How to Pray? What to Pray?
Once my Guru was at prayer. I went to him and said, “Guruji, teach me how to pray.” My Guru was known to explain anything with cryptic short stories. He narrated the following story. And, this is how he taught me how to pray…
Ram and Shyam were once walking through a field when they suddenly saw an angry bull racing towards them. With the bull in hot pursuit, they started running for the nearest fence immediately. Unfortunately, they soon realized that they may not make it. So, Ram shouted to Shyam, “We are done! Nothing can save us now. Quick! Say a prayer.”
Shyam, panting for his breath shouted back, “Raammmm…..I have never prayed in my life. And, I do not have a prayer for this occasion.”
“Never mind,” Ram shouted back. “Any prayer will do. The bull is catching up with us.”
“Well, I remember what my father used to say before meals; Ishwar, we are we truly grateful for whatever we have now and whatever we will receive.”
Summary
True Holiness is learning perfect acceptance of everything as-is. Nothing surpasses this.
Remember. In a game of cards called LIFE, you play with the cards in your hands to the best of your ability. If you insist on not playing with the cards in hand but with the ones you’ve expected, you have already failed.
We are not asked if we want to play. That’s not an option… Play we must! The option is how.
— Shukl’ ‘Jigyasu’