Consciousness, culture and controversy

[Guest guest]

JAI MA!

 

Aww..don't go, Ralf...it was just getting interesting!

 

I'll duck out of lurking for a minute to put the following thought into the

consciousness question (whether there is a consciousness to discuss or not):

 

There is some 'scientific' evidence that what we consider to be our

consciousness is not. See Dr. Susan Blackmore on the subject at:

 

http://www.susanblackmore.co.uk/jcs02.htm

 

That consciousness is, or may be, illusory is probably no surprise to anyone

on this list. But the paper may be of some interest, as coming from the

field of consciousness research and cognitive science rather than religion

or philosophy.

 

*

 

Clover:

>Do you not think that those in the West are capable of true divine worship

>of the goddess? If so, why not? Where do these differences > lie?

 

Why not? And, in any case - define West/East; there are Kali mandir in

Guyana, for instance, I believe...of course, I am stating this as a

'Westerner' myself, and may well be piled upon for so doing. Certainly, at

any rate, the Tantras and the Puranas, as far as my slim knowledge of them

go, emphasise the necessity for guru, as only guru can provide you with your

mantra, but there are differing opinions on this even within this list.

 

_I_ would guess that if you call on Ma with a yearning heart, She will hear

and understand, even if your grammar isn't perfect in so doing...if her

child is learning to talk, a mother rejoices at the first stumbling efforts

and syllables; she hardly expects a formed poem to emerge...

 

Just my opinion.

 

*

 

And _here's_ a nice new topic that might run a while: I'm contemplating -

not without trepidation - writing an article for 'Ferment' on the

controversy surrounding the reception of 'Kali's Child'; Prof. Jeffrey

Kripal's biography of Sri Ramakrishna.

 

I might do it, I might not...

 

Anybody read it? Got an opinion?

 

OM KRIM KALI MA!

 

_()_

 

->Zx<-

 

__________

 

Consciousness will always be one degree above comprehensibility. - G.C.H.

Ehrensvard

__________

 

"Do you think," said Candide, "that men have always massacred each other, as

they do today? Have they always been liars, cheats, traitors, brigands,

weak, flighty, cowardly, envious, gluttonous, drunken, grasping, and

vicious, bloody, backbiting, debauched, fanatical, hypocritical and silly?"

 

"Do you think," said Martin, "that sparrow-hawks have always eaten the

pigeons they came across?"

 

"Yes, of course," said Candide.

 

"Well," said Martin, "if sparrow-hawks have always possessed the same

nature, why should you expect men to change theirs?"

 

"Oh!" said Candide, "there is a great difference; free will..."

 

- Voltaire

 

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

> And, in any case - define West/East..........

 

Easy. By mentality which alone differentiates...