THE AGENCY OF GRACE
Nothing is an accident. Whatever is happening to you is momentum from the collective human past, your own past and the past of the universe. How can you stop bad things from happening to you?
Skill, resilience and grace.
Skill and resilience depends on how you train, what you practice and what you believe, how you have been brought up, the connections you have and the genes you inherited. What percentage of results do skill and resilience give you? Maybe 5%
95% is Mahadev and Mahadevi letting you succeed.
Yet we put a lot of emphasis on developing skill and resilience. Preparation has always meant, "develop skill and resilience".
Its time to break out of this exhausting belief system and face reality. People with zero skill and resilience preparation have succeeded where those with 100% preparation of skill and resilience have failed.
You see it everyday.
What begets grace? Prarthana. Nothing else.
Prarthana is not begging or requesting Mahadev or Mahadevi as it's commonly practiced. It's giving them beautiful or meaningful things that they like, It's being kind, being considerate, being generous, being loving and being sensitive TOWARDS THEM.
I begin my prayer by observing their mood. Are they smiling, frowning, growling, glowing? And then I ask them to share what's up. Just like I would talk with my parents. And then I do my best to be of use and serve them.
Sometimes I ask them why something is happening, wars, riots, natural disasters. And they explain it to me. Then I ask them what I can do to help and they tell me. And I do it.
Sometimes I ask how I can be of service, and then I serve them.
Sometimes I ask them to explain how things work. Sometimes I ask them to help me figure out how long something will take.
Sometimes I entertain them with songs and art.
Sometimes I give them pleasure and joy with puja.
95% of my "training time" is spent in building this beautiful relationship. 5% of the time I swing some kettlebells and study shaastra and shastra.
I hope my explanation can help you protect yourself and win the boon of success.