image: Shinjan Patra
words: Debarati Ray
Does the title of this blog seem to you as an antithesis? Or is it like an utterly impossible idea for you to mingle innocence and power at the same time? If you are fumbling a bit and are not been able to perceive the matter in a real sense, satisfying both of your heart and soul, I would say, don`t get bothered. Rather try to feel the mystery of that innocence, the purity and truth that is already buried under the layer of your external conscious self. If this appears before you as a self-contradiction and wavers your mind awhile, propelling you to think how do you get that balance within, being innocent and powerful at the same time, I would rather assure you that here in lies the mystery itself, the mystery of your being, the truth of your existence and the beauty of your soul that is innocent and powerful at the same time. The only thing is that you`ve to feel it with all your inner grace. Time changes, circumstances change. Even we change ourselves according to that ever revolving time shift and changing scenarios. But never question ourselves, what is that inner power, guiding us continually to make that shift. Is it really a change or a growth, within in that sense or an ideal evolvement towards a different realm in order to get something higher, beyond the range of our tangible perception?
Most of you prefer to cling on an idea that you yourselves are responsible for this change or growth, whatever you say. There is no other one or any other force working behind your back. Though to some extent it`s been true but if you probe deeper within, you may discover something different. Some of you may even feel that in reality being innocent and praying for something would be the most idiotic thing to do in this tough world of material prosperity. If you are lingering over the thought that how a simple prayer with an innocent heart can make a wonder in your life, I would rather say to you that it`s very simple to pray even being innocent at heart as innocence is nothing but the quintessence of a powerful soul that is eternally connected to the highest truth, to that divine intelligence that surrounds the universe as well as our being in a miraculous way. So, what do you think, what is prayer? Is it clinging around and begging for something before someone? Or something like a secret code, bringing contentment within your heart that once perceived by that lady who had nothing left to lose except her life. In this blog, I would like to explore that mystery where an innocent heart can be proved as the powerful one only through the act of complete surrender to the divine.
When Innocence acts as a secret code to get your inner power back:
“In those days, life seemed to me only as a caricature of my own fragile existence. I didn`t have any shelter or food to sustain, not even finding that much assurance from my fate that I am going to have a better life once again. I was only in front of the remnants of my own house and with the heaps of some broken pieces that I used to keep at my sweet home just few days ago. I`ve nowhere to go, no one to complain except brooding over the loss that had happened on that unfortunate night. Even I had also lost my job and my family all together due to the nasty tricks of some conspirators. No one came to help me out. But a very few of them only came to inflict more pain upon me, sometimes labelling me as an `idiot`, sometimes even considering my identity as `a fruitless existence of an emotional fool`. But I didn`t know why, deep in my heart, I still had that belief that someday some miracle will happen to help me out of this turmoil. I never lost my hope altogether. In those nights when I didn`t have anything except the starry sky overhead, I simply allowed my heart to feel that nightly essence. And truly speaking, there was something magical in it. I didn`t even know how to pray at that time or what to pray for, as I already lost everything. I had nothing to lose except that innocence of my heart that may seem to others as something idiotic but to me it was something very much precious. But surprisingly some magic started to happen within me and within a very few days, somehow I started to perceive that my innocence was nothing but simply giving me that power all through those nights to sustain, to feel the truth and eternity of that nightly silence and to perceive that purity, my soul needed to have at that point of time.
And gradually I started to feel that I`m not that same one who once been betrayed and deprived by some conspirators, but someone who knows how to live in this tough world in spite of being betrayed, in spite of being innocent at heart but powerful at the same time. In those nights I used to do nothing, but simply closed my eyes. I didn`t even know how to pray at that time or what to pray for, as I had already lost everything but could feel a special energy, surrounding my entity, very much aligned to that innocence of my heart, inspiring me to perceive some special truth, the truth of my existence, the truth of my consciousness that was gradually getting aligned, somehow I felt to the universal intelligence. And that consciousness was telling me the secret of an innocent heart; the innocence that can easily be transformed itself into a powerful phoenix only through the act of prayer. And truly it worked for me in a miraculous way. That circumstance never got changed for the sake of my benefit, but I changed myself not at the cost of betraying or losing my innocence but regaining my power back through the art of prayer that gave me nothing but a contentment, a purity within my heart to release all my burdens and helped me to realize where in lies my true worth.”
You may be surprised a bit, how is it possible for one to change herself even living in the midst of that terrible situation. But I must tell you that it`s not been so easy for her to change herself all through ever. She didn`t even expect something from the divine, didn`t beg for anything, but simply closed her eyes and allowed her innocence to surrender to that universal intelligence, not to get anything but to release those pains and to perceive that there is a higher force around the universe beyond this tangible world of material prosperity who is listening and talking to her constantly, providing her innocence at the same time, a different insight, a higher wisdom that she didn`t have during that time of her betrayal. And here in lies the secret code of an innocent heart, the true worth of her simple prayer that brings along a powerful change within herself not to make a shift to the external world, but to explore something higher, within to survive like a true warrior being powerful and truthful from the core of her heart.
Prayer, an act to retreat and rejuvenate your innocence once again:
Prayer is not something that you have to do sitting in a meditative poise, or detaching yourself from the external world altogether but something very much close to your heart and a gateway in order to align your higher self to the truth of your being, to the the truth of your existence where your soul can have that special power to integrate newer seeds for your growth and evolvement. This act of prayer is nothing but a retreat for some time from your external conscious self and exploring that long lost innocence that once you used to cherish both in your external and internal world. Never think that it`s just a reverie like state of your mind or an elusive image only to waver you for a while. But it is that state of your mind where your soul can get that peace and harmony as she knows no boundaries, only knows how to be peaceful, leaving behind all the overwhelming and anxiety ridden thoughts of your conscious, rational ideas and rediscovering a different world in order to gain different wisdom and insight.
You may think it as an imaginary world where the conscious reasoning part of your existence is not working any longer. But if you probe deep into it, into this imaginary world of soulfulness, you may feel a different solitude that you never can feel with the help of your conscious self. Here retreat doesn`t mean to leave behind all the essentialities of your conscious existence, but here retreat means to move beyond from all those baggage just for a while, planting some newer seeds of beliefs with the help of your innocent heart, completely surrendering to the divine and allowing your consciousness to be aligned with the higher consciousness that not only surrounds your being but also surrounds the entire universe as well and continually helping you to emerge before the world as a true believer who knows where in lies the true worth of your existence.
Prayer is not only something to rejuvenate your innocence where you can only get some momentary recluse, rather here it comes as your soul`s true companion to bring forth your imaginary power to create a newer version of yourself, to create your being as a whole, exploring your true potentials in a newer way. It also acts as a source of your inspiration in order to create a newer world where your soul can feel and soul can talk and only soul can reach that highest form of ideals and make an assurance of painting a rich tapestry of your true emergence, your true worth of living in this world, bringing a powerful change within even at the face of any external turmoil.
A password for the half way messengers to recognize themselves and their true creator:
Here the word `half way messenger` may catch your attention at once, you may even feel how this act of prayer can become a happy password for these half way messengers? In order to comprehend the matter, first you have to know who these `half way messengers` are and why and what are they searching for as their happy password? In this connection some of the excerpts of a poem that I had written a few years ago, is coming right back into my mind;
“They`re waiting, waiting for that Hour/ but nothing came, no one to help/ to free them up/ to make them feel, they`re not in a tower/ they brood over their sorrows/ I don`t know why/ what do they want to borrow/ Time came with a shrill voice/ years passed/ they wait and wait/ circumstances changed, but they never questioned/ they just close their eyes, most of the time/ to bring that happy hour/ to feel the grace/ to have that special shower/ they didn`t type the word `bliss`/ on that gadget, they had/ but a magic happened, within/ An exchange, they felt/ and the word got typed under their shell/ to make them feel/ They`re free now/ rather in bliss/ this time in a happy bower/ for a divine grace to greet!”
I think, you got my point, to whom I`m referring as these `half way messengers`. Actually we all are in this category, especially those of us who are in search of our identity, in search of a mirror to get back our true reflection, in spite of getting overwhelmed by our day to day activities. And here in comes the utility of prayer, praying with the core of your heart, with that innocence that is very much aligned to the innocence and purity of the universal intelligence to bring you back to your source, to that eternal essence that is your origin, your truth.
In a way this act of prayer can be viewed as a both way communication between your soul and your creator. This can also be felt as a newer form of creation where the ground of your being finds a solace, a shelter without any bereavement, without any anxiety or any disequilibrium that generally we feel in our waking life as the `half way messengers`. This special hour of surrendering your entity to the divine may make you feel complete, within. You may also get some special messages within yourself with the help of your intuition. Truths will become more clear and your label as a `half way messenger` quite surprisingly may start to fade away. Rather, quite naturally you may start to feel your own purpose, your own worth on this planet and be able to lead your consciousness towards a different territory from where you may no longer feel yourself as a deprived one, as `a half way messenger`, stumbling here and there to find your identity, rather can feel some newer hopes to flourish your inner seed, to ground your being in a meaningful way where truth resides.
I feel here in lies the mystery of your existence, the mystery of your power center that is eternally connected to the universal divine intelligence. During this happy hour while you`re praying to the divine, you may not feel anything tangible but a different realization may come across your mind, helping you to ground yourself to your eternal cord, to feel the eternal meaning of your existence where you can feel that your heart is open enough to receive something more to have a higher perception on anything. You can see the truth in every aspect of your life and from then on, life may not appear before you as a fruitless survival, rather something special where imagination and reality are blended together in a harmonious way, in a way where through this process of self- exploration you can get a greater insight to perceive a powerful dimension of your being. In that sense, this act of prayer may also help you to have a proper self- reflection where you can communicate with yourself in a more spontaneous way, releasing and sharing your thoughts and inner experiences to your creator and asking for His help in order to emerge in a newer form, true to your being, in order to reconcile with your creator at your true home for which you`re longing, since eternity.
When it acts as a bridge to feel your being and the eternity within:
The real power of prayer can only be felt when it acts as an invisible bridge between our conscious and subconscious realm. Here in lies the mystery of it, the mystery of your soul`s power that in spite of its innocence never loses her balance, her ideal track, never allows you to forget about your ideal purpose. It is that special time when your heart is open enough to lead your consciousness to the highest ideals, leaving behind all your anger, stress and all other negative emotions that usually hinder our path and indulge us to feel as ` some half way messengers`.
In a way this prayer can also be interpreted as a magical interplay between your inner and outer world. Here during this process, your conscious mind can only have a blueprint of something that you want to accomplish in your waking life. You only have a desire or wish to make it happen. And here in comes the art of a true prayer that introduces before you a different world of mature contemplation that may ultimately help you to grow your ordinary consciousness to a higher level of consciousness from where you can visualize something beyond this tangible world but something very much real where truth resides. And here at this stage you can perceive where in lies the mystery of your soul and how this prayer is helping you ahead as a secret code to get back all the innocence and purity of your inner seed. And here in comes the harmonious union of your conscious and subconscious mind, leaving behind all the upheavals and preparing you to surrender to the divine to feel that eternity, that solace within.
Sometimes, this process of prayer may appear before you as a revelation, a revelation that can help you to see within, to realize a deeper dimension of reality both psychologically and spiritually. And this encounter with the divine cannot be possible in a state of mind when you yourself are totally bounded with your negative and egoistic thought patterns, rather it may be felt within your heart when you`re entirely aligned to your higher self in order to feel that long lost innocence that already you`ve within, but in the daily course of conscious upheavals, somehow lost it. Through this prayer, though you may not find anything tangible, but can feel a contentment within for perceiving a higher truth of reality, a truth where psychological barriers can be mended up with the help of gaining different spiritual insights not only to discover some greater, creative thoughts but also to feel an eternal bliss, within.
I feel, the gaining of this different spiritual insight may not be possible unless and until you can shed off your old ego self and see within in order to embrace that long lost innocence and purity that are already within you as your innate potentials, the true essence of your being. In that sense this prayer not only helps you to find your original colors, but also makes you to realize how to evolve like a powerful being, instead of remaining innocent and pure at heart. And, I feel here in lies the miracle of a true prayer, the power of an innocent heart and the purity and truth of a thankful soul.
“It is a vast sea around/ I`m swimming across the waves/ they`re coming one after another/ I don`t know which way/ they want me to sway/ I can`t close my eyes off/ as I`m scared a lot/ the sky is turning grey, I feel/ but I don`t know/ who is going me to heal/ I try to open up my eyes/ sometimes glancing at the sky/ sometimes I sigh/ The sky is wide enough, I feel/ how can I reach to His infinite/ still I`m swimming across the sea/ still not getting that lighthouse/ I need to reach/ not even that bridge/ from where I can have His infinite/ I start to dive more into the deep/ but this time I`ve found something/ a precious gem to hold, I think/ the waves are still hitting at the shore, I see/ but this time I`ve found/ my long lost symphony!”
This is a poem that I had written many years back, while I was also struggling to find my own identity. That time I couldn`t write the entire part of it. It took a few months more to find that precious gem I was searching for. And I think, you can better understand of which precious gem I`m talking about. It proved to me as a secret code to bring me back to my real existence, to make me realize the ground of my being. And that precious gem was nothing but my urge to explore myself with the help of this prayer, surrendering myself completely to the divine.
Now let`s pray with all your innocence and see the magic within:
Do you want to know where in lies the greatest power of being innocent at your heart and pray to the divine? In this section, I would like to lay bare that secret that may help you to know that deeper dimension of your being and how it is connected to the divine through the art of prayer. Yes! This act of prayer is also a form of art itself. As here through this art you can create yourself once again in a newer form, a form very much aligned to your true self. At this very moment, you can feel yourself as a true sculptor, sowing within you some newer seeds of hopes and desires and aligning your entity completely to the divine. It not only helps you to ground your being but also helps you to emerge before the world with a true awareness. An awareness that not only helps you to grow but guides you what to perceive and how to perceive the ultimate truth of harmony and peace, within.
In this connection, I would like to say that an innocent heart is always free from overthinking, overanalyzing and doubtfulness. And here in lies the magic of it, the magic of feeling eternity, the magic of gaining a transcendent perception, the magic of being a true believer where your innocence can no longer be felt as your weakness, rather a power, a strength of your soul who knows no boundaries of conflicts and dilemmas but has that magical ability to touch the highest ideals, the truth, the integrity to emerge before the world not only as a powerful being, but also as the blessed one like that lady, I discussed before who didn`t know how to pray or what to pray for, as she had already lost everything. But she never gave up her spirit. And that`s why her soul never let her feel alone. She never asked for anything but used to stare at the sky while nothing but only tears roll down over her cheeks. She couldn`t say anything. May be it was her own way of praying to the divine, asking for help in her own innocent and peaceful way. But the fact is she was not deprived at all. Her every prayer was answered by that universal intelligence quite in a miraculous way, even ten times better than her previous circumstances in which she had been before that fatal disaster.
In this connection, I would like to mention that this art of prayer is not something to act sitting in a meditative poise, but something very much natural and spontaneous. As prayer is not a specific process that you have to maintain to get any divine help, rather it`s a way to get a greater self- reflection to ground yourself, to feel your entity more in a meaningful way where enlightenment and self- healing comes in a natural way. Prayer is nothing but nurturing and rejuvenating your soul in a different way where retreating yourself from the outside world for a while, you`re grounding and feeling the essence of your own being to identify the secret wish of your higher self.
“Those days actually came to me as a source of some higher revelation; sometimes like a window pane from where I could have that vision, helpful to grow within. I used to wait at every night to see that starry sky as the thirsty earth does during the time of summer. Then I didn`t know why I started to feel for that hour. Still I don`t know why it was happening, what was making me feel to wait for that hour? But I was quite sure of one thing. During that hour, I had been very much with myself. All the memories of past hurts, worries and tensions suddenly started to fade away. And I started to feel only the truth, the purpose of my being. I didn`t apply any method to pray, didn’t beg before Him, but simply allowed my heart to surrender to the divine and ask for His guidance. And the silence of that night came to me as my only guide to make me feel to probe deeper, within.” And here in lies the usefulness of a truthful prayer from a thankful heart that doesn`t need any methodical process to make it happen, rather needs only innocence of your heart and purity of your soul where truth resides and strength comes in a natural way. And I learned this secret of prayer from that lady, the day I met her at Pondicherry for the last time. That day I learned from her where in lies the true art of prayer and how you can make it happen in your day to day life.
Here I`m giving you some of the tips how to pray and how to feel that special moment not only as a retreat but also as a blessing, within:
- Here the first thing that you need to have in your mind that prayer is not a specific process to be performed strategically, rather it`s a spontaneous way of opening your heart, releasing your mind and feel the vibration that is directly coming from your higher self. And when you feel that vibration, you automatically may connect to that universal divine intelligence to which you`re already connected, since the primordial time of existence. Then this moment of prayer will appear before you as an hour when eternity holds for a moment, within your heart.
- During this moment, you may not feel fatigued or stressed out, rather may feel an urge to surrender your entity before that divine intelligence where through the help of your contemplation you will be able to foresee something higher than your usual perception and in a way you may also feel that your conscious mind is responding to that and acknowledging all the wisdoms and power that you`ve gained through your subconscious.
- Gradually you yourself can recognize where in lies the truth of that infinite wisdom and how it is connected to your being in a natural harmonious way. In a way it also guides your destiny to lead you towards a different realm where you may feel a magical journey with your own being, may find that power, within to flourish your inner seed once again.
- During this process you need not to close your eyes in a typical way. Just take a deep breath and try to relax yourself from the outside world until you get centered and find the integrity within yourself. You may also open your eyes and deep in your heart harbor that wish that you want to be accomplished in a divine order. The most important thing is to ground yourself as an independent being and try to feel the divinity, you already have within. You need not to get overwhelmed, but gently allow your heart to imagine that your every wish is getting accomplished in its natural way. You may also pour this wonderful thought into your mind, just prior to your sleep in a drowsy state or sometimes whenever you`re able to free yourself from the outside world during the moment of some recluse.
- One of the most important thing that you need to have in your mind that during this entire period, you should be devoid of any contradictions or dilemmas, rather you have to be very much affirmative and consistent in your thought process. Remember, the purity and innocence of your soul can not take any of such contradictions, rather she is very much aligned to the truth and harmony and always seeks how to evolve, transcend and grow to a higher dimension, true to your existence.
- Whenever you`re not getting any solution to your problem, never allow yourself to weaken your heart by simply saying, “If that will ever happen, I`ll be the happiest one.” Here the word, ` If ` has that doubt in itself. In place of depriving yourself with such doubtful thoughts, relax your mind and allow your imagination to flow in a harmonious way without any restrain of negativity, without any conflict but simply listen to the words of your higher self and allow your destiny to bring some miracles with the help of your faithful imagination. And this faithful imagination can only come from an innocent yet powerful soul who knows well the secret of surrender to that divine guidance which is essential to explore the right answers in a right order, for the sake of your life, your existence as well.
In a real sense, prayer is not only a moment when you can feel the ultimate truth, the bliss within, but also it`s an awareness when you`re aware that you`re with yourself, with your inner grace. It`s a time when your consciousness can lead you to explore yourself, to explore the divine grace that you`ve within, since the primordial time of your existence. If you`re walking your path as a lonely wanderer and finding no one to hold your hand, never feel disheartened, but allow your inner light to show you that path, to give you that company that may make you feel you`re complete, within, complete with all your innocence, all your purity. And a true prayer is never a waste of time, rather something to be treasured to evolve your being in a harmonious way. Walking through the labyrinthine tunnel when you may feel baffled a bit, let`s try to deepen your faith with all the innocence, you`ve within. Only then this special moment will appear before you as a moment of magical bliss and serenity!
