How to Pray

Paramhansa Yogananda came to the West with a God-ordained mission: to bring teachings and techniques to help people attain higher consciousness. With wisdom and foresight, Master and the others in our line of gurus saw that a time of global upheaval was coming to the world. Out of compassion, Yoganandaji brought twofold gifts to help us deal with the impending suffering: 1) spiritual tools to achieve God contact, and 2) divine blessings to help us find the courage, faith, and strength to face what lies ahead.

My friends, global upheaval is no longer only a vision of the future; it is already upon us. Hatred, violence, destruction, and warfare are rife. What can we do to help bring light into the world and reestablish peace and harmony in human hearts?

The power of prayer is one of the greatest instruments for positive change. And so I want to share what Yoganandaji taught about making our prayers more effective.

Pray from Your Heart⌗

Learn to speak the inner language of prayer with calm, sincere words that spring from your heart. This is not an emotionally wrought state of mind, but one that has the quiet, open trust of a child lovingly asking his mother for help. This kind of intimate conversation with God unfailingly draws His response. Yogananda said, “When you pray to God, pray from your heart. Heartfelt prayer lends power to your thoughts. It focuses them, and centers them in God. Without sincerity, that focus will be lacking.”

Pray with Confidence⌗

When you pray, cast aside doubts and limiting thoughts. Offer your prayers, not with a sense of entitlement, but with quiet confidence and faith that God wants to help you. Yoganandaji told us, “Never pray with the attitude of a beggar. You are God’s child. Pray with utter confidence that He is listening. Utter faith, and love: these are the most important elements in prayer.”

Pray with Concentration⌗

Before praying, calm the heart and quiet the mind through meditation. Then, when your thoughts are still, concentrate at the spiritual eye and project your prayers with a laser-like focus. Don’t become tense, but with relaxed, one-pointed energy keep holding your prayer up to God. Do it repeatedly, until you begin to feel His presence. Master said, “God answers all prayers, but restless prayers He answers only a little bit. Get control over your mind. When you can pray with concentration, the Lord will know that you mean what you are saying. Then, He will answer you.”

The Peace and Harmony Prayer⌗

Master gave one of his direct disciples the inspiration for a powerful tool for healing conflict: what we’ve come to call “The Peace and Harmony Prayer.” It can be used to heal discord between individuals and between nations. In this context, we encourage you to use it for global healing.

The prayer is quite simple. Visualize the world bathed in light, and for one minute repeat the words: “Lord, fill this world with peace and harmony, peace and harmony.” Then visualize yourself in light, and pray for fifteen seconds: “Lord, fill me with peace and harmony, peace and harmony.” You can use this prayer, or any other that resonates with you.

So, my friend, we invite you to join in prayer with your brothers and sisters in God throughout the world. With devotion, confidence, and concentration, let’s offer our united prayers for world peace. As Christ says in the Bible, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you. . . . And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”

With joy and hope,

Nayaswami Devi