ordinary Ramana Maharshi practice

[Guest guest]

have been wondering, also, about how the emulation of Ramana Maharshi can

> in any way be practical. Anyone who wishes to respond to this question is

> invited to give hard evidence direct from their own life. I'm talking about

> jobs, family, fights with the spouse. I'm not talking about a review of

> what Ramana Maharshi said.

 

I'm not certain who Im talking to - is it Nina? you are on a lot of lists,

you must be keen.

 

I'm an ordinary lay/householder wife/mother/granny etc. practitioner, mainly

from the Buddhist tradition but I follow Ramana Marhashi's advice which is

pretty similar to Zen. Before I follow any advice or practice I check out

the teacher (and their students). I was impressed to learn that he waited

upon those in his Ashram, treated everyone alike - didn't make any fuss

about himself and his suggestion for practice is quite simple - cuts through

directly -and can be done any time, any place and by anyone. I'd like to be

"like him" -human potential fully realized and so I ponder his life and in

this way he is a "model" - one amongst many.

 

"Who Am I?" really, really asking -who is writing, who is washing the

dishes, who is walking down the street, who is angry, depressed, fearful,

suffering, happy, kind, who feels equanimity, who feels loss, who is pissed

off with husband, friend, lover, who wants to paint, write books, who prays,

sings, laughs, crys, moans and whinges. Who sees injustice, who serves, who

marches with placards, who votes, who mops the floors, who pees and poops,

who is hungry, who is sick, who has babies, who worries, worries about the

kids and who are the children? who breathes, who laments and best one yet,

who dies????? Who sees, who hears, who touches, who tastes, who thinks, who

feels sensations, likes and dislikes? The delightful scent of incence

arising - who knows this, who experiences? Who has a body, who has a mind?

Who investigates?

 

One is then in the light of mind immediately, although one might not notice

as this is so obvious. Who doesnt notice, who doesnt understand and so on.

 

Any practice done correctly and passionately leads to equanimity - and joy

and tranquillity. And from this place practice is even easier. The waves

of mind have calmed down, body aligned with health, mental turbulance gone

and mind sees into the ultimate nature of things and into the world beyond

what we know of it.

 

This and any practice sincerely done is what sustains the world and relieves

its suffering state. Its the only radical political action that has any

real effect. It is the only way to achieve a meaningful life. Speaking from

experience one discovers courage, kindness, joy, compassion, insight and

Heart that were temporarily buried under suffering self and

broken-heartedness.

 

But, like anything, you can't just take my word for it. You have to find a

practice, or Way that calls you and you need to be willing to cultivate

Great Mind for all of your life. This happens to be our Purpose in being

alive. For some strange reason, not many want to do this activity we call a

"spiritual" way. I don't know what sustains their life -so we will have to

do it for "them."

 

This notion of "enlightenment" is called in some places awakening the mind

of bodhicitta - in some this doesn't awaken, in you, it evidently has (to

obtain this precious human body and then to have access to spiritual

teachings is considered great good karma) -so you follow it like the flower

follows the sun (you don't have any choice at this point so just give in to

it) -its a Great Adventure and marvelous people met along the way. And so

if an ordinary housewife can dance with this anyone can. Pole, pole, or

slowly, slowly as the Kenyans say.

 

Find a photo of any great Saint and be the Light in His eyes.

 

love

 

Joyce