Praying for personal issues?

[Sirona]

Namaste,

to which extent do you include prayer for personal issues in your worship? According to what I read and learned, in Hinduism God is treated as a guest, and IMHO you do not make demands to a guest. Moreover, I experience wishes and needs as ever-changing, and I consider it more important to keep the mind steady and balanced. However, completely leaving out personal aspects during worship (such as during arati) has made the process a bit "dry" for me. Therefore, I'd like to know if and when you pray for personal problems?

 

[Vinayaka]

Namaste,

to which extent do you include prayer for personal issues in your worship? According to what I read and learned, in Hinduism God is treated as a guest, and IMHO you do not make demands to a guest. Moreover, I experience wishes and needs as ever-changing, and I consider it more important to keep the mind steady and balanced. However, completely leaving out personal aspects during worship (such as during arati) has made the process a bit "dry" for me. Therefore, I'd like to know if and when you pray for personal problems?

I pray for health, understanding, improvement of karma, detachment, etc. a lot. As long as it doesn't conflict with dharma, there's no problem, in my view. In my sampradaya, we believe God won't answer prayers that are adharmic. So it has to be within the limits of the particular soul doing the praying, or being prayed for.

 

[Viraja]

I liked Vinayaka ji's answer. I vibe with him.

I see myself as someone who still needs to make many achievements. I see myself as an emerging soul. Therefore I pray for betterment of my soul, my nature and thus my karmas so as to take more fulfilling, important births as well as achieve my goals both materialistically and spiritually as much as possible in this birth.

 

[Jainarayan]

I pray for betterment of my soul, my nature

Same here. I also pray for health for myself and others, I pray for what I think I need, not what I want, but I leave it up to God to actually decide if I need something. I pray to give thanks for things I have been given.

 

[Vinayaka]

I should have added that I have been known to do prayaschitta for especially difficult personal situations that I needed help with. It's a form of more intense prayer. As to 'thank you' a common one is for prayers answered.

 

[Jainarayan]

In my sampradaya, we believe God won't answer prayers that are adharmic.

I think that's a pan-Hindu belief. Except for the few times I've seen requests on the 'net for mantras or prayers to Maa Kali that she inflict punishment on someone. Or that the person has been praying for that. Little do they know that t could backfire on them. I've only ever asked her for protection.

 

[jien57908]

I pray for better health of mine and my family, peace of mind, peace in home, prosperiety, for protection from ill effects of negative energies.