I will like to share a small story written by Leo Tolstoy: In a certain part of old Russia there was a lake, and it became famous because of three saints. The whole country became interested. Thousands of people were journeying to the lake to see those three saints.
The high priest of the country became afraid: what is happening? He had never heard of these “saints” and they had not been certified by the church; Who has made them saints?
But the people were going wild, and much news was coming that miracles were happening, so the priest had to go and evaluate the situation. He went in a boat to the island where those three poor people lived; they were simply poor, but very happy and rich in their own ways- because their is only one poverty, ‘A heart that cannot love.’
They were happy sitting under a tree, laughing, enjoying, de-lighting. Seeing the priest they bowed down, and the priest asked “What are you doing here? There are rumors that you are great saints. Do you know how to pray?”- Because seeing the three person the priest could immediately sense that they were completely uneducated, a little idiotic- happy but foolish.
So looking at each other they said,” sorry sir we don’t know right prayers authorized by the church because we are ignorant. But we have created one prayer of our own- it is home made. If you won’t feel offended we can show it to you.”
So the priest said, “Ok, show it to me. The three saints said, “We tried and thought and thought- but we are not great thinkers, we are foolish people, ignorant villagers. Then we decided upon a single prayer. In Christianity god is thought of as a trinity, three: God the father, the son, and the Holy Ghost. And we are also three. So we decided on a prayer: ‘you are three, we are three, have mercy on us.’ This is our prayer.”
The priest was extremely angry. He said,” What nonsense! We have never heard any prayer like this. Stop it! This way you cannot be saints. You are simply stupid. The three saints fell at his feet and said. “you teach us the real, the authentic prayer.”
So the priest told them the authorized version of the prayer of the Russian Orthodox Church. It was long, complicated, big words, bombastic. Those three saints looked at each other- it seemed impossible, the door of heaven was closed for them. They said, “you please tell us once more, because it is long, and we are uneducated.” The priest said it again. They said, “once more sir, because we will forget” so the priest told it again. They thanked him heartily, and the priest felt very good that he had done a good deed by bringing three foolish people back to church.
The priest sailed off in his boat. Just in the middle of the lake he could not believe his eyes-those 3 saints, those foolish people, were coming running on the water! They said, Wait… once more … we have forgotten!.”
Now this was impossible to believe! The priest fell at their feet and said, “Forgive me. You continue your prayer.”
Religions, organized churches, temples have destroyed it. They have given us ready made prayers. Prayer is a spontaneous feeling. Remember this story when you pray. Let our prayers be a spontaneous phenomenon. If with god we have to be ready made, then how will we be authentic and true and natural?
Let’s say things that we want to say. Talk to god as we would talk to a wise friend. But let’s not bring formalities in. A formal relationship is not a relationship at all. How can we be formal to god? We will miss all spontaneousness.
LETS BRING LOVE IN OUR PRAYER. Then we can talk! Then our prayer will be a beautiful thing, a dialogue with the universe.
Prayer is to be in love- to be in love with the whole. And some times we get angry with the whole and we don’t pray. Some times we drop praying completely, because we go on praying and god is not listening. It is a relationship with deep involvement in it, we get angry. Some times we feel good, feel thankful; some times we feel put off. But let it be a living relationship. Then prayer is true. If we just go on like a gramophone and repeat the same thing every day, it is not prayer.
Prayer should be a lived experience, a heart to heart dialogue. And soon if the prayer comes from our heart we will find the response. Our prayers will be answered. The whole existence is ready to respond once our heart is open.
Insights for a new way of living-OSHO
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