Meditation and prayer

Sri Chinmoy writes -

"Our prayer gives us a peaceful life. Our meditation gives us a beautiful heart.

The best definition of prayer is to practise it daily. The best definition of meditation is to experience it soulfully. Prayer rises; meditation spreads. Prayer intensifies our intimacy with the Supreme, whereas meditation increases our oneness with the Supreme."

Prayer -

"I pray. Why do I pray? I pray because I need God. When I pray, I think that God is high above me, above my head.

Prayer is purity. It purifies the mind, which is always subject to doubt, fear, worry and anxiety, and is always assailed by wrong thoughts and wrong movements. When we pray, purification takes place in our minds, and purity increases our God-receptivity. In fact, purity is nothing short of God-receptivity. Each time we pray, our inner receptacle becomes large, larger, largest. Then purity, beauty, light and delight can enter into that receptacle and sport together in the inmost recesses of our heart."

"Prayer is something absolutely intense and upward-soaring. When we pray, we feel that our existence is a one-pointed flame soaring upward. From the soles of our feet to the crown of our head, our whole being is invoking and calling upwards. The very nature of prayer is to reach God by going up."

Meditation -