Osho - Prayer means Listening to God

Osho- Prayer does not mean saying something to god, asking for something, prayer means listening to god. If you have to say something it can only be a thank you. A simple yes is enough. But organized religions all over the world have been teaching people unnecessary prayers. And people are repeating those prayers, parrotlike. They have lost all meaning, they have become pure ritual, they are only formal.

Being here with me you have to learn the true prayer. It consists of silence, it consists of deep listening. God wants to convey something to you. He's searching for you, but he never finds you because you are always so busy. Whenever he rings you are engaged.

Be silent, more and more unoccupied, more and more available, and soon you will start hearing the still, small voice within. God does not speak from the outside, he speaks from your innermost core, he is already there. And to be connected with your innermost core is true prayer. The moment you are connected... it is so blissful, so ecstatic that you can only bow down in deep gratitude. There is nothing to say, or only a deep yes. One may cry in joy or dance almost like a drunkard -- that is okay, that is absolutely right. But a Christian prayer, a Hindu prayer, a Mohammedan prayer, are all nonsense. Prayer cannot be Christian or Hindu, just like love cannot be Christian or Hindu.

'Prayer' is one of the most beautiful words, but tremendously misunderstood. and the misunderstanding has been perpetuated by the so-called religious people: by the priests and the rabbis. They have been telling people that prayer means a dialogue with god; if you have to say something to god. That is utter nonsense -- we have nothing to say.

On the contrary we have to listen to god; that is prayer -- not saying something but listening. Saying is aggressive, listening is receptive. Saying is masculine, listening is feminine. We have to be just all ears. When you are just all ears, listening from every pore of your body, you are in prayer. And then certainly god speaks. And he speaks from the innermost core of your own being.

But we are continuously full of chatter. Even in the churches, temples, synagogues, we are chattering. In the name of prayer we go on chattering. We go on talking, saying things to god. He knows; there is no need to say anything to him. But we need to listen to him. It is a very still, small voice, but if you are silent it is heard. And once you have heard the divine voice within you, you are no more the same. That is the moment of rebirth: you are born anew.

Source - Osho Book "Fingers Pointing to the Moon"