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To awaken spiritual emotion rapidly, initially
one needs to make constant efforts at the level of the mind and intellect.
From Issue 207, we have been discussing the importance of prayer
in developing spiritual emotion, removing distressing
energies and
related spiritual experiences (anubhutis) of seekers. In this Issue
we will discuss the benefits of prayer.
Benefits occur at three levels, namely, action, thinking and attitude
| 1. |
Action:
As a consequence of prayer, an action is performed with spiritual
emotion and fewer errors are committed. Thus service unto the
Guru occurs as per His expectation. |
| 2. |
Thinking:
So long as the mind is active, thoughts will continue. They pose
an obstacle to dissolution of the mind. Useless thoughts also
cause wastage of energy. Prayer is an extremely useful tool
to prevent this. Prayer reduces worry and enhances contemplation. |
| 3. |
Attitude:
A prayer said with spiritual emotion initiates the process of
contemplation upon prayer within a seeker and this assists
him to become introverted. |
Assuaging the ego: Since while praying
we plead before The Lord, it helps to reduce the ego faster.
A seeker repeats (chants*) the Name of his deity of worship with
the aim of realizing God. Only if accompanied by intense motivation
for God realization and spiritual
emotion, will the Name repeated (chanted) reach The Lord. Saint
Tukaram Maharaj would be so engrossed in repetition (chanting) of The Lord’s Name that
He would become oblivious to the world. One rarely finds someone who repeats
(chants) The Lord’s Name with such intense spiritual emotion. However,
a prayer along with the repetition (chanting) of The Lord’s Name helps
in generation of spiritual emotion and to bring about the repetition (chanting)
reaching The Lord. Some spiritual experiences in this context will illustrate
the importance of prayer.
Repetition (chanting) of The Lord’s Name reaching Lord
Ganapati after a prayer:
On September 4, 2002, I began repeating (chanting)
The Lord’s
Name without a prayer unto Him. After fifteen minutes I realized
that I had forgotten something. Then I realized that though I was
repeating (chanting) The Lord’s Name, it was not reaching The
Lord. Then I prayed and thereafter perceived that the Name was actually
reaching The Lord.
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