A Solution for Hopelessness
At this moment, many of us are thinking the same thing — when will this end? The COVID-19 pandemic started on the other side of the planet just a few months ago, and many of us didn’t think twice about it. Could you blame us? We’ve seen this before — SARS, MERS, Avian Flu, Ebola. There is a long list of terrible and exotic infectious diseases in far off countries that make the headlines for a few days and then peter out before hitting our shores having no meaningful impact on any aspect of our lives. Why would this be any different? Well, as we are all grimly aware, this is very different. As it continues ravaging through the world, there seems to be a ceaseless stream of the 24-hour news cycle of gloom and doom on all fronts.
Our current world and lives would be unimaginable just a few short months ago. Hospitals are overcapacity, and healthcare providers are overwhelmed by an invisible, relentless enemy without adequate resources even to protect themselves. Loved ones are dying alone and afraid in hospital beds. Vertigo inducing market swings have the economy teetering on the edge of another great recession or worse. Retirement accounts have been decimated, and retirement plans postponed. Paychecks have stopped. Schools have closed.
We hoard toilet paper, disinfectant wipes, and hand sanitizer. We scour the internet looking for overpriced masks or make our own at home. Can you blame us? In a land of exceptionalism, self-determination, and manifest destiny, we cannot resign ourselves to this fate. But without a clear path or purpose, we are left frustrated, hopeless, and empty. What do we do?
Pray.
BENEFITS OF PRAYER
Prayer has played a role in civilization since the earliest history of humanity. Its power has been emphasized in the scriptures and beliefs of all faiths. In pain, prayer provides comfort; in fear, prayer enables faith; in helplessness, prayer promotes hope; and when feeling lost, prayer gives us purpose. What if we used prayer regularly? Imagine the benefit it would bring to every moment of our life, especially now. For the faithful, the path to our greatest strength and the best versions of ourselves lies in genuine prayer. Prayer shouldn’t be our last resort; it should be our prime resort.
EXPERIENCING THE POWER OF PRAYER
When prayers originate from the heart, they are innocent. By the time everyone’s prayers reach God, they become complicated. How is that? Quite often, our prayers pit us against each other. For example, passionate fans of two opposing teams with a storied rivalry will pray for the demise of the other. It is inconceivable, let alone acceptable for us, to cheer for the rival. We consume ourselves with the thought of achieving our happiness, and in turn, we disregard the happiness of others — and this, unfortunately, is reflected in our prayers. We desire exclusivity with the assumption that the fulfillment of these prayers is equivalent to obtaining lasting happiness. We pray for wealth, power, popularity, thinking that those who have it are the happiest of us all. But only once we shift from exclusivity to inclusivity, will we appreciate the true power of prayer.
To experience the greatest power of prayer, we need to pray less for things and more for the stability of our minds. Sustained happiness is a state of mind and not based on fleeting hedonistic pleasures. If there is any power that can enter seamlessly, transcend, and positively penetrate our state of mind, it is the power of prayer. Motivation, values, positive thinking — all of these are essential and can collectively contribute to improving happiness. However, these represent individual efforts in becoming happy. Prayer is the only force representing a combined effort between God and us. His Holiness Mahant Swami Maharaj has provided a straightforward formula to success:
hard work + prayer = success
Partnering with God through the medium of worship allows us to keep Him at the forefront of our endeavors, victories, and tragedies.
During periods of stability and contentment, we become preoccupied and self-absorbed, believing we don’t have enough time to dedicate towards praying. A silver lining of sheltering in place is the opportunity it provides to reflect, resolve, and pray. Prayer does not require a specific time or location; we can pray almost anywhere and at any time. The number of words has no significance. It can be one word, a few words, or even no words — the only factor that matters is the connection we form with God during our prayer.
PRAYERS WORK
Sometimes we become discouraged and think, why bother continuing with our prayers when they don’t work? Well, ask yourselves, is it possible to reach the moon? We may not have reached it ourselves, but a handful of skilled astronauts have, yet we continue to assert that reaching the moon is possible. When it comes to great accomplishments, such as reaching the moon, our society prides itself on a handful of successes and ignores the multitude of failures. Likewise, despite the hundreds and thousands of prayers we produce, have we not had even one experience where our prayers have become fulfilled? We refuse to believe in the power of prayer because we don’t see every prayer of ours being fulfilled. To remind ourselves, how many of these prayers are formed on the principle of inclusion? Despite the presence of many wars, we continue to believe that world peace is attainable; despite the increase in unhappy, unsuccessful marriages, we continue to seek out and believe in love, yet somehow, we have difficulty believing that prayers work. Even if there is one incident confirming that prayer works — then prayers work. Even though we have many unanswered prayers, we need to still believe in prayers because, one day, they will be answered.
A group of youths visited His Holiness Pramukh Swami Maharaj and asked, “Does God receive our prayers when we pray to Him?”
Pramukh Swami Maharaj replied, “Yes, of course.”
The youths replied, “Why do we not get an answer?”
Pramukh Swami Maharaj replied, “The Governor gets many applications yet answers only the one he or she chooses.”
The youths replied, “Is there a way to bribe God?”
Pramukh Swami Maharaj laughed and said, “Yes. Double your bhakti (devotion), double your shraddha (faith), and God will fulfill your prayers earlier.”
THE ART OF PRAYER
To experience the real power of prayer, purity and the artfulness of the prayer is essential. Often, we begin our prayers with a plan in mind, seeking only partial help and requesting God to fulfill our requirements. Before God, we must resolve to find complete support and guidance. Everything we have or don’t have is a result of God. We should be thankful for what we have been given, but equally grateful for what he has not provided. Heartfulness of our prayers is essential; open your heart and express your sincerest, authentic affection for God, and ask him to protect you from anger, hatred, jealousy, etc. Lastly, enter your prayer with a sense of selflessness. Most, if not all, of our prayers are for our good. The most powerful prayer, however, is the prayer for others.
On September 24, 2002, two terrorists, armed with firearms and grenades, attacked the Akshardham Monument in Gandhinagar, India. Several individuals lost their lives, including the assailants. Given that one of the worst communal riots had occurred only a few months prior, there was fear that this incident would reignite retaliation and further chaos. However, Pramukh Swami Maharaj’s response to this event and guidance was remarkable. Pramukh Swami Maharaj, after walking onto the grounds to see firsthand the destruction caused by the attacks, immediately started praying for individuals who had innocently lost their lives. Shockingly, he extended his prayers to include the lives of the attackers, despite their actions, as he was deeply concerned for their families. Pramukh Swami Maharaj, without any hesitancy, prayed for those who brought pain to innocent people as he wanted to assure that such a violent act was reciprocated with only peace and purity of prayer.
“In the joy of others, lies our own” was a life-motto of Pramukh Swami Maharaj. Even if our prayers are not immediately answered, they change us; they make a difference in our lives and make us into better people. What more could we ask for?
Prayer is universal. Regardless of language, religion, race, class, or color, prayer only requires that we have a purity of heart, mind, and soul. The stability, purpose, and hope we have lost and so desperately need to regain can be found in prayer. Prayer is the beacon that will light our way through the seemingly endless gloom and doom engulfing us in these most uncertain times.
