I have consistently practiced prayer and meditation over the past twenty-nine years of my sadhana. A couple of days ago, I began my meditation session early in the morning. As I did so, I started praying deeply and spontaneously. I experienced the ecstasy of prayer, and my heart overflowed with love. Throughout my meditation, heartfelt prayers naturally arose within me several times.

I finally realized that, for me, meditation and prayer are closely connected and that, through the grace of Baba and Gurumayi, this alternation between meditation and prayer happens spontaneously within me. I feel filled with joy, love, and happiness.

Pune, India

After contemplating Baba’s teaching, I came to understand “The best prayer to God is meditation on the Self,” because in meditation I offer my little self to God, wanting to become one with him, to become one with my higher Self.

What prayer for me can be more powerful than this?

Milan, Italy

After reading Baba’s teaching and Ami’s elucidation, I wanted to say a prayer.

I went into my heart and found Gurumayi, the Self, and my soul—with God in me as me. I started my prayer, and a deep peace settled throughout me, and not long after, all the words just melted away and all that remained was a beautiful peacefulness.

I stayed there for some time, and when I emerged, I was feeling a serenity I had not experienced before. How wonderful, beautiful, and peaceful is this teaching of Baba’s. 

California, United States

So often when I sit for meditation, my prayers become wordless. Ami’s elucidation furthers my understanding of this teaching from Baba, and I abide in gratitude.

Virginia, United States

Upon discovering this new posting, Baba’s words worked their “timeless” magic and simply stopped me in the busy flow of my day.

I’d been moving quickly and was just taking a peek at the new offering—and everything changed. I stopped, took a breath, paused, dropped into my heart, and then read Ami’s words. Like a flower opening, her words revealed petal upon petal, things I already knew, yet somehow in this moment, I rediscovered them with fresh joy and deeper understanding.

“Yes,” my heart found itself saying, “Yes and yes again—that is how it is, isn’t it?”

Ami’s exquisite understanding and clear, loving words brought Baba’s words even more deeply into my heart. What else could I do but repeat the mantra as prayer, with absolute thankfulness, myself resting in the Self?

Washington, United States

I love Baba’s teaching about prayer. For me it captures the essence of prayer perfectly.

I experience prayer as my soul taking a deep breath to find relief. I also use prayer to express my gratitude and to connect with God and the Guru. During meditation, my whole being relaxes and my soul inhales deeply as God’s love flows through me with all its grace. Everything that has weighed on my soul dissolves.

In that moment, I realize that my prayer to God needs no words, for it happens when my mind surrenders to my open heart.

Konolfingen, Switzerland

I wrote this question in my journal: “What happens when you meditate on the Self, and how is this a prayer to God?” I realized that meditation on the Self is focusing within, witnessing the inner play without identifying with any limited stories, and resting in the pure essence and vibration of Consciousness, ultimately experiencing my identity with the state of the Self—pure love, bliss, peace.

For me, to pray is to deeply contemplate and remember my deepest intention, to connect with my most precious longing and purpose, and to communicate these heartfelt wishes to God. It requires noticing and unhooking from my contracted desires, limiting stories, fears and agendas, in order to release into remembrance of my true nature and to place my attention on the Self.

Thus, I now understand that to meditate on the Self is to practice the most exalted prayer.

Connecticut, United States

As I was meditating yesterday, I noticed I had gently “slipped into the Self.” When I realized, “Ahh, here I am again, right where I want to be,” I reviewed how this had happened. Inwardly, I saw I had softly placed my attention on the region of my third eye and a letting go happened. Peace had then flooded my awareness and I was home.

I began to contemplate trying a shortcut and just going right into this way of releasing in order to “be near to God”—and it worked! Then last night my husband and I attended a guitar and cello concert. While there, I remembered to return to this experience quite quickly by just letting go into my third eye and slipping inward; as I sat in my seat, the concert became quite alive for me.

It amazes me that, through grace and self-effort, my sadhana just keeps giving me new and joyous experiences to dive into. This keeps me on my toes, poised with a bright, cheery, and relaxed outlook.

Washington, United States

I was grateful to read this clear and concise elucidation of prayer. I have prayed my whole life, yet these words transform how I see prayer. I am deeply moved by the insights which are emerging in my heart about how to see and offer my prayers and meditation.

Upasana is a word I will be carrying with me as I offer my practices throughout the day. To know clearly the truth of the final sentence in this elucidation is a gift I will treasure.

California, United States

I am grateful for this first of “Baba Muktananda’s Timeless Teachings.” It is such a welcoming and joyful invitation for me to meditate! As I drift into meditation, I feel an inner centeredness—a blessing received as I am drawn into the Self within.

Florida, United States