[NDS] Bowing....(mathewfiles)

[Guest guest]

Thanks for sharing that Matt and Syena and Nina about

bowing.

 

I agree with most of this. Bowing can be a beautiful

thing even as a ritual and very nourishing.

 

The meaning of the Sanskrit word "Namaste" is that I

bow to the light in you. It is common greeting among

my Indian friends.

 

In my view, prostrating and kneeling to others goes

beyond just bowing and may subtly involve elements of

power, expolitation, debasement, and the notion that

some are implicitly more equal than others.

 

Group psychology can be very powerful and when used

negatively can have harmful consequences. That is my

observation after being in the "spiritual arena" for

almost for decades.

 

The true prostrating is that of the mind kneeling to

the Self that is the Heart or the Lord and offering

itself in complete surrender. The result of that

prostration is Self-Realization.

 

Probably people do what they consider to be best for

themselves, and that is how it is.

 

Love to all

Harsha

 

--- Syena <hot_syena wrote:

>

> I agree with you here Mathew. I think the whole

> deal with bowing is about what is going on within

> the 'bower' and not the 'bowee'.

>

> It's all about your consciousness anyway don't you

> think? Your reaction. Your resistance or acceptance.

> Your growth or stuckness.

>

> It has nothing to do with what or whom you are

> bowing to unless YOU make it so.

>

> However, that being said...I think one can bow to

> anything with love and honor...within or

> without...as only the ego really cares one way or

> t'other what it looks like or whom

> to......everything is Shiva no?

>

> To hide the bow to 'within' becomes an ego issue if

> there is resistance to humbling oneself publicly...

> It's all a lot of fun to sort out....no?

>

> Humbling oneself takes a very big spirit and a very

> tiny ego...a very loving heart enmeshed in clarity.

>

> I'm sure in the beginning it would affect some as

> though they were a cat and it's hair was rubbed the

> wrong way....ever seen the disgusted look on a

> 'puff-cat'? lol I think gurus are aware of

> this...and tis one of the reasons its a part of the

> program.

>

> Syena.

>

> ...............Bowing is a part of the formal

> gatherings with my

> spiritual master, as well as the exchange of

> prasad. The first time I

> did it I nearly bolted from the room rather than

> go through with it.

> It was such an affront to ego, every cell in my

> body panicked, sheer

> terror. Today, 25 years later, the bowing part of

> those formal weekly

> gatherings is my favorite part.

> ...............matthew

 

 

 

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