It is Ganesh Chaturthi and I was praying to Lord Ganesha. Almost immediately got a gift. As soon as I began praying I detected an element of conditionality to my prayer. I will pray and you give. There was no true devotion, no true surrender. It was based on a bargain that Lord Ganesha would protect me and clear all my obstacles if I prayed to him on this day.
It was nothing close to prayer.
I wondered how the concept would work if one inserted the idea that one is a god-particle and hence the same one is asking for boons and the same god-likeness is fulfilling them. One is fulfilling them oneself. My prayer would be to the god within me to take care of me. How would my approach be then if god was not some far away object but within me?
In such a case I need to be more aware in my prayer. I need to be aware of the god-self in me as I pray. I need to be fully present, completely focused. I need to be far more trusting, devoted and have complete faith. I would need to be in a state of total surrender where I say - 'God, I surrender to you and you take care of the rest. I will trust that you will take care and give me what is best for me.'
Such an approach would require a grounding in oneself. It would require me to evolve in self-love in recognition of this divinity within. My entire approach to this god within me would be one where I have steadily grown in my admiration for this god within to the extent that I am grateful for all that I have.
To offer prayers is to completely surrender. It struck me today that one cannot do it from a place of ego even in the slightest bit. There may be an idol out there but can you practice the emotion of total surrender each time. One must bow down, kill all ego, touch the forehead to the ground and know that one is nothing. When one can surrender fully, one can let one's god-self flow through. There can be no obstacles then. Life becomes a celebration.
A lesson learned.
It was nothing close to prayer.
I wondered how the concept would work if one inserted the idea that one is a god-particle and hence the same one is asking for boons and the same god-likeness is fulfilling them. One is fulfilling them oneself. My prayer would be to the god within me to take care of me. How would my approach be then if god was not some far away object but within me?
In such a case I need to be more aware in my prayer. I need to be aware of the god-self in me as I pray. I need to be fully present, completely focused. I need to be far more trusting, devoted and have complete faith. I would need to be in a state of total surrender where I say - 'God, I surrender to you and you take care of the rest. I will trust that you will take care and give me what is best for me.'
Such an approach would require a grounding in oneself. It would require me to evolve in self-love in recognition of this divinity within. My entire approach to this god within me would be one where I have steadily grown in my admiration for this god within to the extent that I am grateful for all that I have.
To offer prayers is to completely surrender. It struck me today that one cannot do it from a place of ego even in the slightest bit. There may be an idol out there but can you practice the emotion of total surrender each time. One must bow down, kill all ego, touch the forehead to the ground and know that one is nothing. When one can surrender fully, one can let one's god-self flow through. There can be no obstacles then. Life becomes a celebration.
A lesson learned.
1 comment:
Its not possible to pray without wanting something in return.
Praying just for the sake of praying is a myth.
Post a Comment