CC2 - Organize your Speech - Prayer

OPENING:

“Prayer is not asking. It is a longing of the soul”

“Prayer in any form is effective because it is an action. It will therefore have a result. That is the law of this universe

The function of prayer is not to influence God, but rather to change the nature of the one who prays

 Good Morning toastmasters and guests

One fine morning my four-year old asked me "Mother, why should we pray to God?" Getting dumb-stuck on an early morning is not new to me. It was indeed a thought provoking question. The only issue was that it was posted to a wrong person. I am neither a religious and spiritual person to talk for it, nor an atheist to talk against it. But the question definitely kept me contemplating for a few days. That is when I thought I could pen down what ever came to my mind and that became an inspiration for my CC2.

BODY:

FUNNY PRAYERS:

I started recollecting something I read in a book, a long time ago. "Prayer should destroy our ego and pride. The thought of "I" and anything that is selfish should be buried. We become a part of the supreme power when we pray and there will be no "I" any more." With this in mind I was thinking of how prayer itself brings pride to us these days. We see people who regularly visit temples and talk proudly about it. They would say "I walk around the Navagraha 9 times every day. There is no chance that God is going to abandon me at any point." Another says, "I regularly give butter (to Hanuman and I walk around the temple 108 times on all Tuesdays. I am a very religious person you see!" We even hear people say, "I had been to Tirupati, walking all the way to the top of the hill several times in my life time. I am sure that I am going to Vaikuntam after death.

Quote: No matter how rich you are, you cannot bribe the angel of death

WHEN DO WE PRAY TO GOD?

Whenever we find ourselves in a tricky, helpless situation we pray to God. Or when we aim at something desperately we pray to God. Our prayers seem very funny at times. It goes like these, a middle class guy prays, "God! Settle all my debts!" A student prays: "God! I should get the first rank this time". It sometimes goes even to this extent, "God! Let the first rank holder fall ill so that I can secure the first rank this time!" An engineer prays, "God! Give me an on-site opportunity at least once in my life time." In a big dining hall during a marriage, a man who is fond of laddoos prays this way, "God! Let the biggest of the laddoos come to my plate". As though the only task on Earth for Him is to weigh the laddoos and distribute them. A friend of mine, right from her teen age prayed, "God! Bless me with a good husband!" She had got too much used to this prayer that she could not control herself from this prayer even after getting married to a good guy and having children.

As a slap on the cheek to all these funny prayers I am reminded of Kabir’s doha: "When we are in sorrow everyone prays to God, in joy no one does.  How can sorrow come to one who prays in happiness as well?"

A GOOD PRAYER!

Great philosophers and religious gurus suggest a few things to be a part of every prayer.

1. First thank Him for all that He has given us.

2. Pray for the well-being of people around us.

3. Pray for "Wisdom"

4. Pray that we aim high and achieve what we deserve

I am not sure if God will grant our wishes if our prayers contain these. But I am sure it brings a positive vibration leading us to achieve happiness. When we thank Him, we realize that we have had several cherish able moments in life. We develop love towards our fellow human beings when we pray for their well-being thereby destroying the evil thoughts of jealousy, hatred, pride etc. When we pray for "Wisdom" it means that we have already started our search for it and will attain it at some point. And in the end we are here for some reason and our heights are determined by our aims. The height of the lotus is the height of the water level after all! So praying for a high aim in life will help us achieve our aspirations or at least help us find out our aspirations.

CLOSING:

I owe a lot of respect to the atheists because their minds are already filled with positive thoughts. A prayer or a provoker called God is not necessary for them. I am sure I have not attained that level and will not be able to attain it. Though so many of these thoughts flashed up in my mind as a result of my daughter's question, I did not dare to open up any of my thoughts to her. Perhaps she will have her own point of view after a few years.

Finally: "God grant me the serenity to accept things I cannot change, courage to change things I can, and wisdom to know the difference.”