Guest guest Posted January 25, 2005 Report Share Posted January 25, 2005 Somebody sent this to you? Devi Bhakta? Lingam-polishing? Talking down? Funny, I have never noticed any of this out of you at all. Are you sure it wasn't meant for me? But then I don't know what "khadgamala" is, nor do I kowtow to Omprem, so that can't be it. Wow.Strange. You are absolutely right; people see things and interpret them according to their own lights. What this person sees about you, I don't see at all. So don't go overboard with Ben and Jerry's just yet, but if you feel you could use a bowl just in case, go ahead.. Great story, BTW...There is an old saying too: "The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on." You are doing a great job; let 'em bark. Lilith M. --- Devi Bhakta <devi_bhakta wrote: > > Why hoard all the bad-guy honors for OmPrem? I > received this lovely > nomination in a private e-mail yesterday, from > another Shakti > Sadhana member: > > "You lash out by over-explaining Srividya, > Khadgamala, etc. You are > anxious to please those whom you think or fear know > more than you > do, those stuffed-shirt know-it-all meanies like > Omprem. You kow-tow > to them, [then] you talk down [to others] with your > constant > explanations." > > The same individual continued: "Other people [also] > notice your > harshness and your flippantness, and the general > 'spiritual one- > upmanship/lingam polishing' that is often engaged in > on the board." > > I felt awfully bad about this, of course, and was > going to run off > off and drown my sorrows in a pint of Ben & Jerry's > ice cream, when > I recalled a story that my great-grandmother used to > tell me back > when I was a kid. To the best of my memory, it goes > like this: > > Once upon a time a young boy visited a monastery, > seeking to learn > the great truths of life. He approached a wise old > monk and asked > him, "Father, will you teach me a great lesson?" The > old man smiled > and replied: "Of course I will, child. Come with me > and I will teach > you something about duty." > > And with that the monk mounted an old donkey and > rode it slowly out > the monastery gate, as the boy walked by his side. > He was anxious > for the monk's great lecture to begin, but the old > man said nothing > at all. Not wanting to seem disrespectful, the boy > remained silent > as well, walking and waiting. > > Soon they entered a small village. A few people > turned to look at > them, pointing and saying, "Look at that selfish old > man -- riding a > donkey, while this poor little boy is forced to > walk!" > > The two ignored these remarks; but as soon as they > were out of sight > the monk let the boy take his place. > > In the next village they entered, still more people > frowned upon > them and said, "Look at that thoughtless, awful boy! > How can he let > that poor old monk walk while he lazily rides along > on the donkey? > And how can the monk be so weak and unwise as to > endure it?" > > Once again, the pair made no reply -- but a little > further along the > road, the monk jumped onto the donkey behind the > boy. > > Upon reaching a third village, more people stared > aghast at them, > saying: "How stupid and cruel can two people be, > making that poor > little donkey carry both of them?! The unfortunate > beast will drop > of exhaustion before they reach their destination!" > > But again the monk was silent and the boy followed > suit. As they > left town, the monk tried yet another combination, > with both of them > walking at the donkey's side while the animal > trotted happily along > unburdened. > > As they entered a fourth village, more laughter and > criticism was > thrown at them: "Have you ever seen two fools such > as these? Why, > here they have a perfectly good donkey, and they > both choose to > walk!" > > Still the monk showed no concern. Then, soon after > they left the > fourth village, the boy noticed the walls of the > monastery looming > ahead of them -- the journey has been nothing more > than a long > circle! Disappointed, he finally broke the silence, > and asked: "But > Father, what about your great lesson?" > > To which the monk smiled and replied: "It is over, > my child, and it > is simply this: Always do your duty, and do it > without fear of what > other people will think -- for there will always be > those who > condemn you, regardless of what you say or do." > > Thanks Nana ... I'll hold off on the Ben & Jerry's > for now ... > > > , Lili Masamura > > <sephirah5> wrote: > > Why are we all over omprem? ... Best to ask: Why is > he all over us > all the time? I am just as happy to ignore him ... > > > > > The all-new My - What will yours do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 27, 2005 Report Share Posted January 27, 2005 Dear Lili: Thanks for the vote of confidence. *lol* *** You are absolutely right; people see things and interpret them according to their own lights. What this person sees about you, I don't see at all. *** Well, thank Goddess for that, at least; you know that there's no shortage of free, unsolicited psycholanalysis on offer out there. One member here (no names, okay?) tells me I'm horribly "tamasic"; two more have repeatedly assured me that I am "anti-woman" and "anti- feminist"; a third confides that the theoretical grounding of my practice is fatally flawed; and lately, yet another has taken to send 'round his "junior investigator" clues that this guru or that one is a fraud. Very pleasant stuff. Unfortunately, I am not blessed with similar insights about these individuals or about any other members whom I haven't met in person. I can only assume that, since we're here, we're all still working at various levels thru our human lives as best we can with the psychological, intellectual and physical resources at our disposal. *** But then I don't know what "khadgamala" is *** No way, Lili! Well check it out; I bet it would be right up your alley. Just click on the Devi photo on the front page of the group, and you'll be taken to our Khadgamala resource menu. Download the "Document" (if your comp lacks the fonts, you can download them from the resource menu too). Read the FAQ and you'll know what Khadgamala is. If it sounds interesting, the menu will guide you to additional aupport resources you may find useful. Try it a few times and see what happens. *** Great story, BTW. *** Isn't it though? It's one of the first stories I really literally remember having read to me when I was a teeny tot; I can still see the book illustrations vividly in my head. It really stuck with me for some reason. Good thing, too: Its wisdom has saved me on more than a few occasions over the years. *** "The dogs bark, but the caravan moves on." You are doing a great job; let 'em bark. *** Thank you. ;-) DB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 28, 2005 Report Share Posted January 28, 2005 This reminded me of a quote recently posted to another e-group I'm a member of: >From _I am That_ - Conversations with Nisargadatta Maharaj. Questioner : Is there no way of making out who is realized and who is not ? Nisargadatta Maharaj: Your only proof is in yourself. If you find that you turn into gold, it will be a sign that you have touched the philosopher's stone. Stay with the person and watch what happens to you. Don't ask others. Their man may not be your Guru. [....] , "Devi Bhakta" <devi_bhakta> wrote: > [....] [a group member] has taken to > send 'round his "junior investigator" clues that this guru or that > one is a fraud. [....] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 29, 2005 Report Share Posted January 29, 2005 This post causes me to reflect upon how I would personally not want someone posting contents of my private e-mails on a group message board without the poster checking it out with me first. I once made the mistake of taking words from a personal e-mail of an author whom I greatly admire (who had been responsive to my letters) and using those words to get a point across to a professional group I was a member of. Bad idea, since that author had her own ties to the group, and my using those words had an effect that I didn't intend. Another thought: not all opinions are equal in that some may come from people who have genuine insight or information that can be explored if not fully understood at first. When people are upset, they say all kinds of things. But if it's possible to sort through it all, there may be something worth looking into that doesn't make anyone bad or wrong. Mary Ann , "Devi Bhakta" <devi_bhakta> wrote: > > Why hoard all the bad-guy honors for OmPrem? I received this lovely > nomination in a private e-mail yesterday, from another Shakti > Sadhana member: > > "You lash out by over-explaining Srividya, Khadgamala, etc. You are > anxious to please those whom you think or fear know more than you > do, those stuffed-shirt know-it-all meanies like Omprem. You kow-tow > to them, [then] you talk down [to others] with your constant > explanations." > > The same individual continued: "Other people [also] notice your > harshness and your flippantness, and the general 'spiritual one- > upmanship/lingam polishing' that is often engaged in on the board." > > I felt awfully bad about this, of course, and was going to run off > off and drown my sorrows in a pint of Ben & Jerry's ice cream, when > I recalled a story that my great-grandmother used to tell me back > when I was a kid. To the best of my memory, it goes like this: > > Once upon a time a young boy visited a monastery, seeking to learn > the great truths of life. He approached a wise old monk and asked > him, "Father, will you teach me a great lesson?" The old man smiled > and replied: "Of course I will, child. Come with me and I will teach > you something about duty." > > And with that the monk mounted an old donkey and rode it slowly out > the monastery gate, as the boy walked by his side. He was anxious > for the monk's great lecture to begin, but the old man said nothing > at all. Not wanting to seem disrespectful, the boy remained silent > as well, walking and waiting. > > Soon they entered a small village. A few people turned to look at > them, pointing and saying, "Look at that selfish old man -- riding a > donkey, while this poor little boy is forced to walk!" > > The two ignored these remarks; but as soon as they were out of sight > the monk let the boy take his place. > > In the next village they entered, still more people frowned upon > them and said, "Look at that thoughtless, awful boy! How can he let > that poor old monk walk while he lazily rides along on the donkey? > And how can the monk be so weak and unwise as to endure it?" > > Once again, the pair made no reply -- but a little further along the > road, the monk jumped onto the donkey behind the boy. > > Upon reaching a third village, more people stared aghast at them, > saying: "How stupid and cruel can two people be, making that poor > little donkey carry both of them?! The unfortunate beast will drop > of exhaustion before they reach their destination!" > > But again the monk was silent and the boy followed suit. As they > left town, the monk tried yet another combination, with both of them > walking at the donkey's side while the animal trotted happily along > unburdened. > > As they entered a fourth village, more laughter and criticism was > thrown at them: "Have you ever seen two fools such as these? Why, > here they have a perfectly good donkey, and they both choose to > walk!" > > Still the monk showed no concern. Then, soon after they left the > fourth village, the boy noticed the walls of the monastery looming > ahead of them -- the journey has been nothing more than a long > circle! Disappointed, he finally broke the silence, and asked: "But > Father, what about your great lesson?" > > To which the monk smiled and replied: "It is over, my child, and it > is simply this: Always do your duty, and do it without fear of what > other people will think -- for there will always be those who > condemn you, regardless of what you say or do." > > Thanks Nana ... I'll hold off on the Ben & Jerry's for now ... > > > , Lili Masamura > <sephirah5> wrote: > > Why are we all over omprem? ... Best to ask: Why is he all over us > all the time? I am just as happy to ignore him ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted February 2, 2005 Report Share Posted February 2, 2005 , "Devi Bhakta" <devi_bhakta> wrote: > > Dear Lili: > > Thanks for the vote of confidence. *lol* > > *** You are absolutely right; people see things and interpret them > according to their own lights. What this person sees about you, I > don't see at all. *** > ...................... This is good stuff ....so I see only what I am able to see..(my own light)... ....but how can I see more light?..I need help on this one,please... danny Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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