How to Pray / Meditate, taught by Guru Ji

How to Pray / Meditate, taught by Guru Ji -

Shared by Sangat -

JAI GURU JI MAHARAJ
MY DIVINE FATHER

Out of overwhelming curiosity we had once asked GURU JI –
"GURU JI, as you know what we really are from inside, what if a thief sat next to me, what would you do?"
GURU JI replied that HE would put us on one side and bless the Thief, first for coming to a Saint and second because he may never come again.

One day, while sitting with GURU SAHIB, He very casually asked, "WHICH PRAYERS DO YOU DO ? "
And I proudly gave him a long list of prayers, to which HE listened to with great interest and then said –
"OKAY NOW YOU LEAVE ALL THE PRAYERS THAT YOU ARE DOING AND JUST SIT AND MEDITATE FOR 5 MINUTES BY THE CLOCK."

Then the question that arose was "what should I chant?"

To which HE said –

"WHAT EVER YOU WANT TO BUT DON'T GET UP BEFORE THE 5 MINUTES ARE UP AND SIT ON A MAT WHEN YOU MEDITATE. AFTER PRAYING THANK THE MAT OR THE MAT WILL GET HALF OF YOUR PRAYERS. "

That was an easy task, so I sat like a hermit on a red mat (Red being GURUJI'S favourite colour). Five minutes of meditation was child's play. So I thanked GURU JI for making my prayer so easy. This continued for a week and after a week GURU JI Instructed me to increase the duration of the Meditation from 5 minutes to 10 minutes and the following week after that to increase it to 15 minutes. It was becoming harder and harder to concentrate for longer periods of time.
Much to our disappointment, in July of 1995 GURU JI suddenly left for Jalandhar. HE told HIS Sangat in Delhi that unless HE calls, no one is to visit HIM. The next three to four months were spent in restless unsatisfying prayer as I urged HIM for more guidance. Finally, after a few months GURU JI sent a message that we should visit HIM in Jalandhar. So with a lot of excitement we went to receive His Darshan.

Over there, GURU JI introduced us to Rimple Grewal's mother, Paramjeet Chahal who we mentally connected with immediately. She taught us many things about GURU JI and HIS ways, primarily how to worship and adore our GURU SAHIB.
Chahal Aunty ji was a beautiful lady who had Darshan of GURU JI'S divine light when GURU JI was just 19 years into HIS life. HE showed her in HIS light when she doubted whether to follow a Hindu GURU would be right for a staunch Sikh like her.

Once at Jalandhar Temple we were sitting on the floor with GURU JI and pressing HIS feet while Aunty was pressing GURU JI'S hands and speaking to HIM. We were being referred to in 3rd person as GURU SAHIB said in Punjabi –

"AUNTY IS NU PAATH SIKHA, JIS TERHAN MAIN TEHNU SIKHAYA HAI"
"Aunty, teach her how to pray, in the same way that I have taught you."

Then Aunty turned to us and as if GURU JI was no longer there and said that –

"PRAYER IS NOT ABOUT MANTRA BUT ABOUT CONNECTIVITY TO THE LORD, MANTRA COMES ONCE YOU CONQUER YOUR DISABILITY TO GET YOUR MIND AND BODY TO FORM A DOT".

And all this while GURU JI was listening to her and nodding His Head ever so often in agreement.

Chahal Aunty further said that –

"PRAYER should be done mentally not physically: Lay a cushion, the most beautiful cushion for our beloved GURU JI. Pat it with your hands - mentally, take off every crease and straighten it. Decorate flowers, one by one, all around the cushion, then light a lamp and Aggarbatti as GURU JI liked lots of Aggarbatti and dhoop (mentally NOT physically). Physically sit straight with hands one on top of the other and invite the Lord to come and sit on that Cushion. Picture HIM walking in, imagine the rustling sound of HIS Chola and then Imagine that HE is sitting on the cushion.
Then talk about everything in your Heart to HIM and when you are satisfied then thank HIM for everything and take HIS permission to leave. 20 minutes will fly by quickly and all prayers will be complete.
Praying will become so easy, as every bit of you will be alive and together because you are doing everything for your beloved GURU JI, which has to be perfect.
In your Mind, every other thought will wait.
When praying one must keep a glass of water next to the mat, preferably one that is made of silver as it is a very good conductor of energy. This water then becomes - AMRIT - which must be had after the prayer for Mind, Body and especially for people who get tired very fast."
JAI GURU JI
Note: in satsangs now we do NOT light agarbatti or dhoop sticks as it can interefere or mask Guruji's distinctive fragrance of roses that wafts to chosen few, sometimes the entire sangat, during a satsang. Jai Guruji