Psychology of Prayer & Meditation

The psychology of human beings and the psychology of religions are two very interesting areas of study. The studies being done all over the world in higher educational institutions by experts prove that if we focus our mind on certain words or thoughts, the powers of the universe which we may call by any name such as God, Allah, Bhagwan, Jehovah(Yahweh), Kami Sama or the Universal Intelligence, the effects on our mind or soul would be the same irrespective of the faith of the practitioner. No matter what religion we follow, no matter what meditational practices we employ, the changes that take place in the regions/areas of our brain will be exactly the same. The brain scans of volunteers from different faiths were recorded while they were undergoing prayer, worship or meditation as prescribed by their religions. It was found that similar areas of brain activate and reshape themselves in exactly a typical way according to the amount of worship or meditation of the worshiper.

It doesn’t make any difference what faith one practices. The important thing is how focused the worshiper is in his/her prayer and meditation. It’s not the holy book you follow nor the sacraments or any other spiritual practices as prescribed in the worshiper’s faith. The important thing is how immersed we are in the search for the ultimate truth. The Ultimate Truth is nowhere else but inside us, our mind, soul or spirit. We need to bring our mind in synchronized resonance with the forces of the Universe which we may call by any name. The experts of psychological sciences assure us that the results will always be the same even if we are a Mulhid (secular). We need to become one with the universal forces. But do keep in mind that this is not an easy task. The way of finding the Ultimate Truth is very difficult. There is Zen story about a monk and his disciple walking through a jungle when they saw a lion approaching them. The disciple started shivering with fear but the Zen master quietly sat down and went into a deep meditation. The lion came near them and slowly walked away. The disciple asked his master why he was not afraid and what he did in meditation. The master said that he went into a deep mental state where he, the lion and the disciple were all together in one unity with the entire universe. He felt peace and safety.

When I was a little boy in my elementary school, there was a class mate of mine whose name was Amjad Ali. His father was a spiritual man who used to practice mantras for resolving the problems of people who would come to him for consultation. One day I saw Amjad Ali catching a poisonous wasp on his palm. Upon my request he told me how he did that. He used to repeat a mantra three times and then blow it on the wasp thereafter catching the insect. He told me that he learnt it from his father. I learnt the mantra from him and caught a wasp on my palm. I was so excited that I performed the trick in front of my parents and other friends. I used the practice for several days enjoying the feat. One day I made a blunder in my concentration and focus. The mantra did not work. The wasp stung me so hard that I fell unconscious and was rushed to medical emergency. That was the last time I used the mantra.

After doing an exhaustive study of the research work on human psychology in the realm of theology, I have come to the conclusion that there is hardly any difference between a mantra or religious prayer that we practice in the worship buildings and the secular/scientific word repeated under the guidance of a science expert. The Christians all over the world read “The Lord’s Prayer” almost every day or at least every Sunday. There are several other prayers which are repeated from the Book of Prayer of the Church. The Muslims all over the globe repeat their prayers using exactly the same Quranic verses. Same is true of practitioners of other faiths. When we repeat a word or a collection of words in exactly the same manner, focusing our mind and heart on a target or goal, the word/words get charged with the magical or magnetic power to influence us, our surroundings and then the whole cosmic atmosphere, thereby materializing or manifesting our desires of peace and joy leading to good health and prosperity. We go into a state of spiritual ecstasy. The physical postures and movements help us concentrate and get into tune with the words we are uttering or repeating. We have learned from childhood that religious worship places are sacred and holy. We need to be quiet and move ourselves into feelings of respect for heavenly powers. That is what we feel as we enter into a worship place. Several people have often reported such feelings of awe as they entered the Egyptian Pyramids.

Whatever analysis we do of religious worship, we must agree to the reality that prayer has very magical and powerful effect on our mind, body and environment. It has been found in studies that those people who worship regularly are psychologically and physically more healthy and live longer as compared to people who never go to a worship place or offer prayers. Please note that this does not mean any particular religious practice. It only means that prayer and meditation gives us peace and tranquility which are very essential for the overall health of people of this fast-paced world.

Mumtaz Shah