Often, people say, “Behind every successful man is a woman.” I would like to modify this saying: Behind every success, there is the Divine, saying, “I am behind you.” The Divine dawns in you when you pray for It, when you cry out to It.

Prayer is a vital tool to improve your life. What you can do, do it. What you cannot do, pray for it! When you feel an obstacle is too much to handle, deep prayer can work miracles. Whatever you do, know that a Higher Power has the final say, and you can tap into that power through your prayers.

You don’t need any special qualifications or abilities to pray. Whether fool or wise, rich or poor, anybody can pray. Prayer doesn’t mean just sitting and chanting words. It is about entering a serene, calm, meditative state. That is why, in the Vedic tradition, dhyana (meditation) is performed before and after prayer. When the mind is focused, the prayer becomes far more powerful.

Prayer is the cry of the soul. Whom you pray to is not important. While religion adds words, symbols, and rituals, prayer itself transcends them. It happens on the subtle level of feelings; feelings transcend words and religion. The act of praying itself has the power to bring transformation.

When you pray, there should be total involvement. If the mind is preoccupied elsewhere, it is not prayer at all. When there is pain, there is more involvement. That is why people turn to prayer in times of suffering. Prayer arises when you feel grateful or utterly helpless. In either case, your prayers will be answered. When you feel helpless, prayer happens naturally. That is why in Hindi we say, “Nirbal toh Balram”—if you are weak, God is with you. Prayer is the moment when you come in touch with your limitations, your boundaries.

In today’s fast-paced world, people often pray out of fear or greed. Usually, when you love something, you want to possess it, and you pray for it. True prayer, however, is the opposite of wanting to possess—it is about honoring and offering everything to the Divine. Honoring brings devotion, which leads to surrender. Devotion brings a healing touch to life.

Devotion and faith are the central core of prayer. True prayer cannot happen without them. Faith is the realisation that God’s protection is always there. Devotion is an inner flowering and begins where you are. Unless you are lit with devotion to the Divine, your life will remain restless. In devotion, longing arises, and when there is longing, true prayer happens naturally.

Be sincere in your prayers. Do not try to outsmart the Divine. Consider the time you give to the Divine. Usually, it is the leftover time—when you have nothing else to do, no guests to attend to, no parties to attend. This is not quality time. Give prime time to the Divine, and you will be rewarded. If your prayers are not answered, it may be because you have never given quality time.

Four types of people go to God: those who seek the truth (knowledge and freedom), the wise ones (gyanis), those who seek material comforts (wealth), and those who are in misery. The wise one does not pray for anything; his life itself is a prayer. If you pray at all, pray for the happiness of all people: Loka Samastha Sukhinou Bhavantu—may everybody be happy.

(Writer is a is a globally renowned spiritual leader, humanitarian, and peacebuilder. He is also the founder of The Art of Living foundation, according to the Art of Living).