This usually comes as a result of the reaction of past karma. Prayer and gratitude grant inner peace and
harmony to with-stand the hazards of physical life, which is a passing phase of
the soul in its long journey back to the True Home of the Father. You will please appreciate that it is due to the gracious
Master-Power winding up the karmic debts and the best way for maintaining inner
stability is to be patient and resigned to the Superme Will of the Father. You should try to adjust yourself to the
circumstances as best as you can. ______________________ True prayer then is the means to concentrate the wandering wits
at one centre—the centre of the soul—to gather up the spirit currents at the
still point in the body, between and behind the eyes. ______________________ Herein lies all worship, all prayers, all renunciation and all
knowledge of here and hereafter. The
path to Salvation lies in the direct touch with the Inner Power rather than to
get entangled with outward things. ______________________ The loving disciple is always prayerful and repentent for his or
her trespasses and lapses committed consciously or unconsciously during the
day. Prayer is not for outward show or a gymnasium, but it is an
anguished cry of the soul, which stirs the Divine grace, and when directed and
channelized smoothly works wonders, and the dear initiate is filled with
awe-inspiring gratitude, with His grace. |