Guest guest Posted January 5, 2005 Report Share Posted January 5, 2005 love to you, Lady Joyce, Harsha and dear ones. thank you for writing about ahimsa and equanimity in compassion. so much that cannot be spoken, however i am drawn to respond here about the grace that i see. what awakens compassion is blessed. each awakening is opened by its key. it matters not what vehicle is used, though we may care deeply for the ones we know, and the ones we are touched by, through specific events and experiences. for many, the effects of these tsunamis have hurt terribly even as the full implications are still being revealed. as someone who works with suffering, it is not softened knowing there are others who suffer too. yet, when a planet for the first time reaches out in this scale of response, there is hope. a scarce commodity. hope, let's notice it, i say to myself. knowing that those i sit with each day cry out most for this one essential life giving essence, hope, regardless of circumstances faced. while each may need different strings of the heart struck to reveal compassion's chords, there is no escaping that all faces ultimately turn, knowing that this too, is my face, my heart. knowing that all this is from innocence, and it is ok now, to have compassion for this self, that believed in separation, that believed it had to protect itself from an other, or ignore itself as the other. out of time, and in all time that exists, this recognition is already here. we have the blessing of being in the unfolding. as our hearts reach to hearts, i can state i have known the fear of being heartbroken by opening to all that is. it is the unbearable born. and as there may be peace beyond understanding, there is also sheer absolute annihilation within the sweetest silence, so that anyone resists is really no wonder at all. that we surrender anywhere is the miracle, the blessing, and the undoing of all that is resisted. it is already opened between all the words. what remains when all the words have left? heart of Hearts, only this. i call it love. each being calls this love, each event calls this love, each being has their own calling, and this love is irresistible. it simply wears many faces. it wears the faces of peace, of compassion, of tenderness, of freedom, of rest, of death. it wears the eyes of all of us. there is nothing that is not seen, will not be seen, cannot be seen and this is compassion itself. all are included. including those whose apparent definition of compassion remains an ideal not even given to self, or those that offer compassion to a selected few as well as those who share compassion freely, giving to the totality of all of Self. we can celebrate every, every movement towards Love as Love. from the smallest version we can imagine to the greatest Heart of all, and each movement is the actualization of hope's message: there is something to be cared for here, as is. as compassion awakens, i am reminded i need not doubt its completion. it is after all, undeniable. as is the sorrow inherent in true inclusion of all, knowing each of us must meet the moment when all is surrendered and all is faced. and through losing it all, all is given grace. and this is, indeed in every heart, every breath, every place. may all beings know grace. namaste, --josie-- , "Lady Joyce" <shaantih@c...> wrote: > Dear Harshaji: > > You echo my thoughts and I am sure the thoughts > of many of us on these lists. It has been heartwrenching > to read of the many losses, almost too great to even > comprehend so many miles away. Just today, I saw > for the first time some footage on TV, which I normally > do not watch, which brought tears to my eyes. > > And yet, another thought remains with me, > reminding me that one tragedy, huge as it is, should > not be my only concern in this world where so many > are in need. One moment of charity should not be > limited to one moment of charity, in this world where > so many are in need. > > While we can talk endlessly about how there > will only be peace without if we find peace within, > that surely does not mean that we become immune > to and ignorant of the suffering of others under the guise > of non-attachment. > > While we can talk endlessly about how this is all an illusion > and never really happened, that surely does not mean > that we stand by mutely, our hearts cold with the illusion > that it never really happened. > > While we can talk endlessly about why it all happened, > pointing to one lesson or another to be learned, that > surely does not mean that we chalk it all up to someone's > karma or prarabda, aloof in our intellectual towers, far > above the din of disaster. > > Instead, we remember with humility, the following, > which you quoted in your own post... > > > "I am the Self, O Gudakesha, dwelling in the heart of all beings. > I am the beginning, middle, and end of all beings." > > So, yes, Harshaji, we reach out the best we can to those > who are in need, and we accept what happened without > ascribing reasons as to why it happened. We look into the > eyes of everyone, and see our Self. Not just when there is > some tragedy to force our focus, or even just at some special > time of the year, but each day, each moment that we breathe. > > Love, > > Joyce > > > Let my every word be a prayer to Thee, > Every movement of my hands a ritual gesture to Thee, > Every step I take a circumambulation of Thy image, > Every morsel I eat a rite of sacrifice to Thee, > Every time I lay down a prostration at Thy feet; > Every act of personal pleasure and all else that I do, > Let it all be a form of worshiping Thee." > > From Verse 27 of Shri Aadi Shankara's Saundaryalahari > > > > > > Dear Friends: > > > > I had some time tonight and am catching up on all the e-mails. Over the > > last week we have all been watching the tragedy of the Tsunami unfold in > > South Asia and the horrific suffering associated with that. Whole families > > have been lost, parents have lost children and many children are left with > > parents. Several questions have come up which I summarize as two > > questions. > > > > 1. What should those of us sitting 10,000 miles away do and what is our > > responsibility in the context of the philosophy of Ahimsa (nonviolence)? > > > > In Hinduism, the Goddess Lakshmi represents the symbol of prosperity. > > Money is a form of energy and how it is used with intention can make a > > difference in our lives and that of other people. At a practical level, > > most of us can donate some money to the worthy and noble organizations > > that are acting to help the victims. My personal favorites tend to be > > UNICEF and the Red Cross but there are many others as well. So give to > > charity of your choice according to your means and inclination. By giving > > we learn to give more. > > > > 2. In this very conflicted and seemingly unfair world where there is much > > confusion, what is the proper way to live and conduct ourselves with > > clarity? > > > > It is not easy. Sri Krishna answered this in the Bhagavad-Gita Gita by > > telling Arjuna that one should conduct oneself according to one's dharma > > (sense of duty that comes from one's position---for example, the dharma of > > the parents is to protect, educate, and raise their children, dharma of a > > soldier is to protect the country, dharma of a scholar or a priest is to > > share or teach wisdom, etc.). Sri Krishna has said that without attachment > > to the "fruits of action" and whether these will be pleasant or unpleasant > > one should faithfully do one's duty. This is also known as Karma yoga. > > > > Below, I give few of Sri Ramana's favorite verses of the Gita (from the > > collected works). > > > > "I am the Self, O Gudakesha, dwelling in the heart of all beings. I am the > > beginning, middle, and end of all beings." > > > > "The faith of everyone is according to their nature O' Bharata. Man is > > essentially endowed with faith. What his faith is, that indeed he is." > > > > "Surrender unto Him with all your heart, O Bharata. Through His grace, you > > will attain supreme peace and the perennial abode." > > > > May all being be free from sorrow. > > > > Love to all > > Harsha Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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