Guest guest Posted September 23, 2001 Report Share Posted September 23, 2001 Wim & Friends, In responding to Dan/db's advaitic reasoning, Wim said: "You see Dan, years ago I already went through deliberations similar to yours, and found them to be philosophically flawed... A wise lady and life prompted me, and...I could not afford to beat around the bush any longer...reality called..." It must be about 20 years ago, while I was with Baba Muktananda's tour in Santa Monica, that a good friend was contemplating asking Baba to allow him to take the vows of strict renunciation and become a Sannyasi...that is a possessionless monk who, in this case, would dedicate himself to realization through the path of complete surrender to his Guru. The tide of Shakti was high and many of Baba's advanced, or simply extremely dedicated disciples were considering Sannyas. When I describe my friend, from my point of view, I realize that I'm describing an unusual relationship between people who couldn't have been much more different, at least as types, one from the other. I was in recovery from a life pretty thoroughly abandoned to drugs and alcohol, of sophisticated intellect given to seeing things in a multilayered ironical fashion (but sick of it), and he was as thoroughly straight and uncomplicated an individual as I had ever met. He was literally a perfect Boy Scout, and if he ever exhibited the slightest deviance or struggle with his life philosophy or spiritual calling, it was completely concealed from me. I thought of him as the perfect Christian, and the slight condescension this caused in me was almost perfectly balanced by my appreciation of his profound integrity and commitment. When he confessed to me in a quiet moment that he was considering Sannyas, I thought, Well of course, what else ? He wasn't asking my advice or approval, still, I told him that I couldn't imagine a more fitting direction for him. I was sure that Baba would immediately approve his commitment, and told him so. He waited a few days, perhaps seeking a few more opinions, although I doubt it, and then on one of the many Hindu holidays that were celebrated around Baba, I bumped into him waiting around for the Darshan line to form up and he indicated that he was going to ask Baba about Sannyas at a private Darshan later in the afternoon. I saw him a day or two later and of course ran right up to him and asked him what happened with Baba. He stunned me by saying that Baba had unequivocally turned him down, telling him, "Just wait and see what happens." Within 3 months this utterly celibate straight arrow practitioner, who's slightest gesture never suggested that a sexual conflict, or even a girlfriend, for that matter, had ever occured to him was married by Baba to a young woman he met at the same makeshift temporary ashram in Santa Monica, and was well on his way to fathering 3 happy and well parented children. Baba, "a wise lady and life prompted" him, and while he remained a nondual and completely committed worker for Baba, he did it from the posture of duality, devotion and surrender to the life of a householder devotee. Not one of us who knew him could have seen or predicted this, in hindsight, utterly natural growth into life as one member of a family unit, so pure and complete was his nondual dedication to the philosophy of Kashmir Saivism and a life of impecable conduct. "Just wait and see what happens." yours in the bonds, eric Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 23, 2001 Report Share Posted September 23, 2001 Thank you Eric... >>> A wise lady and life prompted me, and...I could not afford to beat around the bush any longer...reality called..." I was actually 18 at the time (this was in 1962) and ended up living in a Trappist monastery as a monk... I met many more wise women and men... Love never was not...nor was reality... Love indeed, only love... Love Wim... EBlackstead [EBlackstead] Sunday, September 23, 2001 1:54 PM Advaitic reasoning & the Nondual posture. Wim & Friends, In responding to Dan/db's advaitic reasoning, Wim said: "You see Dan, years ago I already went through deliberations similar to yours, and found them to be philosophically flawed... It must be about 20 years ago, while I was with Baba Muktananda's tour in Santa Monica, that a good friend was contemplating asking Baba to allow him to take the vows of strict renunciation and become a Sannyasi...that is a possessionless monk who, in this case, would dedicate himself to realization through the path of complete surrender to his Guru. The tide of Shakti was high and many of Baba's advanced, or simply extremely dedicated disciples were considering Sannyas. When I describe my friend, from my point of view, I realize that I'm describing an unusual relationship between people who couldn't have been much more different, at least as types, one from the other. I was in recovery from a life pretty thoroughly abandoned to drugs and alcohol, of sophisticated intellect given to seeing things in a multilayered ironical fashion (but sick of it), and he was as thoroughly straight and uncomplicated an individual as I had ever met. He was literally a perfect Boy Scout, and if he ever exhibited the slightest deviance or struggle with his life philosophy or spiritual calling, it was completely concealed from me. I thought of him as the perfect Christian, and the slight condescension this caused in me was almost perfectly balanced by my appreciation of his profound integrity and commitment. When he confessed to me in a quiet moment that he was considering Sannyas, I thought, Well of course, what else ? He wasn't asking my advice or approval, still, I told him that I couldn't imagine a more fitting direction for him. I was sure that Baba would immediately approve his commitment, and told him so. He waited a few days, perhaps seeking a few more opinions, although I doubt it, and then on one of the many Hindu holidays that were celebrated around Baba, I bumped into him waiting around for the Darshan line to form up and he indicated that he was going to ask Baba about Sannyas at a private Darshan later in the afternoon. I saw him a day or two later and of course ran right up to him and asked him what happened with Baba. He stunned me by saying that Baba had unequivocally turned him down, telling him, "Just wait and see what happens." Within 3 months this utterly celibate straight arrow practitioner, who's slightest gesture never suggested that a sexual conflict, or even a girlfriend, for that matter, had ever occured to him was married by Baba to a young woman he met at the same makeshift temporary ashram in Santa Monica, and was well on his way to fathering 3 happy and well parented children. Baba, "a wise lady and life prompted" him, and while he remained a nondual and completely committed worker for Baba, he did it from the posture of duality, devotion and surrender to the life of a householder devotee. Not one of us who knew him could have seen or predicted this, in hindsight, utterly natural growth into life as one member of a family unit, so pure and complete was his nondual dedication to the philosophy of Kashmir Saivism and a life of impecable conduct. "Just wait and see what happens." yours in the bonds, eric /join All paths go somewhere. No path goes nowhere. Paths, places, sights, perceptions, and indeed all experiences arise from and exist in and subside back into the Space of Awareness. Like waves rising are not different than the ocean, all things arising from Awareness are of the nature of Awareness. Awareness does not come and go but is always Present. It is Home. Home is where the Heart Is. Jnanis know the Heart to be the Finality of Eternal Being. A true devotee relishes in the Truth of Self-Knowledge, spontaneously arising from within into It Self. Welcome all to a. Your use of is subject to --- Incoming mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.277 / Virus Database: 146 - Release 9/5/2001 --- Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free. Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.277 / Virus Database: 146 - Release 9/5/2001 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.