How one prays to God is an individualistic approach that grows from one’s own faith, life experiences, belief, cultural, religious and social upbringing.  The prayer rituals may sound childish, bizarre or even stone age practices to others who are not from a similar background or alien to the other’s practices.

At the core of a prayer is a direct communication of the soul with the over soul.  As long as that communication is untainted and done with faith and love, the response from divinity is always felt back. The more the antics in ritualistic or cultural practices, the less the effect is felt.

Shri Shirdi Sai emphasized this emphatically when He once told a visitor, “What is the necessity of bowing so many times when all is needed is one bow with pure heart and love”.

The approach to prayer service has undergone sea change in modern world.  The concept of a prayer service relevant to the scriptures and age old customs is self defeating.  People do not simply have the time to indulge in long ritualistic prayer services prescribed by scriptures and other texts.

Of its own creativity, Modern society has built complexities in relationships in ways that they take away a major chunk of an individual’s daily time.  In the time that is left, an individual’s mental inclination decides how much time is to be set aside on prayer.

Driven by the sense of instant gratification prevalent in today’s world, even prayer to divine is viewed in the same light.  When results manifest within minutes when a Prayer is invoked, then God is great; otherwise God is just another hoax.

Unfortunately things do not work as we intend; rather they follow their own path.  Ironically, man seeks divine help in times of failure or utter helplessness expecting instant relief or rewards regardless of their actions.  The presence of God’s hand around us is neither appreciated nor acknowledged till it is too late.  Even the best devotees of God go through difficulties and rigorous tests before their prayers are answered, so what to speak of non-believers.

To constantly pray is our duty.  When we do our duty right, rewards will follow as per God’s mercy and grace.  It is not the other way around as we would like to imagine.