Our Prayers and Affirmations (Sankalpa) play an important role in our Spiritual growth, though we give this aspect less importance. Generally, we only pray to address our immediate problems. Our tendency is to be impulsive and rarely do we think long term. This is inefficient and it hardly yields proper results.
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What are Prayers and Affirmations?

Prayers and Affirmations are closely related and are usually intertwined.

Prayers are a request to the Divine for help and assistance. For example, prayers for health, overcoming a problem, etc. It is also a means of communication with the Divine. For example, expressing our gratitude and thanks.

Affirmations are a process of strengthening our intention. It is usually an individual resolving to undertake a particular action. For example— Let me meditate every day.
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Why are they important?

Having clear Prayers and Affirmations is important. Having clarity in thought brings clarity in our Mind, which further translates to clarity in our actions. This clarity helps to simplify our life and channel our efforts properly.

Prayers give us hope and strength. They help us connect to the Spiritual energies which we can utilize through our actions. Regular prayers also aid contemplation and finding a clear path forward. 

Prayers are also a medium through which we connect to the Divine. 

The evolution and transformation of humanity has occurred through prayers and affirmations. The intent has been strengthened over generations, bringing about change and betterment. 

Prayers are also a feedback from us to God. They express our understanding and difficulties to the Divine and a way to seek large-scale change and transformation. For example, various breakthroughs in medicine have occurred because of collective prayers. It is especially important in this Pralaya period. Group prayers bring faster results.
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How do Prayers and Sankalpa contribute to our Sadhana?

The primary fact is that they help us understand more about ourselves. They help us comprehend our fears and worries, our desires and wishes as well as enable a better understanding of what makes us happy and all that we are grateful for. 

Prayers give us hope. This hope gives us strength and helps us to cope with the situations we go through. 

They also help us identify our rigid patterns, and areas where we are weak. They help to analyse whether we are able to deal with them by ourselves or need extra help. Prayers help us identify, acknowledge, work on, and finally resolve the issues. 

Prayers help us to open up and receive from the Divine. It could be guidance, answers, solutions and energies. The connectedness we experience while praying also brings a lot of peace, calmness, and love within. 

If we are able to utilize prayers wisely, we can connect more to the Divine, and it expands our emotions and thinking. We are able to face the difficulties in life and gradually change for the better. We grow as individuals.

We also strengthen our Sadhana and grow Spiritually. The more we grow, the more we can manifest our true nature and deal with the issues by ourselves. 

In the present tough times of Pralaya, Prayers and Sankalpa are like a security blanket. 

Additionally, Rishis and Divine Personalities are anchoring various energies that help in the manifesting of Sankalpas. Hence having the right prayers connects us to these energies and the manifestation of the results. 

As mentioned above, group prayers help in bringing large changes. 
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If surrender is the ultimate, why Prayers and Sankalpa?

In the big picture, it is true that the Divine knows everything and the goal is Surrender. When we are in this state of surrender, there are no personal prayers. We are connected and in alignment. We go along with the flow in total acceptance. 

But this is the highest, the destination! Most of us are yet to reach this stage. In the present turbulent times, prayers, affirmations, and seeking help from the Rishis and Divine make the journey easier. We are able to cope better and find solutions faster because of their Grace.
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How do we go about with our Prayers and Sankalpa?

We can affirm and pray every day. The best time for this would be before starting our Meditation.

It will be of great help if we are organised and methodical in our prayers and affirmations. We will be able to identify better and prioritise what is important for us. 

To have proper clarity, we suggest that you introspect, contemplate and then organise your thoughts. Next, note them down. Noting down helps, as if you rely only on your memory, certain points will gradually slip away without you even realising it. Referring periodically to the written notes will help you remember and strengthen them. 

When dealing with prayers and affirmations, being realistic is important. For example, we can ask for the highest Spiritual experience. But are you ready for this experience? Have you made the necessary efforts and attained the required purity for this to manifest? This prayer might be our goal, but at the moment it will come much lower on priority compared to what we need immediately.

The intention behind our prayers should not be for miracles but for a way the results can manifest through our efforts. Praying for things like Immortality is not realistic as such things will not be granted. 

Similarly, in the material areas. We can pray for becoming a billionaire. If you know how, are willing to make the efforts, and take the necessary risks, why not! But if it is a fantasy or for some lottery to click, it is not realistic. 

We also usually expect some perfect idealistic solutions to our problems. More often than not, this never occurs. The solution always lies in realistic possibilities, not in romantic optimism.

When we wait for our prayers to be answered, we always continue with our efforts. We also have to learn to be patient. Some of our prayers will take time, and some may not happen at all. It is not possible to understand everything logically. 

Another part that we have to be aware of is that when dealing with our problems, we keep praying based on the symptoms we are having rather than identifying the root cause. Such prayers will only lead to short term solutions. Understanding the root cause of the problems is important. Having a list of prayers may help you identify the recurring patterns. Contemplating further on this will help you identify the root cause.
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How do we structure our Prayers and Sankalpa?

The following is generic and is supposed to be a guide to help you with. The focus, priority and requirement of each individual are different. For example, a student’s prayer and a retired person’s prayers will be completely different. 

Please introspect, contemplate and then make your own list. 

You can broadly organise your prayers and Sankalpas into three categories—

1.    Material/Personal
2.    Spiritual
3.    Pralaya period related

 1. Your Personal Section can be further sub-categorised as—

• Family and Relationship (spouse, family, parents, children, relatives, friends, colleagues)
• Work and Career; studies for students
• Finances
• Health
• Problems and Issues you have
• Wishes, Ambitions and Goals, including hobbies

2. We can divide the Spiritual section as—

• Regular Sadhana and Spiritual Growth
• Clearing of Blocks, Arishatvargas, Fears, Shortcomings…
• Spiritual goals – Eg: Being more aware, Intuition, contact with Rishis
• Humanity and the World 

3. Pralaya period related prayers—

• Let me be able to take this period as my teacher and mentor, and not get into the mode of fear and apprehension.
• Let my life go along smoothly with that of the period.
• May the Pralaya period allow me to grow, evolve and transform as beautifully as possible. 
• Let me be able to learn what the period wants to teach me. Let the period be a smooth journey instead of a chaotic one of turmoil.
• Let me have a deeper understanding of the importance of the period and the Divine Principles and ways required of me. 
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Should we do this every day?

The above details are very broad-based and guidelines highlighting various aspects. It is for you to customize them for yourself. 

The above details may overwhelm, to begin with. Start in a simplified manner. Take baby steps. The essence is to have clarity on what you want and how to pursue them. Categorising them helps towards this clarity. Eventually, with practice, this will become your second nature. 
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Concluding… 

Prayers are a choice. It helps us in our Spiritual journey. But there is no compulsion for anyone to practice them. 

Also, please be aware that Prayers and Sankalpa are not the ends. In fact, they are the beginning. Our efforts determine whether or not they get answered. The general human tendency is to expect miracles. Miracles do happen, but the majority of prayers manifest through our efforts and action. 

May the above guidelines help you with clarity, and on where to focus your efforts. May it also strengthen your intent to achieve your goals. 

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