Guest guest Posted November 30, 2001 Report Share Posted November 30, 2001 Dear Bruce, now I see what you mean. Those who don't love, even hate, themselves, surely shouldn't hate their neighbors as themselves. I guess we might allow for some latitude and interpret this as, "treat thy neighbor as thou wouldst want to be treated thyself." This may be justified in view of the story that Jesus himself uses to illustrate that dictum further. Here is the whole story: "And, behold, a certain lawyer stood up, and tempted him, saying, Master, what shall I do to inherit eternal life? He said unto him, What is written in the law? How readest thou? And he answering said, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself. And he said unto him, Thou hast answered right: this do, and thou shalt live." "But he, willing to justify himself, said unto Jesus, And who is my neighbour? And Jesus answering said, a certain man went down from Jerusalem to Jericho, and fell among thieves, which stripped him of his raiment, and wounded him, and departed, leaving him half dead. And by chance there came down a certain priest that way: and when he saw him, he passed by on the other side. And likewise a Levite, when he was at the place, came and looked on him, and passed by on the other side. But a certain Samaritan, as he journeyed, came where he was: and when he saw him, he had compassion on him, and went to him, and bound up his wounds, pouring in oil and wine, and set him on his own beast, and brought him to an inn, and took care of him. And on the morrow when he departed, he took out two pence, and gave them to the host, and said unto him, Take care of him; and whatsoever thou spendest more, when I come again, I will repay thee. Which now of these three, thinkest thou, was neighbour unto him that fell among the thieves? And he said, He that shewed mercy on him. Then said Jesus unto him, Go, and do thou likewise." Michael -----Ursprungliche Nachricht----- Von: Bruce Morgen [editor] Gesendet: Thursday, November 29, 2001 22:08 An: Betreff: Re: Reincarnation (was: God Bless America) It's simple Mike, the phrase "as thyself" describes in what way one can "love thy neighbor." If you cannot love yourself, the way you relate to your neighbor will not be loving and the sage advice becomes moot. On Thu, 29 Nov 2001 22:38:30 +0100 MikeSuesserott writes: > Dear Bruce, > > sorry, but being a bear of very little brain, I don't quite > understand what > you mean. Could you elaborate a bit? > > Thanks, > > Michael > > > -----Ursprungliche Nachricht----- > Von: Bruce Morgen [editor] > Gesendet: Thursday, November 29, 2001 20:50 > An: > Betreff: Re: AW: Reincarnation (was: God Bless > America) > > > Not quite, Mike. Without actual > self-love (as contrasted with > narcissism or conceit), the > wisdom of loving "thy neighbor > as thyself" is essentially > meaningless and moot. > > On Thu, 29 Nov 2001 21:39:53 +0100 MikeSuesserott > writes: > > Dear Jan, > > > > rugged individualist that you are, I take it you must have been a > > very unusual child! Were you difficult to handle? :-) > > > > It seems that all great teachers emphasized, and also expressed > in > > their own > > lives, that caring and sharing aspect you mention. "Thou shalt > love > > the Lord > > thy God with all thy heart, ..., and thy neighbor as thyself." > Sort > > of sums it all up, doesn't it? > > > > Take care, > > > > Michael > > > > > > -----Ursprungliche Nachricht----- > > Von: jb [kvy9] > > Gesendet: Thursday, November 29, 2001 01:49 > > An: > > Betreff: Re: Reincarnation (was: God Bless > > America) > > > > > > Dear Mike, > > > > Thanks for the enjoyable story - and it sure rings a bell. > > I had my share of "not being born a blank" too and it was > > about what in this era would be impossible: a technically > > highly advanced society with a simple lifestyle - living in > > tents, enjoying outdoor life when off-duty. Hence the love for > > that - and the Canaries are ideal for it. > > Humans however are social creatures - they will be unhappy, > > unless serving their brethren (caring an sharing). In that respect > > i'm reminded by a story on Aurobindo, who shut himself up in a > > closed room for abt 20 years and (hence? advised to "realize", > > functioning in society. Another pointer came from communism: > > workers who did hard, physical work would earn more than doctors > > or engineers. That didn't cause a shortage of academics though... > > > > Peace, > > Jan > > > > > > On 11/28/01 at 5:58 PM MikeSuesserott wrote: > > > > :Dear Jan, > > : > > :let me take this opportunity to thank you for your great > > photographs and > > :haikus that I enjoy a lot. My favorite is titled, "Alone?", and > > shows a > > :mountain goat on a hill top. Even as a very young child I had > > always felt a > > :great longing for rocky peaks and snow-capped mountains, and as > you > > are > > :saying, "a few fragments were recalled" of a past beyond this > life. > > Though > > :I > > :know a little more fully now, rather than speak of myself let me > > relate a > > :story that was told in my presence by one monk, Brother > Anandamoy, > > who was > > :a > > :direct disciple of Paramahansa Yogananda. > > : > > :Brother had been with Yoganandaji for only a few month when he > had > > this > > :experience during his practice of Kriya. (Kriya Yoga, as you may > > know, is > > :the meditation technique taught by Yoganandaji.) So one day > while > > doing his > > :Kriya, this monk accidentally discovered the technique of > viewing > > his own > > :past incarnations. While still engrossed in the experience, and > > enjoying it > > :thoroughly, he was suddenly interrupted by a call from outside. > > "Master > > :wants to see you immediately!" In Brother's words, "being the > > embodiment of > > :ignorance" he hurried straight to Yoganandaji to give him the > glad > > tidings, > > :fully expecting a good dose of praise for his exploit. But even > > before he > > :could utter a word, Yoganandaji said sternly, "I don't want you > to > > look at > > :your past incarnations. Do not identify yourself with the past > > masquerades > > :of your soul." > > : > > :Take care, > > : > > :Michael > > : ______________ GET INTERNET ACCESS FROM JUNO! Juno offers FREE or PREMIUM Internet access for less! Join Juno today! For your FREE software, visit: http://dl.www.juno.com/get/web/. /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 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted December 1, 2001 Report Share Posted December 1, 2001 Hi Michael, >one additional reason why we should not try to remember our past incarnations was also pointed out by Yoganandaji, a reason that might not be obvious at first. It seems that in the course of our past lives we have also committed countless errors, some of them of a very serious nature, such that every soul has so many skeletons in his or her closet that if we knew them all the feeling of guilt would be overwhelming for us - more than an ordinary mortal could bear. Yes. The only way I found to be open to memories was to trust my guides (or high self or however you like to put it). I trust that I will be protected from remembering anything that I truely can't bear, and then whatever I do remember is something I can manage. Personally, I've sometimes found it necessary to face something I've done in the past and forgive myself. And that's the only way I've found to really forgive other people - is to realize that I've made mistakes, we've all made mistakes, even though we are always coming into another life to learn to love more and better, and I forgive myself and the others too. >So it may actually be a good thing that when we die we drink that draught of the river Lethe, and get a new beginning in our next life. It seems necessary to get established in a new life. I think it's sometimes very difficult for those kids who do remember something very bad. Best to establish the personality of this life and then open up to the wider self. Love, Dharma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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