Lats weekend, my mother expressed a desire to host a prayer meeting. I consented only as the reason she wanted to have one was very dear to my heart too.But being someone who always prided herself on being practical (read detached from all things spiritual), I had some serious concerns about falling off to sleep during the meditation that most prayer meets are synonymous with. I had pictured a scene where everyone would stop their meditation midway to at me as I would "meditate". Mom called over a volunteer from the 'Art of Living' discipline (I do not know how better to address them). to help us through the prayer meeting.
As the volunteer entered our home, I was surprised to see guitar slung around his shoulder - I had assumed he had guitar lessons before or after this. Curiosity generated, all notions of sleep lost, I sat among other family members, waiting. And lo and behold! the volunteer started strumming the guitar and started singing some wonderful tunes., Since they were accompanied with sanskrit words, I was fairly confused but the context was pretty lucid.
Then came the highlight of the evening, we soon began singing a simple yet deeply meaningful song titled 'narayan' wherein we invoked the blessings of each person who has passed, is passing and will soon pass (this was my interpretation of it). The song had just one basic line (every line would speak of different aspects of life; parents, the earth, the sun, the moon,
you...me...), and every line began with those words and ended with narayan.
This was when it hit me, contrary to what I held as the whole truth (owing to not-so-pleasant events in the past), that God or spirituality has no meaning and is for those who had a lot of time to invest (well, waste actually). As we sang, truly absorbing the words and the music and the quiet of our surroundings, I realised that this gave me immense peace and instead of putting me to sleep, got me even closer to those we had lost and continue to lose.
One does not need spirituality in times of crisis, loss, grief, it has and will always be within those who believe, do not believe and all others in between. One just needs to look within.
PS: to those who have passed, who pass and will pass, we love you and always will...
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