I am also aware of how in Krishna Consciousness, the idea of the mercy of devotees is stressed upon greatly. Devotees keep asking one another for "their mercy". Only recently, I made a connection between this and what I mentioned about people praying together/over one another in churches. It occurred to me that they're both pretty much the same thing. It's kind of obvious really, and I knew it too, but I never really realized it, you know?
So anyway, I thought it would be nice to have a page for prayer requests where all of us could post comments about any help we might need in any situation. Here's how I thought it could work:
- You can comment on any blog post of mine with your prayer request. I will copy paste what you write into a new blog post. You must comment by writing "PRAYER REQUEST" in the first line of the comment so I know it is a prayer request.
- Your prayer request will appear under the category titled 'Prayer Requests'
- You must leave any sort of name or nickname for us to address you by. Even initials will do. This is for clarity when I post your prayer requests, and also to address you in our prayers.
- I will reply to your prayer request by posting my prayers for you. Others can send in their prayers as well.
- I would also appreciate it if you could follow-up with us and let us know about whether your situation has improved or not, and how.
You can also send in your general prayers if you like. I will also be doing this.
Let's do this, guys. We can never have enough prayer in our lives. I actually have a prayer request as well:
In the past few weeks, I have been struggling with OCD. It's not extreme, but it's quite severe. I haven't been diagnosed but my behavior makes it clear that I'm being obsessive/compulsive. I'm obsessed with hygiene and cleanliness and keep feeling the need to wash my hands, feet, to shower, etc. While it's good to be hygienic, this is getting very bothersome and I cannot do my daily activities normally. It is really interfering with my life. I have prayed to Krishna to help me with this problem twice. Both times, after praying, the severity of the issue lessened greatly. But it keeps coming back. I understand it takes a while to heal and I am simultaneously trying to handle this issue, but it's getting rather intense and disturbing me mentally. I humbly request all of you to bestow a little mercy on me, and pray for me to be healed of this. I will keep praying to Krishna for His mercy as well. Thank you all in advance. Your blessings mean a lot to me. You can be sure to expect a follow-up from me.
UPDATE [26 Dec 2010]: I am so much better now! I feel so much lighter than before. My compulsions have lessened and I have all you wonderful devotees to thank for your thoughtful prayers, and I have our Lord Krishna to thank. Thanks to all of you who sent your prayers and good wishes to me. I am forever indebted to you.
Ever since I prayed to Krishna to give me strength, it's been easier to fight off impulses. I am still kind of nitpicky but waaayyyyyy better than before. Pretty much like my old self which is still very hygiene-conscious, but at a rather normal level. Every time I felt these impulses, I prayed to Krishna to give me strength to fight it. Sometimes I prayed to Krishna to keep me clean; forcing myself to fight the impulse; sometimes I would use the 'exposure' technique. That morning when I realized that I ought to pray for strength to fight back, everything just became so much easier. Haribol!
I also strongly believe it is the prayers of all you devotees. Thank you, 'In Love With Krishna' and thank you, S. Thanks for the prayers and thanks for the advice. Thanks so much all of you.
I really feel so much better now. I'm so much better than before. There still is quite a bit of room for improvement, but my mind is in a better, more peaceful condition now than it was before. Govinda Jaya!
Prayer requests, great idea!
ReplyDeletei really didn't get yours though. i mean, thinking you have OCD is different from actually having OCD, it's kinda like a disease by itself to diagnose oneself of something.
i guess you must just try chanting...just stop everything, and chanting whenyou have those impulses. :)
And, you are always in my prayers. :)
Well yeah, I haven't visited a doctor yet, but through my understanding of it, it's not very severe. People who have OCD are generally aware of their actions and they know about their obsessions/compulsions. Some do read too much into things and claim to have OCD when in fact, its pretty normal. It may not even be OCD but I know that I have this constant need to keep myself and things around me clean, which is practically impossible. The thing is, comparing myself now to myself before, I have become 10 times more obsessed with cleanliness. It's disrupting my daily activities. Like I literally have to wash my hands over 5-7 times in the same session. My hands are starting to burn because of the excess usage of soap. I keep telling myself that it's okay, and it's not dirty, but I can't stop myself from trying to clean up as much as I can. It's like this horrid fear of germs and contamination. I wasn't like this before, and that's when I started to realize that I might be on my way to developing a serious problem that might require medical help. So I researched into it, and having studied Psychology at University, I was able to understand that it's something I have developed and it can be treated. I figured I'm not simply claiming to have a problem, as much as the problem is taking up a lot of my time and energy, and causing me a lot of mental stress. I feel like I am being bound by something, and I just want to be free of this constant need to be clean. I'm thankful it's not as severe as others who are diagnosed with OCD. That itself is a blessing. Feeling like this is just so stressful. I can't imagine it getting worse and I really want to nip this in the bud, before it gets severe.
ReplyDeleteI prayed to Krishna before to help me with it, and it actually stopped for a little while but it kept coming back. This happened twice. But yes I must try chanting to fight the impulses. Today, while I was lying in bed, I thought maybe Krishna doesn't want me to pray for healing in the sense that the problem completely disappears in an instant but He wants me to pray for the strength to come through this and fight it. So I prayed for strength. I then began to feel a little lighter, and I felt my compulsions easier to fight this morning. Praise God!
Thanks for your prayers, and for your advice to chant. I should surely try that. I really appreciate it :)
Ya, like i have faced such situations in my life too.
ReplyDeleteBut, i think chanting, is a way of trying to make our minds unilaterally inclined to Him.
Your mind is a place where both good and bad can thrive, but truly, nothing else can if He does.
So, i think it is very important to chant, as i found in my case.
It's got a totally calming effect, and lends you a fresh perspective.
i was asked to chant when i faced problems like this, and it sure is an overwhelmingly phenomenal step in that direction.
I ought to give it a try. I have resorted to focusing my mind on Krishna when I have impulses, telling myself that I trust Krishna to keep me clean. He can make the fallen pure, so He can definitely purify me and keep me clean. I remind myself of these things to fight the impulses. I really should try to chant, as you have advised. Seeing that it has helped you surely encourages me. Although, do pray for me and give me some of your special devotee mercy :)
ReplyDeleteI also really really REALLY like what you said about how our minds are a place where both good and bad can exist, but if Krishna is there, nothing else will exist. I really liked that, thanks a lot! :) That was very very encouraging and so true!
Drainpiper, u'll always b in my prayers :)
ReplyDeletebtw, i found that our LOVABLE IDIOT is quite partial to our prayers when they are meant for others.
Like, He may pretend not to hear us when we ask for something, but when that's for someone else, He's all ears. :)
Like, this happened once that someone we knew lost their son. It really affected me (he was around my age, though i didn't know him). So, i would pray wherever i went for her to get another kid.
This went on for some time, and she became part of my daily prayers, and you won't believe it: she did get another kid!
Of course, my prayers were but part of the many prayers ht the couple might have offered, and perhaps insignificant, but the fact that He was there to hear was awesome :)
Yes I knowww! Even I have noticed that when I pray for something, not for my own selfish gain but for the sake of someone else, Krishna answers them immediately! He once healed me of a cold like this. I was in a Hare Krishna Youth Class and a boy was in the room, chanting, and I was sniffling so much. I prayed to Krishna to rid me of the cold so that I wouldn't be disturbing the boy's chanting. In an instant, it went away with me barely sniffling!
ReplyDeleteOnly recently did it hit me that this is what it means when they teach us to seek the mercy of devotees! What you said is just so true. I realized that this is also probably one of the reasons why there is a lot of healing in Christian churches where there is a lot of prayer for members in the group... like personal prayers said our aloud, collectively as a group, for someone. I personally didn't like asking to be prayed for, for some reason but I'm starting to realize it's importance. Moreover, we can never have enough prayer.
We have received mercy freely, from Krishna and Radha, from Chaitanya, from our teachers, our parents... So we must also freely give. And one way we can do that is by praying for one another :)
I am so much better now. Haribol! Long story short, ever since I began to pray to Krishna for strength to fight these impulses, it's been so much easier to do so. Moreover, some of you have prayed for my, and I believe so strongly that that has made such a huge difference. Thanks all of you :)
ReplyDeleteThanks ILWK, and thanks S. Thanks everyone :)
For a detailed update, please have a look at the original post. I have put an update there :)
Dear Drainpiper,
ReplyDeleteGlad to know u feel better.
May Krishna shower His grace on you. it's a sincere prayer from me. :)
And, the next time you do get so self-obsessed, remind yourself that you are already quite clean enough, for Krishna resides in your heart, making it more charming than ever. :)
Thanks, ILWK :)
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you for the beautiful comment about Krishna residing in my heart. I will surely keep that in mind. That would help so much! In fact, it already is. It's such a beautiful, consoling thought that you put into words. Haribol :)