One of the major reasons why there is a lot of stress in our life is because we have a lot of difficulty in accepting life as it is manifests to us. We want our life to be a certain way but the reality does not meet our expectations. Frustration and disappointment sets in. Accepting the reality of the present moment as it has manifested and not as what we would like it to be is easier said than done.
Why is acceptance and surrender so important? When the reality is not to our expectations then often times we react impulsively rather than responding appropriately to the present moment. We have a knee jerk reaction to every unpleasant incident. Something as simple as as reckless driver cutting across our lane triggers us. I am guilty of the same fault. But hey life will constantly throw curve balls at us. How do we develop equanimity? Acceptance to the NOW helps us to stop reacting and respond appropriately.
The religious amongst us seek solace in temples and other houses of worship when life does not go the way we want to go. In my culture, it is common to make transactional prayers to the Lord. "Oh Lord if such and such good thing happens to me I will offer 100 coconuts or 200 ladoos to you". As though the imaginary God in heaven is going to dance in glee if we satisfy His sweet tooth !! Is this the right way to pray? Absolutely not !! Do we set up a transactional barter system with even God?
It is the challenging circumstances in our life that give us opportunities to grow. They stretch our boundaries and help us understand our limitations. Nearly two decades ago I read a very beautiful prayer that left a very deep impression in my heart.
"Lord do not change any incident in my life but change me to face every incident"
What a perfect prayer !! A person has to be mentally very strong to accept this prayer whole heartedly. In my own personal journey it has not been easy facing all the vicissitudes of life. But I feel God's grace and blessings have touched me and protected me in many, many ways. Many times His love has flooded me. I would like to share some inspirations from Kanda Guru Kavacham on how to pray and grow close to God. Kanda Guru Kavacham beautifully elucidates how to develop the right attitude towards prayer through the following verses:
தகப்பன் ஸ்வாமியே என் இதயத்துள் தங்கிடுவாய்
Oh Father God, please live within my heart.
என்னுள் அறிவாய் நீ உள்ளொளியாய் வந்தருள்வாய்
Help me to realize you within myself, Come to me as my inner light.
குமரகிரிப் பெருமானே மனத்தையும் மாய்த்திடுவீர்
பச்சைமலை முருகா இச்சையைக் களைந்திடப்பா
Oh great one of Kumaragiri, please erase everything in my mind.
Oh Muruga of the green mountain, please dissolve my desires.
கதிர்காம வேலவனே மனமாயை அகற்றிடுவாய்
காந்த மலைக் குமரா கருத்துள் வந்திடுவீர்
மயிலத்து முருகா நீ மனத்தகத்துள் வந்திடுவீர்
கஞ்சமலை சித்தகுரோ கண்ணொளியாய் வந்திடுவீர்
Oh God with the Vel of Kadhir Gama, please remove illusion from my mind
Oh young God of the magnetic mountain, please enter my opinions
Oh Muruga of Mylapore, please come within my mind.
Oh Holy teacher of the Kanja mountains, come as my eye sight.
உனக்கொரு கோயிலை என் அகத்துள்ளே புனைவேனே
I would make a temple for you within my mind.
உணர்விலே ஒன்றி என்னை நிர்மலமாக்கிடுவாய்
யானென தற்ற மெய்ஞ் ஞானம் தருள்வாய் நீ
Please become one with my senses and make me pure.
Please grant me true knowledge, where I and mine are not there.
காண்பன யாவுமாய்க் கண்கண்ட தெய்வமாய்
You have become what all I see,
ஹ்ருதயத்தில் ஸ்கந்தன் இனிது நிலைத்திருக்கட்டும்
Let Skanda reside sweetly and forever within my heart.
என் அகங்காரமும் அகற்றி அறிவொளியாய் இருந்தும்
முருகா எனைக் காக்க வேல் கொண்டு வந்திடுவீர்
Please dispel my pride, and live within me as light of wisdom.
Oh Muruga, please come and protect me with your Vel.
தண்ணொளிப் பெருஞ்சுடராய் உன்னுள்ளே தானிருப்பான்
He would stay within you as inner light and also a big flame.
சுப்ரமண்யகுரு ஜோதியாயுள் தோன்றிடுவான்
அருட் பெரும் ஜோதியான ஆறுமுக ஸ்வாமியுமே
அந்தர் முகமிருந்து ஆட்கொள்வான் சத்தியமாய்
He will appear in our mind as Subramanya Guru
And he is the great flame of grace of the six faced God.
And he would catch hold of you sitting and living inside you.
உன்னருளாலே நான் உயிரோடிருக்கின்றேன்
உயிருக்குயிரான கந்தா உன்னிலென்னைக் கரைத்திடப்பா
என்னில் உன்னைக் காண எனக்கு வரமருள்வாய்
உயிருக்குயிரான கந்தா உன்னிலென்னைக் கரைத்திடப்பா
என்னில் உன்னைக் காண எனக்கு வரமருள்வாய்
I am alive only because of your grace.
My dearest Kanda, please dissolve me within yourself.
And please give me the boon to enable me to see myself within you.
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