Portrait of a Mother

[Guest guest]

Who is she? I really don't know. Maybe subconsciously I do know

her, but I don't remember. Thus this instant connection the first

time when I saw this picture. I got this picture from a magazine:

AsiaWeek, about 7-8 yrs ago. Cut it off, place her in my reflective

journals and she have been with me all the time. Everyday, before I

start my journal, I see her first. I was hoping somebody would see

this picture and tell me something about her. And if she is still

alive, I will find her.

 

Only about 3 yrs ago I have decided that she need a special place of

her own. Place the picture in a frame and put it in my sewing room

[to me the act of sewing itself can be very spiritual. Any act that

brings forth creativity is itself a process of creation. Creation is

spiritual and sacred]

 

What is so special about her?

 

She is special in a way that she invokes a very powerful motherly

instinct in me whenever I look at her. I love the way she sit, her

hand folded and placed on her right cheek. The piercing eyes. I could

see sadness and yet happiness in her. Her face: calm and serene. What

is she thinking of? She is sitting, who is she waiting for? Or is she

just sitting there watching the life passing by.

 

When I look at her, I see beauty. I see a little girl, a young

maiden, a bride, a wife, a mother and a grandmother. She is the

accumulation of all the mothers that I have come across. I can see

their eyes in her. And her hands are those hands that have stretch

out at me, begging me not to send them home for they have no one to

take care of them. I see those hands that have wiped my tears when I

was upset, hands that have blessed me, and hands that have feed me.

Hands that have embraced and held me. And lastly the hands that have

guided me through my path.

 

So to commemorate Mothers' day [which falls this Sunday] I

presented my Portrait of the Mother. This is to all the Mothers.

 

 

OM ParaShaktiye Namaha

[Guest guest]

Dear nora, this really touched my heart.

 

YES, MOTHERHOOD IS ALL ABOUT CONNECTION - the strongest link that

binds a child in all of us to the nurturing , caring , tender spirit

called MOther' In fact, some of the best mothers are those who did

not actually give physical birth to a child- from their own

womb.... some great examples come to mind... Mother MARY, Yashoda

maiyya, and most recently Mother Teresa.

 

When I think of MOther Mary -two words come to mind - compassion and

patience. When I think of Yashoda maiyya, i feel overwhelmed by the

sentimnt of unconditional love for her nandalal (the best in

vatsalya bhava) . but, to me , Mother teresa was the living

embodiment of all the great principles of motherhood - she has left a

great legacy behind - the concept of universal motherhood - the

watchwords of the missionaries of charity -are Compassion, kindness,

mercy and a nurturing spirit.... in the orphanage where i volunteer

on alternate sundays, i see all these in action- in a touch, in a

look - the sisters make a difference in the life of an 'abandoned'

child - the emotional warmth and the comfort they provide to the

infants are amazing -sometimes, i wonder even if the real mothers can

perform the role of 'motherhood' to such perfection....

 

yes, the portrait you have selected is a 'glowing' tribute to

motherhood- motherhood is about 'waiting' - for the little buds to

bloom - the sapling to grow into a plant to become a tree - the birds

to be able to soar to great heights with their own wings- the little

girl to blossom into a young maiden and then to bear the mantle

of 'motherhood' ---

 

Is being a mother also about 'expectations'? - i would say no- many

mothers (specially the ones i know) are always worried about whether

their kids would make it to the honor roll or be 'first' in this or

that activity and they like to brag my daughter is a leader etc -

but the best mother is the one who does not place any such demands

on her kids- let the kids grow naturally- at their own pace - evolve

on their own - i hate stage mothers - such mothers rob the children

of their childhood - did you know that Picasso painted best when he

had no set 'standards' to live up to- free flowing natural art as his

moods dictated!!

 

Nora, you need not go far to find this 'lady- her spirit lives in

you - in the selfless love that you extend to those around you- in

the tender loving care you extend to terminally ill patients in the

hospice prograame and also your daily service to the divine mother

and all her children in this group.... this is the great eternal

spirit of 'motherhood' ----

 

i am reminded of a Tagore verse....

 

I slept and I dreamed that life was *joy*

I woke and saw that life was best ?*service*

I served and understood that *service* was joy.

 

Here I would like to talk about the HOLY trinity- (the three divine

mothers in hinduism)

 

Who is goddess lakshmi? the best way to seRve Goddess Lakshmi is to

bring 'prospertity' in to the lives of those you come in contact

with... How to accomplish this- be large-hearted, be generous, be

charitable and kind... these need alweays be in 'money' terms- it

could be a kind word, a kind deed or a kind look ! in fact, hospitals

are always looking for such volunteers who can come and spend time

with 'terminally ill;' patients - who are counting the hours,

literally speaking! volunteer your 'time' to such needy patients.

 

tHEN WE HAVE gODDESS sARASWATI. how can you help people by donning on

the role of goddess sarswati. Become a source of light and knowledge

and radiate that knowledge and light. a friend of mine in india goes

to slums and other areas and educate people about 'aids awareness' ,

about 'family planning' and the importance of adult literacy. SHE

ALSO brings spiritual awareness into theirblives by conducting

regular worship .

 

 

Finally, be the personification of 'shakti' -pure energy- untainted-

be this 'consciousness' or chid shakti -

 

Sri Krishna paramatma says in the srimad bhagwat Gita, "This is

only my lower nature Shakti, beyond this is my higher nature, the

Original Shakti, the life principle which sustains this entire

universe."

 

 

MOTHERHOOD is this divine life principle- the life support- the life

energy- the prana -

 

As is evident, 'the divine mother' is not the property of the hindus

She is the 'universal' spirit- she is omnipresent, omniscient and

omnipotent!

 

OM shakti Om!