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Summary of Question:	Prayers As A Prescription?!
Category:	General Sikhism
Date Posted:	Thursday, 1/11/2007 8:36 PM MST

I have been reading the previous posts, and I have a question.

Is it right to say do "such and such prayer" at "such and such time" for "such and such number of days" for a certain problem?

I always thought that remembering Waheguru Ji was the most important thing, it doesn't matter what you say or when you say it. Sure I do Jap Ji sahib in the morning, and realize the importance of Amrit Vela, but it seem crazy to use it like a prescription. Path (Prayers) can help with your problems, but why do you have to do a certain line from path, for a certain amount of time? Here are some examples I found from the discussion board:

"And, because you have the power of WOMAN, you might want to make it a practice to recite the "SoPurkh" setion of Rehiras 11 times every day."

"1) Pls recite the following shabad 7 times starting on Tuedsay morning for 15 days.(Whatever problem a lady faces with her husband will eventually be eradicated and happiness will come in splendid)"

"2) shabad : for family reunion
Recite the following shabad 25 times on 5 Tuesdays afternoon for 5 weeks "

"Meditate on your mom and chant "Aad Guray Nameh, Jugaad Guray Nameh, Sat Guray Nameh, Siri Guru Devay Nameh" As you chant Ad Guray Nameh, visualize Guru Nanak above her on her right, as you chant Jugaad Guray Nameh, visualize Guru Angad above and behind her, as you chant Sat Guray Nameh, visualize Guru Amar Das above her on her left, and as you chant Siri Guru Devay Nameh, visualize Guru Ram Das above her and in front of her. Invoke the protection of the first four Gurus."


There are so many more on this site. I'm so confused. For the last one, instead of the first four guru Jis, why not meditate upon Waheguru Ji? Also, how can you visualize the Guru Ji when we don't know what they look like?

In addition, last summer I went to a Gurdwara in India, and although I don't remember its name, I remember that in order to see where a "saint" lived (the lower portion of the Gurdwara) you had to promise to recite Waheguru 1000 times everyday for a month, or do Jap Ji sahib 32 times for two weeks, etc.

All of this makes no sense to me, and I have to wonder in what direction we are turning. Why can't we all just believe in Waheguru Ji, do our path, and overall be good Sikhs?

I apologize for my wordiness, but this is a topic I'm confused about.

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reply
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Sat nam. I have been to that Gurdwara--it is in honor of Bhai Nand Singh. And the idea behind the personal promise to practice is that SO MANY people don't live the teachings of Guru Sahib. Making a promise to oneself to chant the naam or recite Sukhmani for 40 days is a great way to get hooked so that it becomes part of one's life forever, just as you mention. That is the purpose behind that 'promise' one makes before entering that Gurdwara. You are correct that the bottom line is CHANT THE NAAM, remember waheguru, and make it a daily practice.

That said, there is nothing at all wrong with prayer as a prescription, and many many faiths have such prescriptive practices. Why? Because they work to build faith, spirituality, and results in God's way. In the end, all one has to do is 'just do it' but as you can tell from the posts on this forum, most questioners do not have a practice in place. Giving them a prescriptive prayer might just be the thing to get them into a daily practice.

Guru ang sang,
-DK