How do you pray to God?

Dear Mami,

I don't know what you will call me but I do not pray........... ie in the conventiaonal method, no shloka reciting, no arathi, no lighting lamp etc but for me SHE is everything. I carry her in all my thoughts, my only prayer is not to hurt anybody knowingly or unknowlingly and to fill me with LOVE so that I spread the same across.

But with this kind of things, do you think we can live peacefully ....no mami, dh and family says I am an aetheist because in his family everybody has the habit of doing elaborate pujas and they find me and my theory near to blasphemy. I do not force my kids to do pujas.. for this I get that I am spoiling my kids.......... I don't go to temples regularly nor will I spend my time there (exception of temples is there) but still I feel I love HER a lot and I owe Her everything. Is this not a Prayer........ I really don't know.

Hai mithila,
nice tread.............
Morning and evening I light the lamp and recite some shlokas. every day Would recite general and specific slokas for that particular day. Do some neivedhyam like fruit kishmish/ kalkandu.
Before going to bed would say "om sai ram" namavalli for 108 times.

Dear Lalitha,

Both ways are good in their own respect, I completely agree with you.

My prayers are these
- Give me clarity of thinking
- Let me do right actions
- Let me not hurt anyone
- If i have done any mistakes, forget me for those as I apologize profusely.

Also, as far as possible, do charity whereever you can -
Be good to ppl or animals and feed food when they are in.

I have heard from an astrologer that there are four dhanams which a human being should do

1) Vastra Dhanam (Giving away clothes)
2) Anna Dhanam (Giving away food)
3) Vidhya Dhanam (Providing education to a person in your lifetime)
4) Gho Dhanam Also, on Dwadeashi's, feed cow with Greens and do pradakshanam for 8 times, by this all your sins are washed away.

I think pretty much if you do all this willingly, then there is no need for separate prayers.

Just my thoughts...

Cheers!
-Anusha

Originally Posted by lalitha shivaguru

Dear Mami,

I don't know what you will call me but I do not pray........... ie in the conventiaonal method, no shloka reciting, no arathi, no lighting lamp etc but for me SHE is everything. I carry her in all my thoughts, my only prayer is not to hurt anybody knowingly or unknowlingly and to fill me with LOVE so that I spread the same across.

But with this kind of things, do you think we can live peacefully ....no mami, dh and family says I am an aetheist because in his family everybody has the habit of doing elaborate pujas and they find me and my theory near to blasphemy. I do not force my kids to do pujas.. for this I get that I am spoiling my kids.......... I don't go to temples regularly nor will I spend my time there (exception of temples is there) but still I feel I love HER a lot and I owe Her everything. Is this not a Prayer........ I really don't know.

My dear lalitha,
You are not doing anything wrong.To be good loving and caring is more than offering prayer.My elder daughter does not follow many rituals.Once I told her,"You have to do puja,keep vrat"etc.She turned around and told me,"Amma I like to take care of my in laws,be kind to evrybody whom I come across in life,be a good daughter and affectionate and caring sister.Iam not jealous of anybody,I dont get angry with elders and shout at them.My fil and mil and both of you should be confident that I will take care of you .That is my religion and that is my prayer."I was dumbfounded.

I do not pray........... ie in the conventiaonal method, no shloka reciting, no arathi, no lighting lamp etc but for me SHE is everything. I carry her in all my thoughts, my only prayer is not to hurt anybody knowingly or unknowlingly and to fill me with LOVE so that I spread the same across.
The above words that you have said will be a focus for a nice short story,do keep thinking about itand write it before the week is over.
love
mithila kannan

Hello,saikripa,
I like what you said about reciting SAI namam 108 times.You would be getting tremendous peace of mind in that.Let me also try from today.Only thing is this recital should come from the core of your heart and not simply recited because I want to copy you.
God bless you.
love
mithila kannan

Dear Mithila Madam

You have a nice routine , and you can have a good sleep, with knowing god will take care.

I dont have any special ways for praying. No ritual or slokas. I light a lamp in morning only like a routine. Just one minute i close my eyes and think of a golden light covering the world and i think " dear God, let good happen to all" ( In Reiki class, they teach we have to visualise a protecting golden light pyramid over anyone or anything we are doing Reiki for. I just changed it like this )

Dear mam

I do frequent prayers everyday especially after begetting my son.. I wake up early in the morning and ofcourse after shower,

I light the lamp and do namaskaram and start of cooking
After cooking is over, I do mahaneivedhyam and aarthi and feed the crows..
Meanwhile the slokas which I do recite and which I feel has got something good must be useful for others too..include

GANESHA PANCHARATHNAM(all days)
VAIDHYANATHA ASHTAGAM(all days) for general health of the family
DURGA MANTRAM (all days)
MAHALAKSHMI ASHTAGAM (all days)
Saraswathy sloka (Yaa kunthendu.. all days)

HAYAGREEVA ASHTAGAM (Wednesdays for son's education)

HANUMAN CHALEESA (tuesday, thursday)

DAKSHINAMURTHY ASHTAGAM (Thursdays)
KANAKADHARA (Friday)
NRSIMHA KARAVALAMBAM (Saturday)
AADITYA HRIDHAYAM (Sundays)

"Gayatri mantram has to be recited only by purusha (gents) and not by lady folks thats what our vedic principles says (somebody has quoted that they recite it so I want to enlighten on that)"

I do saranagathi to Lord Nrsimhadeva who is "aabathbaandhavar" one who saves us in time and I pray with tears which is considered the most pure offering to God than anything..

Surrender yourself in the supremacy of the Lord and thats more than the obeisance or opulence which one can make to turn the Lords sight on us..

I RECITE LALITHA SAHASRANAMAM in the month of AADI AND NAVRATRI TIME..

wishing all ILites a spiritual bloom!

Uma

Dear mami,

Idha idha than naan edhirpathein.

I agree 100% with your daughter. When we were in Port Blair we were introduced to a very spiritual person and eventually he became our Guru. Once when I was interacting with him I told him that I need to become a better human being but I am not doing any pujas but SHE does not go out of my mind. She is with me in all my thoughts and decisions. To this he replied.... that this very good that is more than any elaborate puja. I had this doubt because of my dh & family.

You won't believe me mami, whenever I feel low or happy, I share it only with Her then only human beings. i fight with Her, I argue with Her but I still Love Her. Idhamari oru kadhal........ enna solvathu indha paithyathukku.

In fact I had started a thread long back on What is Love in the queries on Religion and spirituality forum where I spoke about this Love. If you have the time just visit the same.

Mami,

where are you? why you are not peeping in this thread?

dear mithila mam,

i light the lamp in the evening and tell HIM one round of thanks...no pooja and no shlokas etc..do not know any...at night like u said before retiring to bed i too have a dialogue with him asking him to take care of all the members in my family,and especially my elderly parents who are alone in india.....yearly trip to guruvayur definitely (if i go to india) gives me a lot of peace...

Mindi