By Paulo Coelho
A farm labourer with a sick wife, asked a Buddhist monk to say a series of prayers. The priest began to pray, asking God to cure all those who were ill.
‘Just a moment,’ said the farm labourer. ‘I asked you to pray for my wife and there you are praying for everyone who’s ill.’
‘I’m praying for her too.’
‘Yes, but you’re praying for everyone. You might end up helping my neighbour, who’s also ill, and I don’t even like him.’
‘You understand nothing about healing,’ said the monk, moving off. ‘By praying for everyone, I am adding my prayers to those of the millions of people who are also praying for their sick. Added together, those voices reach God and benefit everyone. Separately, they lose their strength and go nowhere.’
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A great lesson in spirituality and compassion.
& now I know why our prayers are not being answered.
I pray for the strong and the healthy ..let them remain the light and hope that guides and connects our lives and brings happiness and joy and comfort for those who need strenght
The farmer’s daughter had watched the monk and while he moved away she ran after him. “Sir”, she asked him, “why didn’t you tell my father you had also prayed for all the suffering animals in this world?”. The monk looked at her and smiled: “You can see a lot unspoken things, my sister. Your father would’nt understand that by also praying for the suffering animals I would free the animals on your farm. They’re not supposed to be killed and eaten or to be taken away their children. They’re not supposed to serve as meal for christmas, a day of love and peace. Their gifts should’nt be exploited by eating enormous masses of cheap eggs and milk”
“But it’s his job. That’s how we earn our living,” the girl said. “You can’t expect to be treated better than you do yourself”, the monk replied, “If you kill and exploit you will be treated the same way. For god all living beings are brothers and sisters and all of them are his children.” Your father cannot believe he’s part of god. That’s why he can’t pray for his enemys. Once he understands that he is part of god he will see that his neighbour is also part of god. He will understand that all life is part of god and that there are only brothers and sisters.” “So what should my father do”, the girl asked. “He should free his animals himself before others will do so. His trust in god will show him a new way to take care of your family.” “I understand what you say because my heart feels it’s true” the girl replied. “What happens if my father doesn’t want to change?” The monk looked at her and said “The world’s changing anyway and collective prayers are strong. He will loose all he has no pure right on. He can fight against it or let it go. It doesn’t matter because unrightful suffering will come to an end. People like him might then complain why me, why not my neighbour? But a lot of people will start to ask the right question”
The girl asked, “Which question do you mean?” and the monk replied “They will truly ask, what did I do wrong and then they will get an answer from god. After they found out what was wrong they will ask, how can I do better and god will answer again. While these people start to open their hearts for this world killing and exploitation will come to stop and peace will lay down on earth. Since there will be a lot of people asking these questions world will change to the place we have been promised a long time ago.”
This is so brilliant, not only as a theory, but to put into practice. It is a slight adjustment in thought during a prayer, but I imagine it can do wonders. The mind is a complex, powerful, enigma, 96% of which we don’t use and have no idea what potentials it holds.
To connect to and enter the energy of all the prayers in the universe, is a conscious thought adjustment.
We all have been in groups where the people had one voice, for example, a demonstration or a chorus. The energy of all the people uniting is so very powerful and penetraing and so much more stronger than one person singing…
When we pray, we are sending out an energy… at that exact moment, there must be a large number of people on the earth also praying, and to consciously connect to that energy, surely will have a stronger affect.
Words, thoughts, all have vibrations… Now scientists are looking into healing the earth with water because water can carry and reflect vibrations (extending Dr. Emoto’s work).
Thank you so much Paulo! My prayers from now will be united!
Love u.
C.
Your story makes me think because I have never felt in me of spiritual energy by participating in a religious service. Nevertheless, I like praying for the life which is a gift of love…
Light & Love,
This story has made me realize how blessed and loved we are- we´re not only being blessed by our family but by some people out there who care about us indirectly.
Thank you Mr. Coelho :)
Thank you Paulo,
I love that these stories you post, provide contemplative thought and inspiration!
Had been praying alone but now also collectively, for the uplifting of every plant, animal, and person everywhere on earth.
And noticed from the very first time praying with a prayer group, and ever since, an incredibly energizing and peaceful feeling felt both during prayer, and afterwards. Also a floating, weightless sensation.
Much Love to All, Jane : ) xo
That’s AMORE!
Love
Olta
sei un grande!
Beautiful. Like this!
Thank you Paulo. Your prayers have reached their targets. I’m going to join you :-) x
I pray for individuals and I pray for the sick. When I pray for individuals it is important that it is not a test of the healing power. This is said in the Bible, it was said by my Sami healer friend, and it is my own experience. If I pray for indiviuals, it is very important that it happends with unreserved emotional openness. If there are people around having doubts or producing negative thoughts, it will be very disturbing for the healing process. My Sami friend had to go and see patients later if there were people around who disturbed the contact with the patient.
Even under optimal conditions I find that the connection with the spiritual power/God can take place at night one or two days after I have been with a patient. Healing does not always take place at the moment when you see the patient, or when you talk to him/her on the phone. Some people are very easily helped, others it is very difficult to help. It depends on what kind of disease the patient has, if the patient has had the disease for a long time – if the body has found a new equilibrium with the disease or injury it might be difficult to see a major difference. If there is major brain injury from infections, it might be difficult to help. Also if vital organs are absent or severely damaged it might be difficult to help. If there is illness of no importance it is more difficult to help than if it is something severe. I think this has to do with the emotional openness I mentioned above. The channel is easily opened when it is very serious disease. To me it feels like the thymus gland is very important for this opening. This is the heart chakra. Also the energy centers in the palm of the hands are very important. Very often I have “a good feeling” when I meet a patient, even if the diagnosis is very serious. When I have this good feeling the patient use to get well, but it might take a long time. A few times I have followed patients for a year or more, and been talking to these people very often – maybe every evening. In these periods I also feel the healing energy on a daily/nightly basis. Other times healing can take place almost instantly. Sometimes herbal teas are used. The patients have to inform their physicians about taking the tea.
If I get “exposed” as a healer I will have to pray for the sick people in the way the Buddhist monk did: A general prayer for the sick. It would be very demanding to help a lot of people the way I do.
If we all unite in prayers for sick people, and maybe burn candles in churches or other holy places, I’m sure we can help many sick people.
Dear Mari Ann,
What you have shared here is very interesting.
But while I was reading your comment some questions came to my mind.
I don’t know if you can give an answer to them.
But I was wandering about how come that the healing effects take time before they give they results?
However I was wandering if you can tell us more about the thymus gland and the palm of the hands?
I’m especially curious to know about the palm of the hand’s energy.
I was wandering all that because I’ve experienced something very interesting from time to time using the mix between loving and praying for those who I found ill.
It has happened to me to alleviate headaches, fever, and other physical pain. But just that. I am not a healer ;)
I just think I’m too selfish for that. hehehehehehehe
I was curious about the palm of the hands because I’ve noticed that they play a very important role on all this, but I always wanted to know more.
Anyway thank you again for sharing your comment in this blog, and for the good that you do!
LOVE
Olta
Prayer works according to your faith.
We are all connected, no one stands in isolation. When we realise this and begin to treat each other as we would ourselves want to be treated then we will make a massive leap forward in consciousness. By praying for all the sick we are at the same time praying for the individual because in the individual lies the whole and in the whole the individual.
Hi!
I had to think awhile on this one, as sometimes I pray for single individuals, other times I pray for a group, for instance ‘my enemies’, or for the whole world, for instance ‘for peace’. Remember I read about some contemplative nuns, they at times pray intensely for one soul. I’m not sure if it was St. Teresa or St Catherine who prayed for one lost soul, a hard core criminal, a murderer. Well, he changed his heart before being executed, so the saint was sure her prayers were heard.
Another example of praying for a large group in the whole world, is how Pope John Paul II (Rest his soul) always prayed for the youth. He loved that age group.
Myself I have thought, if I can ever handle Paulo Coelho, I will be able to handle any street child in Brazil! Joking!
Love,
Heart
Thanks Poulo for highlighting this… I think everyone should recognize the collective self which they posses (or maybe which posseses them)
Now I understand… :) Thank you, Paulo!
Thanks a lot Paulo.
I wondered often, why i have to people, that i don’t know or i haven’t ever me.
Frankly i pray only for me myself, family and friends.
From now on, i pray for others too, although i don’t know them.
“Не подлежит сомнению,что своим существованием доныне весь мир обязан монашеским молитвам.”(Руфин Аквилейский)
I will join this prayer!
Love, Monika
Beautiful story as usual and amazingly true, thank you for that! You are one of a kind.
Good boy
May you be forgotten – a man, who does not want to be aware of his holiness – no personal prayers…
Selflessness is honorable – too much selflessness can harm yourself.
yeah very true .i remembered an old proverb togrther we stand divided we fall.we all need to hold our hands and be together .with love and gratitude.ARHAM
If the monk were also a good psychologist, he would pray for everyone who is ill (for the reason he explained) and then add an personal prayer for the woman. Someone who is in distess needs a personal speech. The experience of a personal prayer will strengthen the faith of the women and this will help her to recover.
good point.although it is said :you are the world ,but most person think themselves individual,if one really wants to help others ,who’d think of the individual situation. so this monk can’t compare the monk in last day’s story(although from paulo’s).
Suppose its just the Buddhist way of seeing things.. all and everybody is one. Different than the Western views, where everybody is an individual firstly.
I think God answers any prayer that is said with sincerity and that is for good whether it be in a group or individual.
But, on saying that, I believe strongly in the power of prayer said in a group. I’ve been mulling over why this is for a while and I still haven’t been able to properly clarify my thoughts on it. I always think of God as a parent wanting the best for his children – and many parents will attest to the fact that they want to be secure in the knowledge that each of their children will look out for eachother and work together. That the selflessness of wanting what’s best for another, is love exemplified.
sir,
your story is so beautiful .But there some problem ,in Buddhism we a not praying to god actually there is no word such as pray .therefore pls change the story.
thankyou.
Funny! I was thinking about the same thing too.
But I thought that maybe Paulo had an explanation on that too.
Good observation suranga!
Love
Olta
I love to recieve this story at this moment in my life.
I was meditating every day for a sick friend of mine.
From now on I will do so for all the sick people.
Thank you for reminding me the importance of that.
Love,
Mirjam
Even i start my prayer with the note…”Thank u “…to the Almighty n my Dad..n i pray 4 everything nice around me…i learnt dis frm my sweet mom but i always ve an inner feeling tht i haven’t done something nice in return to the Universe for all it has blessed me with…:)still trying to be d best…still growing to find my path…
The power of intention can move mountains and craft “miracles”
Love the story!
loveNlight
Gabi
C’est ce que mon oreille avait besoin d’entendre. Merci!
Eu acredito na força da oração para a operação de milagres. A única oração que repito toda noite, além dos agradecimentos antes das refeições, é de Khalil Gibran. Eu aprendi quando tinha dez anos e li o primeiro livro dele: “Deus nosso, que és o nosso eu alado, é a tua vontade em nós que quer, é o teu desejo em nós que deseja. É o teu impulso em nós que pode transformar as nossas noites que te pertencem em dias que também te pertençam. Nada te podemos pedir, pois conheces as nossas necessidades antes mesmo que nasçam em nós; tu és a nossa necessidade e dando-nos mais de ti, tu nos dá tudo.”
Saudações, Sr. Paulo! Obrigada.
Namaste to you all,
I like to join lynn: thanks for the nice story as an example of metta meditation.
For me metta and tonglen are good practices that keep me close to the feminine energy, and help me to grow my compassion & empathy to the world. at the same time, it gives me a chance to look at an enemy in a different way
and
they are … powerful
I like the series of stories, good idea. Is a coincidence the story with my state(being ill for a while), I love the idea, we must unify our strenghts, mental and physical. But hatred is always a problem, as selfisness is too, we must overpass such feelings, and the world should look happier.
Amen
I love this. Stronger by the mass…we’re all more alike than we think.
Bravura! Well said. I do believe that together if we pray for all, the healing is effective and faster.
Thank You Paulo for a lovely story as always.
Love!
Amen. Let’s all pray for each other. If we all learn to care, this will become a better world.
Very true
Every single day I pray
in silence
with all my heart:
Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy Will be done, on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
A very potent and powerful prayer my friend. The last two lines are just too good.
Thanks and keep me too in your ‘prayer’
Regards,
Shiva
AMEN.
LOVE,
Thelma xxx
This is beautiful Paulo,
It is because of the prayers of those who pray for ALL that we are able to “be” :-)
Love and warm light to you…
Lainee
Loved it!
Long ago I read an article about a research carried out at a hospital. There was a group of people praying for some patients for a given period of time. It showed how praying helped them to get better if compared to the group nobody was praying for. I was completely astonished after reading the article.
Simply beautiful. Often we forget the power of prayer carries most weight when it is collective.
And unlike us…God is all forgiving, accepting and all loving!
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