Let me not pray by listless rote

Prayer is the most potent means of loving fellowship between me and thee, Ahura Mazda. It opens the gate of my inner temple to let thee in. Heavy of heart, I kneel to pray and I rise with a lightened heart, when I have unburdened it to thee. I rise with a tranquil mind and a radiant countenance and a clean breast and with heightened zeal and buoyant spirit. Prayer brings me a sensation of relief. Great indeed is the efficacy of prayer. I suffer from the poverty of my soul, when I neglect it.

Unruly feelings and wandering thoughts crowd and clamor to break the stillness and quiet of my mind. I will fight them and rout them. I will silence the tumult of the flesh. I will not pray fitfully and indifferently. I will not offer a distracted prayer. I will pray with concentration and sustained thought. I will not pray amiss and listlessly mutter the Manthras.

My lips voice my supplications. When my lips are silent, my heart takes their place and whispers. Thou needest not sound. Thou dost hear the silent breathing of my prayerful heart.

A noble thought is a prayer. An earnest desire is a prayer. A pious longing is a prayer. Sincere sighing of a penitent heart is a prayer. Honest labor is a prayer. Right living is a prayer.

I pray, for I cannot but pray. Prayer sustains me. In the freshness of the rising dawn, I will begin my day's work with prayer. I tune with my soul, my heart will sing the song of praise with adoration to thee. My life is not long enough to sing thy praise in full. With purity of mind and holiness of heart, I bow to thee, in prayer. I will pray to thee with devotion for thee setting my heart on fire, Ahura Mazda.

This page was last updated on Tuesday, August 01, 2000.