We acquire skillfulness in action through the use of prayers in divisive times, operating under the assumption that a soul is praying for another soul so that God can be in both of us. Today’s topic, as you saw, is prayer. Prayer is a power that, when used and deployed in the right way, can be immensely impactful. I want to dwell on this a bit, but from a slightly different perspective. Normally, we think of prayer as something we use to influence our lives, hopefully drawing us closer to God or often simply getting us what we want. The perspective I’d like to take today is: what is the power of prayer as it pertains to creating harmony amongst ourselves, not just focusing on individual benefits? Let’s park that thought for a moment; I’ll come back to it after a bit of meandering.
Last week was Diwali, a festival of light celebrated on the darkest day of the Indian calendar year. It’s one of those festivals celebrated at nighttime, not so much celebrating darkness but staring at it and making a statement about it. The concept of Diwali is not just about turning on a floodlight, which merely serves to highlight shadows, but about laying down lights everywhere to eliminate shadows, affirming light in the details.
This metaphor is quite apt for where we find ourselves in this country now and in the times ahead. I’m not going to talk about the election results—this is neither the time nor the place for that. Whatever your view on the election might be, it’s true that it took place against a backdrop of polarization and divisiveness, with a level of ‘me versus you’ mentality, and a withdrawal into smaller tribal identities that we haven’t seen in recent years. This phenomenon is happening worldwide, not just in America. Right-thinking people are motivated to do something about this underlying divisiveness and polarization. But instead of discussing what we should do, I’m going to go a level deeper. In the Bhagavad Gita, which is a dialogue between a student and a teacher, it’s on the eve of a battle. This scripture on yoga defines yoga approximately six times within its 700 verses, all related definitions.
One of those definitions states that yoga is skillfulness in action. This skillfulness is not just about reaction; it’s about acting with calmness. So as well-meaning people, the skillfulness in action, which helps us achieve our goals, should not be a reaction. Instead, it should begin with calmness. Calmness is what’s called for. Armed with the power of wisdom that comes from not reacting, we can approach actions with calmness. This notion is roughly translated, and it’s a perfectly correct translation. When interesting events happen around us, it challenges us to examine our consciousness in light of calmness and considered action. The entire question boils down to where that calmness can be achieved in the midst of action.
These great events often lead us to reflect on deeper aspects of our consciousness. So, how do we achieve calmness in the face of such events? Remember the thought we parked earlier about prayer—it has a significant role to play.
In the Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda, particularly in chapter 26 on Kriya Yoga, Yogananda defines yoga as bleaching our karmic skeleton in the antiseptic sun of wisdom. These reactions stem from karmic tendencies, which are essentially what cause us to react in certain ways to certain situations.
The techniques of yoga provide us with ways to deal with external turmoil and divisiveness. The first technique I’d like to discuss can be illustrated by the subway system of New York City. When I first came to the US, I noticed that while there is a lot of noise and traffic on the surface, descending just 30-40 feet down allows you to take a straight line to your destination.
This metaphor serves as a powerful way to think about the techniques of yoga. The reactivity is on the surface, like New York City traffic. But by descending a bit, you can find a clear path. This encapsulates the entire path of yoga and self-realization.
One of the teachings of Yogananda is not to confront darkness with its own terms but rather to turn on the light and change the situation. If someone draws you into negativity or arguments, especially from a place of anger or distress, don’t engage. Instead, meet them with silence, respect, and goodwill. This helps avoid reactive tendencies and allows us to transcend the situation.
Often, we can do this the first or second time, and if we’re very centered, even the third time. This approach is a powerful way of dealing with such situations. But often, we don’t find the strength to maintain this approach. The power of karmic reactions can be incredibly strong. What do you do in such cases? The Bhagavad Gita defines yoga in six different ways, and one of these definitions is equanimity—the same concept from which samadhi is derived.
Equanimity means maintaining inner calm no matter what is happening on the outside. This itself is yoga. Skillful work, leading to calmness, leads to skillful action. Yoga is about keeping that inner equanimity regardless of external circumstances.
Now, let’s return to the thought about prayer and its role in spreading harmony and peace. Prayer is not dull or passive. God listens if we give Him a chance. To give God a chance to listen, we need faith and focus. Prayer is not like taking a pill; it’s a consciousness-to-consciousness connection. Therefore, channeling our energy with faith and focus is crucial.
When praying for those we disagree with, it’s not effective to pray from a place of superiority. Instead, as Swami Kriyananda suggested, we should pray for the Divine Mother to fill them with light, love, and joy. This approach separates the soul from their opinions and connects at a deeper, spiritual level.
Equanimity and reaching out to the infinite, including others in that reality, are central to yoga. This impersonal approach is not about our personal expectations but about connecting on a soul level.
In divisive times, using prayers with the underlying assumption that one soul is praying for another soul so that God can be in both of us is a powerful way to acquire skillfulness in action. This consciousness of “above-ness” and maintaining equanimity are key aspects of yoga.
In the larger scheme of things, in the million-life trajectory of every soul, and in the billion-year trajectory of this universe cycle, events are both inevitable and impermanent. They come and go. Think about world events from a hundred years ago—two great world wars were fought, yet we look at them clinically now. This perspective helps us see that events are temporary and part of a larger flow. Prayer is a crucial tool here. The above-ness I mentioned comes not from intellectual analysis but from simple, heartfelt prayer. By praying sincerely and asking for guidance—”Lord, I want to do what is right, please tell me what is right”—we invoke a higher consciousness that provides clarity and direction. Prayer and meditation are intertwined on the path of yoga because one sets our intentions, and the other helps us listen for divine guidance. Concentration, faith, and an increasing sense of divine presence make prayer very effective. When the going gets tough, the tough meditate. This saying, which I just coined, captures the essence of finding inner strength through meditation.
Let me illustrate with a story. Among the many stories of India, one of the oldest is about a great conflict between devas (astral beings) and asuras (forces of chaos). This battle lasted for eons. In the midst of this conflict, a man named Dadhichi was meditating. He meditated throughout the battle, maintaining his inner peace and focus. As the forces of chaos began to gain the upper hand, his steadfast meditation highlighted the power of maintaining inner calm amidst external turmoil.
In the larger scheme of things, in the million-life trajectory of every soul, and in the billion-year trajectory of this universe cycle, events are both inevitable and impermanent. They come and go. Think about world events from a hundred years ago—two great world wars were fought, yet we look at them clinically now. This perspective helps us see that events are temporary and part of a larger flow.
Prayer is a crucial tool here. The above-ness I mentioned comes not from intellectual analysis but from simple, heartfelt prayer. By praying sincerely and asking for guidance—”Lord, I want to do what is right, please tell me what is right”—we invoke a higher consciousness that provides clarity and direction.
Prayer and meditation are intertwined on the path of yoga because one sets our intentions, and the other helps us listen for divine guidance. Concentration, faith, and an increasing sense of divine presence make prayer very effective.
When the going gets tough, the tough meditate. This saying, which I just coined, captures the essence of finding inner strength through meditation. Let me illustrate with a story:
Among the many stories of India, one of the oldest is about a great conflict between devas (astral beings) and asuras (forces of chaos). This battle lasted for eons. In the midst of this conflict, a man named Dadhichi was meditating. He meditated throughout the battle, maintaining his inner peace and focus. As the forces of chaos began to gain the upper hand, his steadfast meditation highlighted the power of maintaining inner calm amidst external turmoil.
The gods, in their desperation, appealed to the Supreme Spirit, Lord Vishnu, for help. While Vishnu couldn’t intervene directly, he suggested that the bones of the sage Dadhichi, who had been meditating in the forest, were the strongest thing in all the three worlds. If a weapon could be fashioned from his spine, it could defeat the asuras.
Indra, the king of gods, approached Dadhichi and requested him to go into samadhi and consciously leave his body. Dadhichi, steady and unperturbed, agreed. He went into deep meditation, and his prana left his body. Indra then fashioned a thunderbolt weapon from Dadhichi’s spine and used it to defeat the demons.
The energy and vibrations of harmony that emanate from the spine of a meditator are the strongest forces that exist. Meditation creates an oasis of peace and harmony that people begin to feel. The act of meditation itself is a powerful force, creating peace and harmony in the world. This ancient story illustrates the immense power of meditation and prayer.
So, let’s conclude with the Yogananda peace and harmony prayer. Close your eyes and join us: “Lord, fill this world with peace and harmony. Peace and harmony.” (Repeat 10 times) Then say: “Lord, fill me with peace and harmony. Peace and harmony.” (Repeat 3 times) Om, Shanti, Shanti. Amen.