To his surprise, the noise abated. Not only did the frogs cease their croaking, but all the creatures of the land fell silent.

Suddenly, an inner voice made its presence known to the monk. "Perhaps God finds the creatures’ voices pleasing…as pleasing as the silence of your prayers."

"I find it hard to believe that God finds the dreadful croaking of frogs pleasant," thought the monk. The inner voice persisted, "Why would He then create their voice?"

The monk decided to discover why. He bade the creatures to again speak and they obeyed. The air was filled with the sound of creatures singing.

The monk listened intently. Suddenly, he realized that if he did not resist the sounds they actually enhanced the silence of the night. The monk’s prayer became one with the sounds and he was delighted that he had discovered what it truly means to pray.

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There was once a king who offered a prize to the painter of the best painting representing peace. Many artists submitted their work but only two captured the king’s eyes.

One was of a calm lake—a perfect mirror for peaceful towering mountains all around it. Overhead, a blue sky with billowy white clouds. Everyone who viewed it felt it was the perfect picture of peace.

The other picture also had mountains but these were rugged and bare. Above was an angry sky from which hard rain fell and lightning flashed. Down the side of the mountain tumbled a foaming waterfall.  This did not appear peaceful at all.

The king, however, spotted a tiny bush growing in a crack in the rock behind the waterfall. In that bush was a nest. There, in the midst of the rush of angry water sat the mother bird in her nest. Perfect peace.

The king chose the second painting and awarded the prize to its painter. The king explained, "Peace does not mean to be in a place where there is no noise, trouble, or hard work. Peace means to be in the midst of all this and still be calm in your heart."

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A woman dreamed that she had walked into a shop and found God behind the counter.

"What do you sell here?" she asked. God replied, "Anything your heart desires."

Hardly daring to believe what she was hearing, she thought carefully for a moment and then uttered, "I want peace of mind and love and happiness and wisdom and freedom from fear." She paused and then added, "But not just for me. I want it for everyone in the world."

With a big smile on his face, God replied, "I believe you have the wrong idea, ma’am. We do not sell fruit here…only seeds."

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Many of us have learned, from early in life, to pray for the things we want. We have been told that God creates miracles and answers our prayers. I am sure that some will admit they have prayed for wealth or power at some time in their lives. Some have, no doubt prayed for a shiny new bike or a very special doll. And some may have prayed that their parents would get along or get back together. Certainly, there are many other things which have been requested through prayer. How often, then, has disappointment come when those prayers were not fulfilled?

Many have prayed for peace in the world...an end to war and poverty. Daily, prayer is made seeking this fulfillment. Again, how much disappointment comes when daily we see more fighting both abroad and at home?  When we see children and parents struggling for food, shelter, and clothing…both abroad and at home?

When we pray in such fashion, what really is occurring?  The answer is that we have separated ourselves from the universe and are expecting God to alter his creation to suit our picture of how it should be. We deny the greatest miracle…ourselves. We are declaring ourselves helpless in the face of the universe as it is and are asking that the universe suddenly cease being so.

Picture billions of people praying to God for Him to change his creation. How His ears must ring!  Such noise!

Now picture a distraught God asking, "Why, if they so regard me, do they feel that my creation is not perfect? I have given them the greatest miracle and yet they want more."

We pray that things be done outside ourselves. We seek fulfillment from without.

What would happen if suddenly there were no more war and no more poverty?  Would we truly be fulfilled? I suggest that we would be as empty inside as we are when praying for such fulfillment.

How then shall we pray and what shall we pray for?

Will it throw you out of balance if I say, "Pray for emptiness."? How about if I say, "Pray to lose this self separate from the universe."?

There are two definitions which apply to emptiness in this message. The first, referring to our separation from the universe, is one of helplessness. The second refers to clearing ourselves of distorted and helpless thinking and opening ourselves up to our true nature. A vessel can be empty and closed or it can be empty and ready to be filled. Too, a vessel can be filled and closed or it can be filled and ready to spill forth its contents. And now, the confusing concept. A vessel can be both empty and full at the same time. What I am saying is that when we empty ourselves of our negative thoughts and emotions we suddenly realize how full we are of positive thoughts and feelings.

And so, we pray to empty ourselves of those thoughts and emotions which separate us from the universe and suddenly, we realize our true, positive nature. Suddenly we no longer feel empty. Suddenly we begin to act in harmony with the universe. And suddenly, we begin to realize peace within ourselves and we begin to radiate peace around us. Suddenly, we begin to recognize the wealth that does exist in the universe and we begin to share our awareness with others. 

Suddenly, we realize that God, or the universe, is perfection...harmony. And we realize that as we change from within, we begin to answer all those prayers we expected to come about from without.