A Personal Diary : Apotheosis of Maya ? [ Concludng Episode]

[Guest guest]

18th February, 0900hrs. [Over the chat lines]

 

"When I asked the couple who brought me there about my questions

the

husband seems very disturbed to the extend as if I have humiliated

him. It surprises me of his reaction."

 

"Why did your questions disturb him so?"

 

"What I question about is this need to make more money. I feel

they

bank a lot on people's insecurity. They keep on mentioning about what

if, what if. He mention first about house, and my responds to him is

that is it possible that we might come to a stage that we might not

need a house at all. Even a 3 room flat might be too big for us. So

my rationale is our needs change over time. What we want now might

not be what we really need in life later on. When I join nursing

school my aim is that when I retire from nursing I want to retire as

a Director of Nursing and I worked hard for it then I came to a

situation that I have to make a choice between career and family. And

I choose family because at that particular moment in my life, my

needs have change, my goals have change too and it is more directed

toward: what is more important to me now. He was very upset with this

statement. I was surprise with his reaction. So my big question is:

What is enough?"

 

 

 

"Right -- the problem is that these financial cults don't want

you to

ask such questions because the answer is, nothing is enough. It is

the apotheosis of Maya. Your desires constantly recede before

you"

 

"I ask about the failures. What I am seeing is all success story.

About professionals making it big and retire early. So I am

interested to know who are the failures and why do they drop out? The

couple was very upset when I asked. The husband remarked: if I go to

university and made it, why should I bother about those who

didn't. I

said, it bothers me. I need to know why they leave or why they fail,

so that I will not make the same mistake"

 

And my next concern is: Isn't it frightening to see professionals

such as lawyers, doctors, and engineers leaving their profession to

be a salesman?

[Guest guest]

Thanks for sharing all of this, Nora ...

 

I think it serves as a cautionary tale. Shakti Sadhana teaches that

all truth and fulfillment lies within us, not outside us. That

indeed nothing is outside us. And yet, the world we live in seems to

be constantly telling us the opposite -- that the truth lies

without: in some product or service we should buy; in some belief

and behavioral system that we should adopt. And if only we buy into

whatever is being sold, all of our problems will be solved and we

will find true peace.

 

Of course, it's not true. In your example, people's fears and

insecurities are being exploited -- they are told "You need more!

What if you someday find that you don't have enough?" Your question -

- "But how much *is* enough?" -- exposes the lie, because the answer

is, "Nothing [outside of you] is ever enough." These poor souls will

always feel (or be made to feel) the need for a little more, and

schemes of this sort will always take their money in return for a

little more (perceived) security. (The "failures" you sought to

learn about give the lie to any actual guarantee of security --

again, any outside source of security is ultimately a fiction.)

 

The fallacy is that these schemes turn the world into our enemy; a

challenger to be conquered. The world wants to beat you, fool you,

leave you destitute. And by buying into X program, you can "beat"

the world. Shakti Sadhana, on the other hand, posits the world as a

loving energy to be embraced and loved and trusted. Durga's children

are protected. Lakshmi's children always prosper (in every sense

that matters). Annapoorna's children do not hunger. Kali's children

know no fear. And so on, and so on ...

 

But you cannot buy, or scheme, your way into their grace.

 

Aum Maatangyai Namahe

 

 

, "N. Madasamy"

<ashwini_puralasamy> wrote:

> 18th February, 0900hrs. [Over the chat lines]

>

> "When I asked the couple who brought me there about my questions

> the

> husband seems very disturbed to the extend as if I have humiliated

> him. It surprises me of his reaction."

>

> "Why did your questions disturb him so?"

>

> "What I question about is this need to make more money. I feel

> they

> bank a lot on people's insecurity. They keep on mentioning about

what

> if, what if. He mention first about house, and my responds to him

is

> that is it possible that we might come to a stage that we might

not

> need a house at all. Even a 3 room flat might be too big for us.

So

> my rationale is our needs change over time. What we want now might

> not be what we really need in life later on. When I join nursing

> school my aim is that when I retire from nursing I want to retire

as

> a Director of Nursing and I worked hard for it then I came to a

> situation that I have to make a choice between career and family.

And

> I choose family because at that particular moment in my life, my

> needs have change, my goals have change too and it is more

directed

> toward: what is more important to me now. He was very upset with

this

> statement. I was surprise with his reaction. So my big question

is:

> What is enough?"

>

>

>

> "Right -- the problem is that these financial cults don't want

> you to

> ask such questions because the answer is, nothing is enough. It is

> the apotheosis of Maya. Your desires constantly recede before

> you"

>

> "I ask about the failures. What I am seeing is all success story.

> About professionals making it big and retire early. So I am

> interested to know who are the failures and why do they drop out?

The

> couple was very upset when I asked. The husband remarked: if I go

to

> university and made it, why should I bother about those who

> didn't. I

> said, it bothers me. I need to know why they leave or why they

fail,

> so that I will not make the same mistake"

>

> And my next concern is: Isn't it frightening to see professionals

> such as lawyers, doctors, and engineers leaving their profession

to

> be a salesman?

[Guest guest]

Namaste Nora,

 

Yes this is so interesting. What I have found is when people present

me with these things I feel like I am being a fool for refusing, or

wonder...well what if I am being a fool? These doubts are like dust

on a mirror, clouding my ability to see clearly.

 

Now I've been unemployed for more than 2 months with no job prospects

at all although I have been consistent and persistent in looking. A

friend of mine tried to get me interested in a sales deal. I told her

the one thing I've never, ever been good at is sales. She said that

this was "different." She said my other friends were getting

involved. She's a good friend so I told her to email me the

information, then I talked to her on the phone.

 

"Don't you have to pay to get into this?" Yes, it turns out you pay

to buy in and the more you pay "the more you make."

 

"Isn't this a pyramid scheme?" I ask. She laughs at me over the

phone, "Sure it's a pyramid scheme, our *government* is a pyramid

scheme!Hmmm" I think. I enjoy her friendship, it's not worth

debating. I thank her for the information and tell her it's not what

I'm interested in right now.

 

Unemployment is so high right now. So many people are fearful or

facing losses. I wish that my friend were not in the business of

pushing this fear based scheme. Not only will it eventually fail and

rip people off, but in the meantime it works to put dust on the

mirror. It adds to the fear and delusion of our world.

 

I keep praying for the Goddess to help me to have the clarity and

courage to make the right choices. So far, I'm okay. The future looks

kind of shakey, but that's the future.

 

Last night was the new moon. Maybe it's time to pray to Durga again.

 

I'm glad you shared your experiences with us. I love your stories.

 

prainbow

 

 

 

 

 

, "Devi Bhakta"

<devi_bhakta> wrote:

> Thanks for sharing all of this, Nora ...

>

> I think it serves as a cautionary tale. Shakti Sadhana teaches that

> all truth and fulfillment lies within us, not outside us. That

> indeed nothing is outside us. And yet, the world we live in seems

to

> be constantly telling us the opposite -- that the truth lies

> without: in some product or service we should buy; in some belief

> and behavioral system that we should adopt. And if only we buy into

> whatever is being sold, all of our problems will be solved and we

> will find true peace.

>

> Of course, it's not true. In your example, people's fears and

> insecurities are being exploited -- they are told "You need more!

> What if you someday find that you don't have enough?" Your

question -

> - "But how much *is* enough?" -- exposes the lie, because the

answer

> is, "Nothing [outside of you] is ever enough." These poor souls

will

> always feel (or be made to feel) the need for a little more, and

> schemes of this sort will always take their money in return for a

> little more (perceived) security. (The "failures" you sought to

> learn about give the lie to any actual guarantee of security --

> again, any outside source of security is ultimately a fiction.)

>

> The fallacy is that these schemes turn the world into our enemy; a

> challenger to be conquered. The world wants to beat you, fool you,

> leave you destitute. And by buying into X program, you can "beat"

> the world. Shakti Sadhana, on the other hand, posits the world as a

> loving energy to be embraced and loved and trusted. Durga's

children

> are protected. Lakshmi's children always prosper (in every sense

> that matters). Annapoorna's children do not hunger. Kali's children

> know no fear. And so on, and so on ...

>

> But you cannot buy, or scheme, your way into their grace.

>

> Aum Maatangyai Namahe

>

>

> , "N. Madasamy"

> <ashwini_puralasamy> wrote:

> > 18th February, 0900hrs. [Over the chat lines]

> >

> > "When I asked the couple who brought me there about my questions

> > the

> > husband seems very disturbed to the extend as if I have

humiliated

> > him. It surprises me of his reaction."

> >

> > "Why did your questions disturb him so?"

> >

> > "What I question about is this need to make more money. I feel

> > they

> > bank a lot on people's insecurity. They keep on mentioning about

> what

> > if, what if. He mention first about house, and my responds to him

> is

> > that is it possible that we might come to a stage that we might

> not

> > need a house at all. Even a 3 room flat might be too big for us.

> So

> > my rationale is our needs change over time. What we want now

might

> > not be what we really need in life later on. When I join nursing

> > school my aim is that when I retire from nursing I want to retire

> as

> > a Director of Nursing and I worked hard for it then I came to a

> > situation that I have to make a choice between career and family.

> And

> > I choose family because at that particular moment in my life, my

> > needs have change, my goals have change too and it is more

> directed

> > toward: what is more important to me now. He was very upset with

> this

> > statement. I was surprise with his reaction. So my big question

> is:

> > What is enough?"

> >

> >

> >

> > "Right -- the problem is that these financial cults don't want

> > you to

> > ask such questions because the answer is, nothing is enough. It

is

> > the apotheosis of Maya. Your desires constantly recede before

> > you"

> >

> > "I ask about the failures. What I am seeing is all success story.

> > About professionals making it big and retire early. So I am

> > interested to know who are the failures and why do they drop out?

> The

> > couple was very upset when I asked. The husband remarked: if I go

> to

> > university and made it, why should I bother about those who

> > didn't. I

> > said, it bothers me. I need to know why they leave or why they

> fail,

> > so that I will not make the same mistake"

> >

> > And my next concern is: Isn't it frightening to see professionals

> > such as lawyers, doctors, and engineers leaving their profession

> to

> > be a salesman?

[Guest guest]

Thank you prainbow61

 

I am not against bussiness opportunity for I too come from a

business orientated family, but I am just being cautions and like to

bring this attention to others too who might not be aware. We should

always exercise cautions. That friend of mine said he have reaserch

this business opportunity and have found it very safe, after all if

the company have been around for more than 25yrs, does that prove

something. This company too have been listed in the stock exchange

and have their books audited etc. Fine with me, but we have seen

from several cases sometimes audited account dosent mean anything.

Company & their auditors can lie about their accounts so that their

books will look good.

 

I have too did my own so called research [ not in a professional

sense] but yes! ive done my homework. And what I have read

frightened me. So now it explain why that friend of mine appears so

disturbed when I asked about the failures and why people drop out.

If the opportunity is soo good, why should it be drop outs. And what

are the complains of these drop outs.

 

I keep on looking at the tickets. They are not free. Just imagine,

Rm6-/ [ US1 = RM 3.8 ] per person for the weekly introductory

seminar. So if a couple and if you bring in new comers. You pay for

it. Who are the presenters, they are their own member who have made

it. So is this how they pay these members'share that are due to

them?. When I look around, about let say 250 participants. Just

imagine Rm 6 X 250, how much this is. Thats a lot of money. This is

just per week, multipy it by 4 weeks. How much would the seminar

room cost, let use the market rate, I would say about Rm350 just for

that session. There is no refreshment.

 

Then the montly seminar. The one that we were invited at the

Exclusive Golf Club cost about RM25/- per person. If its a couple?

Well you invite these new comers, so by right you should pay for

them. You dont expect them to pay dont you?

 

How about the special seminar where they invite foreign

presentators. Each ticket cost about RM 300 - RM 400 per person. And

from what I read, somehow you are being pressured to attend this

seminar. Look if you want to make it and be like others then you

need to join them and learn from them, this is their arguememt. We

are in a Team right, so where the Team goes, you go too with them.

Again you have to pay for it.

 

Then how about the products. You must maintain a certain quota. You

have to continue to purchase their products or you have to convince

your subordinates to continue to bring in newcomers to buy their

products. Yes! these are the daily household products, but when I

compare the prices they are much more expensive then the one that I

buy from the hypermarket. How about the training kits. These kits

are not free. You pay for it.

 

One of the comments made by a survivor's wife that got my

attention "sometimes I feel that when my husband made friends with

strangers, he is not sincere about it. His intention is mainly to

bring this new found friend into his network business."

 

So this is my concern. And when I look again, I realise that they

manipulate a lot on our insecurities. Nobody will know what the

future brings but we always have a posivite attitude about future.

Yes! we all have needs. We want comforable life, we dont want to

worry about money etc, but we must realise that our needs change

over time. At every stage in our life, we question our needs. Do we

really need this?

 

Some of my friends say I am being stupid, for sacrificing

my career for family. What if you husband dumb you? What if your

husband did this etc...I personally believe a real sacrifice is when

you give out something meants a lot to you willingly and not feeling

any regrets. And my respond is : Then I let DEVI deal with it. Maybe

I am being ignorant, but One thing that would keep me going is my

faith to DEVI. In a believe that she will not abandoned her

devotees. Once SHE hold your hand, SHE will not let you go. And what

ever happen [weather good or bad ] there must be a reason. A tragic

death of my mother, shook me but it brings about another. Made me to

really look at myself and my actions. That is what they called it a

self inquiry. Maybe this is Maa Kali's way of teaching me. And when

I read about Chinnamasta again, I remember reading something like "

If you look at the eyes of Chinnamaste, she is looking at herself

and not at the devotees" Perhaps this is the message. We should look

at ourselves first.

 

Look I am not discouraging others from going into this business. I

am just voicing out my concerns.