# How Do You Prepare To Pray?



## Ishna (Oct 24, 2018)

Sat Sri Akaal

How do you prepare yourself to pray?  Is your preparation different depending on the activity - for instance, if you're singing nitnem bania, or if you're performing a random ardaas, or if you're going to do some activity involving chanting or meditating?

For instance, if you don't usually cover your head, do you do so now?  Do you brush your teeth or rinse your mouth out, or maybe wash your hands and face?  Do you have different preparation for different parts of the day?

I know Sikhs don't follow ritualistic purification or cleansing rituals, but I'm curious nonetheless if you personally feel the need, desire or follow some kind of tradition around preparing for prayer.

And if you do something, why do you do it?  What is the thought process?


----------



## Logical Sikh (Oct 24, 2018)

SSA,
as of my current understandings,
1. My preparations just consist of Opening Kindle for Reading SGGS and i keep MahanKosh and google chrome open on my mobile just in case if i doubt translation of Prof. Sahib Singh ( which generally isn't the case ) cuz he did one of the most reliable Translations of SGGS ever ( Back in 1920s ). Until i read the works of Dr. Davinder Singh Chahal. XD
2. For Cleansing, the First Line of JAP
                             ਸੋਚੈ ਸੋਚਿ ਨ ਹੋਵਈ ਜੇ ਸੋਚੀ ਲਖ ਵਾਰ ॥
translates to :-
                            If i try to Clean my Mind By Bathing for even a 100,000 times, it still cannot be called cleaned.
3. If you think there is need to clean your hands then sure do it, but doing it ritually is not advised.

BTW, how do you prepare ?


----------



## Simranjit (Oct 30, 2018)

I don't usually cover my head during the day. The only exception is to read bani or to meditate. I use a short scarf in the way I do in my profile pic.
It helps me as a reminder to remain focused. 

I also cover my head to sing banis with my guitar, but if I 'm alone in this case sometimes I don't. I don know why, actually.


----------



## Sikhilove (Nov 2, 2018)

Ishna said:


> Sat Sri Akaal
> 
> How do you prepare yourself to pray?  Is your preparation different depending on the activity - for instance, if you're singing nitnem bania, or if you're performing a random ardaas, or if you're going to do some activity involving chanting or meditating?
> 
> ...




I just do ardas and then my naam jaap. 

I prefer to be at least in a passably clean state when I do it.


----------



## swarn bains (Feb 22, 2019)

just put your mind to it, do not need any rituals but it is individual choice


----------



## L-Plate (Feb 23, 2019)

I do wish we could be more mindful of the words we use. Prayer is defined as having a conversation with your God, which is practised mostly by Abrahamic type religions. Do you really mean you pray to a God? If so, I apologise for this reply as my path is different from yours and wish you well on your path.

Do we as Sikhs instead not strive to learn from the wisdom of the Gurus, and their influences, when listening to or reading their teachings in an effort to achieve a fulfilling life? There is a beauty in this creation but do we need a conversation with the creator or should we merely learn how to live in it and recognise those actions that diminish our enjoyment of the experience? 

By being more mindful of what we are doing, our actions will have meaning and we will have a greater understanding of the importance of any preparations we may require for the period we dedicate to the task. We may then understand why rituals such as washing hands etc have become commonplace and which rituals add no value.

We will also use words to describe these actions more precisely and not end up corrupting/confusing the purpose of following this beautiful guiding philosophy we have been given.

Please do not see this reply as a personal response to any individual's posting, I respect the innocence of the words used but, feel as a society we do not respect the actual meaning of commonly used words anymore (I also am often guilty of this fact, no doubt someone will pick up a similar error I have made myself!). 

I don't usually comment on posts, I usually prefer to learn from the conversations others are having when the opportunity allows. A link to this post came in an email, it is a very important point for me which I had to make: Is the fact we (including myself) are getting lazy with words important? and is it a contributing factor to the non-thinking, ritual following actions of followers of many religions.


----------



## Inderjeet Kaur (Feb 23, 2019)

L-Plate said:


> I do wish we could be more mindful of the words we use. Prayer is defined as having a conversation with your God, which is practised mostly by Abrahamic type religions.



I was thinking much the same thing. 

Also, how can we talk about preparation for prayer unless we first define what we mean by "prayer"? I would not use the words "conversation with God," as that implies two-way exchanges. People to whom God speaks are usually considered either saints or schizophrenics (or both). The closest Sikhi comes to conversation, I think, is taking a personal hukamnaman, where we talk to Guru and Guru responds. Still, I doubt most Sikhs would regard this as prayer.

["God" means so many different things to different people, so please forgive me if I drop that word and use "The 1" instead.]

Doing nitnem is usually considered praying, as is singing or listening to kirtan. Is reading in Siri Guru Granth Sahib prayer?

I think to me prayer is when I am mindful of The1.  The more mindful I am, the deeper is the prayer. Therefore, any and all of the above could be different aspects of pray, I think, but may not be if my thoughts are elsewhere. Prayer can never be purely mechanic repetition.

Nitnem, Ardas and other prewritten prayers, I will call formal prayer. For those, I do cover my head and, since I have the habit of cussing like an Irish sailor, I usually rinse out my mouth. That doesn't clean me, but it does serve to remind me to keep my language - in thought as well as speech - G-rated. Informal prayer can happen at any time. It may be as simple as a glance at the ceiling or laughing at my parrot shrieking WAHEGURU!! or as complex as typing on my keyboard or attempting to think clearly and logically.

By the way, any preparations I make for prayer are for my own benefit. I'm certain that The1 couldn't care less about such things.


----------



## Scarlet Pimpernel (Feb 25, 2019)

Ishna said:


> Sat Sri Akaal
> 
> How do you prepare yourself to pray?  Is your preparation different depending on the activity - for instance, if you're singing nitnem bania, or if you're performing a random ardaas, or if you're going to do some activity involving chanting or meditating?


Sister your personal life should be your personal prayer,the random ardaas is not random ,it’s yours,without forcing your will clothe yourself in virtue and attach your prayer to your internal breath.

If you must brush your teeth of course please do so as it’s good for the external breath.


----------



## Scarlet Pimpernel (Feb 26, 2019)

L-Plate said:


> I do wish we could be more mindful of the words we use. Prayer is defined as having a conversation with your God, which is practised mostly by Abrahamic type religions. Do you really mean you pray to a God? If so, I apologise for this reply as my path is different from yours and wish you well on your path.
> 
> 
> I don't usually comment on posts, I usually prefer to learn from the conversations others are having when the opportunity allows. A link to this post came in an email, it is a very important point for me which I had to make: Is the fact we (including myself) are getting lazy with words important? and is it a contributing factor to the non-thinking, ritual following actions of followers of many religions.



Its good that you don’t comment as our Guru’s Prayer forms the wisdom you speak of ,didn’t Guru Arjun not thank God that his son was saved from the pox,isn’t  Guru Gobind Singh’s Deh Shiva not a call to prayer ,just do a search for prayer in Sri Granth .


----------



## swarn bains (Feb 27, 2019)

*         ਅਵੱਲੀ ਤਾਂਘ*
ਰੱਬ ਮਿਲਣ ਦੀ ਤਾਂਘ ਅਵੱਲੀ, ਦਰ ਦਰ ਜਾਇ ਭਜਾਈ
ਯਾਰ ਚੋਂ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਰੱਬ ਦਿੱਸਦਾ, ਚਿੱਤ ਵਸਿਆ ਰਾਂਝਣ ਮਾਹੀ     
ਰੱਬ ਆਖਿਆਂ ਰੱਬ ਨ ਮਂਨੈਂ, ਰੱਬ ਮੰਨੈ ਯਾਰ ਮਨਾ ਕੇ
ਯਾਰ ਮੰਨੈਂ ਪਿਆਰ ਚ ਮਰ ਕੇ, ਤਲੀ ਤੇ ਸੀਸ ਟਿਕਾ ਕੇ
ਰੱਬ ਜਾਣ ਕੇ ਪੂਜ ਯਾਰ ਕੂ, ਰੱਬ ਯਾਰ ਭੇਦ ਨ ਕਾਈ
ਮਨ ਦੀ ਸੋਚ ਵਿਚਾਰ ਰੱਬ, ਰੱਬ ਨਾ ਆਵੈ ਨ ਜਾਵੈ 
ਨਾ ਉਹ ਜੰਮਦਾ ਮਰਦਾ ਏ, ਹਰ ਚਿੱਤ ਆਇ ਛੁਪਾਵੈ
ਬਾਝ ਵੇਖਿਆਂ ਮਨ ਨ ਮੰਨੈਂ, ਕਿਤ ਵਿਧ ਤਿਸੈ ਧਿਆਈ
ਰੱਬ ਮਨਾਉਣਾ ਮਨ ਸਮਝੌਣਾ, ਮਨ ਮੰਨੈਂ ਯਾਰ ਦਰ ਜਾ ਕੇ
ਪਿਆਰ ਪਾ ਕੇ ਆਪ ਮਿਟਾ ਕੇ, ਉਸ ਮੂਰਤ ਚਿੱਤ ਵਸਾ ਕੇ
ਜਿਸ ਮੰਜ਼ਿਲ ਕੂ ਬੈਂਸ ਖੋਜਦਾ, ਪਿਆਰ ਯਾਰ ਮਿਲ ਜਾਈ  
ਰਾਂਝਣ ਸੰਗ ਅਸਾਂ ਪਾਈ ਦੋਸਤੀ, ਰਾਂਝਣ ਮੇਰਾ ਰੱਬ
ਜਿੱਤ ਵੇਖਾਂ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਰਾਂਝਣ ਦਿਸੈ, ਮਝਬਾਂ ਚੋੰ ਟੋਲੈ ਜੱਗ
ਰੱਬ ਜਾਣ ਮਨਾਵਾਂ ਰਾਂਝਣੈ, ਰਾਂਝਣ ਰੱਬ ਇਕ ਹਾਈ
ਰੂਹ ਰੱਬ ਦੀ ਅੰਸ ਬੰਸ, ਰੱਬ ਵਸਦਾ ਰੂਹ ਦੇ ਅੰਦਰ
ਬੈਂਸ, ਕਰ ਰੂਹ ਦੀ ਛਾਣ ਬੀਣ, ਰੂਹ ਰੱਬ ਦਾ ਮੰਦਰ
ਯਾਰ ਮਨਾ ਕੇ ਰੱਬ ਮੰਨਦਾ, ਜੱਗ ਯਾਰ ਸਾਰ ਨ ਕਾਈ
ਬੈਂਸ ਵੇਲਾ ਈ ਮਨ ਮੋੜ ਜੋੜ, ਮੇਲੇ ਨੇ ਵਿਛੜ ਜਾਣਾ
ਸਮਾ ਬੀਤਿਆ ਨਹੀਂ ਭੌਂਦਾ, ਤੈਨੂੰ ਕਿਸੇ ਨੀ ਆਣ ਜਗਾਉਣਾ
ਮਨ ਚ ਨਾਮ ਉਕਾਰ ਸਖੀ, ਬਿਨ ਛਾਪਾ ਕਲਮ ਸਿਆਹੀ      
ਰੱਬ ਰੱਬ ਸਭ ਦੁਨੀਆਂ ਕਰਦੀ, ਮੇਰਾ ਯਾਰ ਰੱਬ ਤੋਂ ਸੁਹਣਾ
ਜਿਹਨੇ ਮੇਰਾ ਮਨ ਮੋਹ ਲਿਆ, ਬਹੁ ਸੁਹਣਾ ਮਨ ਮੋਹਣਾ
ਸੁਹਣਾ ਯਾਰ ਬੈਂਸ ਚਿੱਤ ਵਸਦਾ, ਯਾਰੀ ਯਾਰ ਸੰਗ ਲਾਈ
ਤਸਬੀ ਫੇਰੈਂ ਮਨ ਫਿਰੈ ਨਾ, ਯਾਰ ਨਹੀਂ ਹੱਥ ਫੜਾਉਣਾ
ਯਾਰ ਨ ਮੰਨੈਂ ਰੱਬ ਨ ਮੰਨੈਂ, ਮੁੱਕਣਾ ਨਹੀਂ ਆਉਣਾ ਜਾਣਾ
ਯਾਰ ਬੈਂਸ ਦੇ ਚਿੱਤ ਵਸੇਂਦਾ, ਯਾਰ ਚਿੱਤ ਚ ਰੱਬ ਵਖਾਈ


----------



## swarn bains (Mar 1, 2019)

i thought that someone will read my poem and comment on it, but it appears that all those who come on this site do not know punjabi or do not understand sufi poetry. thanks


----------



## Scarlet Pimpernel (Mar 1, 2019)

swarn bains said:


> i thought that someone will read my poem and comment on it, but it appears that all those who come on this site do not know punjabi or do not understand sufi poetry. thanks


I read it ,it was very nice ,but not relevant to the question ,a better answer for the OP might look like “ before praying take off your self conceit ,wash away your anger with the special soap and find your way back to yourSelf. Of course I’m biased towards my own poetry but it’s inspired by yours !


----------



## Inderjeet Kaur (Mar 2, 2019)

swarn bains said:


> *         ਅਵੱਲੀ ਤਾਂਘ*
> ਰੱਬ ਮਿਲਣ ਦੀ ਤਾਂਘ ਅਵੱਲੀ, ਦਰ ਦਰ ਜਾਇ ਭਜਾਈ
> ਯਾਰ ਚੋਂ ਮੈਨੂੰ ਰੱਬ ਦਿੱਸਦਾ, ਚਿੱਤ ਵਸਿਆ ਰਾਂਝਣ ਮਾਹੀ
> ਰੱਬ ਆਖਿਆਂ ਰੱਬ ਨ ਮਂਨੈਂ, ਰੱਬ ਮੰਨੈ ਯਾਰ ਮਨਾ ਕੇ
> ...


Since this is an English language site, many of us here are not fluent in Punjabi. I got a translation from Google Translator. It may or may not be good. If you don't like it, you could offer your own English version.

_Desperation
The desire to meet God, the rate is gone, the runway passes away
I know God from me, my mind resides in the rain
God said, God does not believe, God knows
Man ji in love with death
God knows how to worship God
God can not come, God can not come
He is not born, he is completely hidden
Do not believe in seeing it,
Convince the mind, agree with the mind
By lovingly eradicating you, by removing the idolatrous mind
The destination that finds you, Bryce finds you
We are friends with our friends, my love for God
Seeing the victory, I will look after me,
God knows, Ranjanh is a High
The soul lives in the soul, God lives inside the soul
Bains, investigating the tax soul, the soul, the temple of God
God forbids you
Bains villa e mind twist, get separated from the fair
The time has not passed, it is awkward for you
In the name of the name Uskar Sakhi, bin Chhapada pen ink
God beings all around the world, my friend is beautiful from God
The one who loved me, the most beautiful mind is fascinated
Beautiful friend lives in Bin's mind, Yari Yaar Sang Lai
Do not worry, you do not mind, you do not have a man
Do not believe in a friend, do not obey God;
Yar Bains laughs, God shows up in the mind

A_s for Sufi poetry, I love Rumi, but always translated into English.


----------



## swarn bains (Mar 3, 2019)

*Inderjeet I admire your effort, thank u and here is  my translation
Unique longing *
It is an unique longing to unite with God
It even makes you beg door to door
I see God in my beloved guru, my beloved is enshrined in my heart

God does not accept you just by saying God God,
God accepts you by consoling  with guru
The guru accepts you by dying in love
Worship the guru as God, there is no difference between guru and God
Godliness is contemplation of mind; God does not come or go
God does not fall in the cycle of birth and death, but hidden in the mind
But the mind does not agree without seeing, then how should I worship him
To become Godly is to console with mind, but the mind consoles by going to guru’s abode by falling in love with him or her and self surrendering  and enshrining his image in the mind
The destiny Bains is searching is acquired by falling in love with guru
I fell in love with my beloved Ranjhan, he is my God
I see my beloved wherever I look, but the world is searching through religion
I console with my beloved thinking him God, God and my beloved are one and the same
The soul is the image of God, God abides in the soul
O Bains, search your soul, the soul is God’s church or mandir
God accepts you by consoling with guru, the world has no idea of the guru
O bains; contemplate in your mind, the fair is going to end
The time gone by does not return and no one with wake you up
Print God’s name in your mind without ink paper or pen
The entire world recites God God, but my beloved is  more handsome than God
He who enticed my mind, he is very beautiful and enticer
My handsome guru is merged in my mind and I fell in love with her
God consoles by consoling with the beloved but the beloved consoles with dying in love
Bains misses his beloved all the time, he writes but afraid of the society
Longing to meet the beloved is the pain in the heart, it has taken away sleep from  my eyes
You keep saying God by turning the beads of rosary, what is the use if it does not turn your heart
If the guru does not accept you then God also does not accept and your coming and going in the world does not end
The guru is printed in Bains’s heart and reveals God in the heart

*Sufi klaam, your opinion it matters*


----------



## Admin (Mar 3, 2019)

Thank sawaran ji, your contributions and your effort to translate poetry for the benefit of our readers is really much admired.


----------



## Scarlet Pimpernel (Mar 9, 2019)

Saab the poetry was very good and the translation very helpful but now clever people write programs and poetry is not valued so much because they don’t know themselves in this Digital Dark Age.

The inspiration is important,the root of religious practice is love ,anything you do because someone told you to do only works if you start to love.


----------



## ASWILKHU (Mar 10, 2019)

In my opinion it makes no difference if you take morning bath to realise god, it was meant solely for keeping your mind alert, it serves no other purpose if that was the case then frogs living in ponds and rivers must be closer to god then human beings.
As for covering your head is also a myth, when you are born you are born without any head coverings that does not denote you away from god, it is said children’s are born in gods image so why get in to these rituals, they are created by us human beings GOD CAN BE REALISED WITH TRUE CONCENTRATION OF RECITING BAANI AND FOCUSING AT YOUR ATTENTION AT THE EYE CENTRE.


----------



## Harry Haller (Mar 11, 2019)

ASWILKHU said:


> In my opinion it makes no difference if you take morning bath to realise god, it was meant solely for keeping your mind alert, it serves no other purpose if that was the case then frogs living in ponds and rivers must be closer to god then human beings.
> As for covering your head is also a myth, when you are born you are born without any head coverings that does not denote you away from god, it is said children’s are born in gods image so why get in to these rituals, they are created by us human beings GOD CAN BE REALISED WITH TRUE CONCENTRATION OF RECITING BAANI AND FOCUSING AT YOUR ATTENTION AT THE EYE CENTRE.



just out of curiosity, you say 'God can be realised', so clearly this system works, have you yourself realised God then?


----------



## Scarlet Pimpernel (Mar 11, 2019)

ੴ ਸਤਿ ਨਾਮੁ ਕਰਤਾ ਪੁਰਖੁ ਨਿਰਭਉ ਨਿਰਵੈਰੁ ਅਕਾਲ ਮੂਰਤਿ ਅਜੂਨੀ ਸੈਭੰ ਗੁਰ ਪ੍ਰਸਾਦਿ ॥ 
Ik▫oaŉkār saṯ nām karṯā purakẖ nirbẖa▫o nirvair akāl mūraṯ ajūnī saibẖaŉ gur parsāḏ. 
One Universal Creator God. Truth Is The Name. Creative Being Personified. No Fear. No Hatred. Image Of The Undying. Beyond Birth. Self-Existent. By Guru's Grace: 

ਰਾਗੁ ਸੂਹੀ ਮਹਲਾ ੧ ਚਉਪਦੇ ਘਰੁ ੧ 
Rāg sūhī mėhlā 1 cẖa▫upḏe gẖar 1 
Raag Soohee, First Mehl, Chau-Padas, First House: 

ਭਾਂਡਾ ਧੋਇ ਬੈਸਿ ਧੂਪੁ ਦੇਵਹੁ ਤਉ ਦੂਧੈ ਕਉ ਜਾਵਹੁ ॥ 
Bẖāŉdā ḏẖo▫e bais ḏẖūp ḏevhu ṯa▫o ḏūḏẖai ka▫o jāvhu. 
Wash the vessel, sit down and anoint it with fragrance; then, go out and get the milk. 

ਦੂਧੁ ਕਰਮ ਫੁਨਿ ਸੁਰਤਿ ਸਮਾਇਣੁ ਹੋਇ ਨਿਰਾਸ ਜਮਾਵਹੁ ॥੧॥ 
Ḏūḏẖ karam fun suraṯ samā▫iṇ ho▫e nirās jamāvahu. ||1|| 
Add the rennet of clear consciousness to the milk of good deeds, and then, free of desire, let it curdle. ||1|| 

ਜਪਹੁ ਤ ਏਕੋ ਨਾਮਾ ॥ 
Japahu ṯa eko nāmā. 
Chant the Name of the One Lord. 

ਅਵਰਿ ਨਿਰਾਫਲ ਕਾਮਾ ॥੧॥ ਰਹਾਉ ॥ 
Avar nirāfal kāmā. ||1|| rahā▫o. 
All other actions are fruitless. ||1||Pause|| 

ਇਹੁ ਮਨੁ ਈਟੀ ਹਾਥਿ ਕਰਹੁ ਫੁਨਿ ਨੇਤ੍ਰਉ ਨੀਦ ਨ ਆਵੈ ॥ 
Ih man ītī hāth karahu fun neṯara▫o nīḏ na āvai. 
Let your mind be the handles, and then churn it, without sleeping. 

ਰਸਨਾ ਨਾਮੁ ਜਪਹੁ ਤਬ ਮਥੀਐ ਇਨ ਬਿਧਿ ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤੁ ਪਾਵਹੁ ॥੨॥ 
Rasnā nām japahu ṯab mathī▫ai in biḏẖ amriṯ pāvhu. ||2|| 
If you chant the Naam, the Name of the Lord, with your tongue, then the curd will be churned. In this way, the Ambrosial Nectar is obtained. ||2|| 

ਮਨੁ ਸੰਪਟੁ ਜਿਤੁ ਸਤ ਸਰਿ ਨਾਵਣੁ ਭਾਵਨ ਪਾਤੀ ਤ੍ਰਿਪਤਿ ਕਰੇ ॥ 
Man sampat jiṯ saṯ sar nāvaṇ bẖāvan pāṯī ṯaripaṯ kare. 
Wash your mind in the pool of Truth, and let it be the vessel of the Lord; let this be your offering to please Him. 

ਪੂਜਾ ਪ੍ਰਾਣ ਸੇਵਕੁ ਜੇ ਸੇਵੇ ਇਨ੍ਹ੍ਹ ਬਿਧਿ ਸਾਹਿਬੁ ਰਵਤੁ ਰਹੈ ॥੩॥ 
Pūjā parāṇ sevak je seve inĥ biḏẖ sāhib ravaṯ rahai. ||3|| 
That humble servant who dedicates and offers his life, and who serves in this way, remains absorbed in his Lord and Master. ||3|| 

ਕਹਦੇ ਕਹਹਿ ਕਹੇ ਕਹਿ ਜਾਵਹਿ ਤੁਮ ਸਰਿ ਅਵਰੁ ਨ ਕੋਈ ॥ 
Kahḏe kahėh kahe kahi jāvėh ṯum sar avar na ko▫ī. 
The speakers speak and speak and speak, and then they depart. There is no other to compare to You. 

ਭਗਤਿ ਹੀਣੁ ਨਾਨਕੁ ਜਨੁ ਜੰਪੈ ਹਉ ਸਾਲਾਹੀ ਸਚਾ ਸੋਈ ॥੪॥੧॥ 
Bẖagaṯ hīṇ Nānak jan jampai ha▫o sālāhī sacẖā so▫ī. ||4||1|| 
Servant Nanak, lacking devotion, humbly prays: may I sing the Praises of the True Lord. ||4||1||


----------

