Selections from the Master’s Book ‘Prayer’

‘Prayer’ is, in a strict sense, another name for collecting the outgoing and wandering faculties of the mind, at the root of the mind. Like the rays of the sun, these spread out into the world, and likewise these can be withdrawn and collected at their source. […]¹

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In worldly matters we do seek the help of persons who are more intelligent and capable than we are. We also offer prayers for aid to God – the Greatest Power conceivable – and that, no doubt, is a correct approach to the difficult and baffling problems which confront us every day in the course of our lives. But to regard that Omnipotent Power as something separate and apart from us, and to appeal to Him as to an outside benefactor, is assuredly a sorrowful mistake which is made by us; for He is the very soul of our soul, and is ever working within and without us, and we, in fact, live and have our very being in Him. The secret of success lies in direct prayer and appeal to the Power within, as these bear sure fruit and in abundance. We do a great injustice both to Him and to ourselves when we think of God residing on snow-capped mountains, or under the depths of sacred rivers and water-springs, or in temples and mosques, or in churches and synagogues, or in this or that holy place. Limited as we are in time, space, and causation, we try to limit the Limitless within the narrow grooves that imagination can conceive of. Such belief on our part and consequent frustrations that result therefrom not infrequently tend to make us sceptical of Him.

When the reservoir of all power is in each one of us, we can, by a dip therein, become spiritually great and powerful. As physical exercises make us robust and strong physically, so do Spiritual Exercises awaken in us latent Spiritual Powers. By means of these we can pull up the sluice-gates and thus flood our very being with Divine Currents. When a person becomes Divinised or Divinity Personified, the very Nature, which is the handmaid of God, begins to dance at his beck and call to fulfil all his needs and requirements.²

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As his angle of vision changes, so does the nature of his prayer. At first a person prays for the fulfilment of his physical needs; but when one starts on the Spiritual Path he prays for the removal of such obstacles as come in his way, e.g., sense-turmoil, mental chattering, ingrained karmic impressions.

This period is most critical in the life of a Sadhak. Until actual self-realisation he is in a state of perpetual restlessness, tossing back and forth. He belongs wholly neither to the world nor to God. While in the eyes of worldly people he is a man of piety, yet in the heart of his heart he knows he is full of iniquities.

Farid the sinful is still robed in black, though the people address him as Darvesh.

Farid Sahib

In this state of uncertainty the sadhak at times tries to snap away and escape from the struggle; but after a time the Inner Urge once again comes upon him and he takes courage and starts Godward.

Should a traveller while travelling fall down, there is nothing to wonder and cavil at. Oh Kabir! one who sits and starts not on the journey, has an immeasurable distance yet to traverse.³

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Note by the Editor 2010 – List of Sources: 1) Chapter I ‘Prayer defined’ 2) Chapter IV ‘Prayer – A Direct Appeal to God Within’ 3) Chapter XXII ‘Gradations in Prayer’