Prayers are practiced in all spiritual traditions. Why do we pray? Whom do we praye? How do we pray? How many times do we pray?. When do we pray? Should we all pray? What happens if we do not pray? These are important questions. Prayers can bring people together for attaining a higher purpose or prayers can divide people and bring them down.. These are important questions for me.
Prayers are for inner transformation leading to peace, joy and fulfillment, Prayers are meant to bring people together, to move on higher planes of living.
Prayers are done to lead to good actions and good actions reinforce prayers.They are inclusive, not exclusive. My experience of the power of prayer was based on my experience of doing interfaith prayers with Mahatma Gandhi on the banks of the river Sabarmati. I was only five years old but what I experienced was very powerful. People following different paths felt united in their hearts. This powerful experience of interfaith prayers has laid my spiritual foundation. A month ago we visited Gandhi's Satyagraha Ashram. I felt the same spiritual vibrations as I had experienced when I was five years old.
My beloved wife Vanleela had a different religious background. She used to recite Jain prayers and I used to recite Hindu prayers. Different prayers helped us live together harmoniously. Such is the power of prayers.
Open-mindedness and open-heartedness bring people together. Hope and pray people of diversified religions join hands and hearts with each other for personal and world peace. This is my prayer.
Namaste!
Jagdish P Dave
On Apr 3, 2025 Jagdish P Dave wrote :