Power of Prayer

His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar

Often people say behind every successful man is a woman. I will modify this saying and say behind every success, there is the Divine saying “I am behind you”. Divine dawns in you when you pray for it, when you cry for it.

Prayer is a vital tool to improve your life. What you can do, you do. What you cannot do, you pray for it! When you feel the obstacle is too much to handle, deep prayer can work miracles. Whatever you do, know that the 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 you are a fool or a wise person, whether you are rich or poor, you can pray. Prayer doesn’t mean just sitting and chanting some words. It’s about being in that serene, calm space, meditative state. That is why, in the Vedic tradition, before prayer comes dhyana (meditation) and there is dhyana after prayer. When the mind is focused, the prayer becomes far more powerful.

Prayer is the cry of a soul. To whom you pray is not important. Whereas religion puts words to the prayer, and adds symbols and rituals to it, the prayer itself transcends them. It happens in subtle level of feelings and the 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 come in touch with your limitations, your boundaries.

In today’s fast-paced world, people often pray out of fear and greed. 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 it leads to surrender. Devotion brings a healing touch to the life.

Devotion and faith is the central core of prayer. A true prayer can’t happen without devotion and faith. Having faith is to realise that God’s protection is there for you. Devotion is an inner flowering. Devotion 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 when there is longing, true prayer happens by itself.

Be sincere in your prayers. Do not try to outsmart the Divine. The mind totally forgets the Divine. What type of time do you give the Divine? Usually you give the time that is leftover; when you have nothing else to do, no guests to attend to, no parties to attend to, you go to the Divine. This is not quality time. Give prime time to the Divine. You definitely will 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. One, those who seek the truth (knowledge and freedom). Two, the wise ones (gyanis). Three, the ones who seek material comforts (wealth). Four, the 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 the happiness of all the people in the world. Loka Samastha Shukhinou Bhavantu (May Everybody Be Happy).