But we Pray

poem by: AiR Atman in Ravi
Written on Jul 02, 2020

O God! Will you answer my prayers?
O Lord! Will you take away my tears?
O Divine! I am so worried about my fears 
We pray, but don't know the meaning of our prayers 

Of course, most of the world does pray 
Not many of us know the meaning of what we say 
We just fold our hands and close our eyes 
And call out to the one who we think is above the skies 

If we pray, but don't understand what we say 
Then we don't pray, at best we bray!
It's time to stop and find out the truth 
What is prayer? Get to the bottom of the root

Who is God and where is He?
Aren't our prayers for God meant to be?
If we don't know God, but still we pray 
Then who is listening to what we say? 

We pray because we have some desire 
Or because of problems that consume us like fire 
Isn't there a reason we go to God?
Or just for fun do we pray to our Lord?

 Some people pray because they truly love God 
There are others who pray out of fear of the Lord 
A very few pray to express their thanks 
They evolve in life's journey and cross to God's banks 

Prayer has a purpose, to God we do talk 
Some stop to listen, they don't just walk 
Prayer that works is a two-way communication 
A tool that leads to ultimate liberation 

There are rituals and superstitions in every religion 
They make us get confused and cloud our vision 
We are so controlled by what our scriptures say 
That we just blindly follow, day after day 

Is prayer all about mumbling something to God?
Is it about praying, not knowing who is our Lord?
Unless we first know who God truly is 
We may say many prayers, but the main point we miss 

Therefore, in quest of God, we must go 
We must ask questions until we ultimately know 
God is not someone made of bone and skin 
He is a Power that lives within

How do we know that God is a Power?
When will we stop praying at some religious tower?
If we must realize the truth about God 
First know, who is the one that's praying to the Lord 

Self-realization marks the beginning of our quest 
It asks questions putting every belief to test 
Then we realize that we are not ego, body, and mind 
We are the Divine Soul, this truth we find 

What is the Soul? Is it different in you and me?
The Soul is a Power, different it cannot be 
It is one Power that gives life to everything on earth
It goes when we die and it comes at birth 

What is the Soul and where does it go?
Fill two balloons with air for this truth to know 
When you deflate the balloons, where goes the air?
It merges with the air that is everywhere 

So is the Soul, it's not just in us 
It's in everything that moves on this earth, and thus, 
Man, beast, plant, bird or fish, whatever it be 
The Soul creates the life, the Soul is the key

Then we realize that everything is God, 
We are all nothing, without the power of the Lord.
God is the cause, only effects are we 
We would be nothing in the absence of He 

When we know this truth, it changes our life 
We live in bliss, without misery and strife 
When God is within, then there is no fear 
The Divinity in us wipes out every tear 

Realization changes the way that we pray 
For now, we know who is the one to whom we say 
The Divine is not someone sitting up in the sky 
He lives within each one of us, right till we die 

When we know that God lives in every human being 
He lives in every animal and every living thing 
Then we realize serving humanity is prayer 
Our love and compassion, God will surely hear 

Prayer becomes simple seeing everything beautiful as God
True prayer is not seeing the beauty, but the Divinity of our Lord 
Then we not only pray when a temple bell we ring 
But rather, at every song that the little birds sing

True prayer is all about being connected with God 
Being disconnected with the world, being one with the Lord 
Transcending cravings of the senses and desires of the mind 
True bliss and peace being with God we find 

Some people pray hard, but they don't pray smart 
For many years they pray, but they never learn the art 
True prayer is first knowing to whom we pray 
And then understanding exactly what we do say 

If we rumble and mumble a few words in prayer, 
Is this communicating with God? Will this prayer He hear?
When we discover the true meaning of folding our hands 
Then we are liberated, and go to God's land 

What is our life's ultimate goal? 
It's to realize we are the Divine Soul 
Overcoming ignorance, that leads to God-realization 
Liberation and ultimately, Divine unification 

There is a purpose for us human beings on earth 
There is a reason why we pray after we take birth 
Prayers create faith, trust, and love for God 
And ultimately make us unite, make us one with our Lord

 

Tags: Inspirational, Hope, Wishful,

 

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