Poem ‘The Best Way To Pray’ by Alan Wherry

The best way is to pray,
Pray with your heart
Give me strength
That I am not deceiving myself.

Give me strength that I face myself
That I try to improve myself.
These are defects that are not my own
They are outside, they'll fall off

Forgive me because I have been ignorant,
I have made mistakes. Please forgive me.
The first thing one has to ask for is
forgiveness.

Give me a sweet tongue.
By which I become communicative with others,
That they respect me, like me,
And enjoy my presence.

Oh Lord, give me the sense of security of my Spirit,
That I do not trouble others, or get angry.
Give me sense of my own dignity, so that I do not feel that I am belittled
or that someone has belittled me.

Give me the witness-state, Give me satisfaction
Wherever my attention is drifting,
Give me Chittanirodh.
Teach me to avoid things that tempt me, that take away my attention.

Please keep me away from ego
Ideas that I'm superior to others,
Or in any way that takes away my meekness and humility.
Give me natural humility by which I can penetrate into the hearts of people.