Guest guest Posted November 9, 2000 Report Share Posted November 9, 2000 I have not been able to follow the posts due to time constraints but something here caught my eye. I will forward this to a as well. Having some guidance in spiritual matters can be helpful, especially in the beginning. In the old days, a disciple would have to study and meditate for 12 years under the watchful eye of the Guru. Why so long when the Truth can be seen in an instant? It has to do with practical matters of living in a stable way while realizing and integrating different aspects of consciousness. The mind and body are instruments of perceptions. Advaitins say that mind/body itself occurs in consciousness. Yogis say that most people have to pay attention to their body before the nature of the perceiver and perception becomes self-evident. There is no difference in practical orientation, however between the two. A gradual preparation is recommended as it allows increasing sensitivity to mental and unconscious contents without overstraining the body. Even engaging in long periods of meditation should be gradual. Of course, when inclined one will not be able to help it. Paradoxically, spiritual maturity takes time. Ramakrishna pointed this out to Naren (Swami Vivekananda) when Naren was practicing very hard to attain and straining himself in the process. Swami Sivananda used to say where there is Yukti (application of common sense), there is both enjoyment and liberation. Love to all Harsha jetanoir [jetanoir] Hi there, it's Jen who thinks this website is 'awesome'... I have another question if anyone has time to get back to me: -what is the secret meaning of the conch? if it is different in different instances, what are the most important ones to understand? Also I wanted to say that I resonated with Frank's recent letter and was interested to read Tim Gerchmez's letter of intro. from a year ago. Both people I felt I could relate to. I have personally just gone through what is called now a Spiritual Emergency but what I understand to be 'getting to into the highest leelas of Krishna with too little preparation/eligibility/fitness'... I am fine now but for months I thought I was either going to die or go crazy... Anyhow, I feel the time is now for me to undergo a great revolution of consciousness and I am scared. How will I be? What will be my frame of reference? HOw will my family and friends react when I'm on the verge of renouncing the world ALL the time? What will my world view be? Will I be able to hold on to one at all? How will I earn money to live on? Will I be able to meet the real, culturally abnormal and very strenuous demands of alert watchfulness, self- sacrifice, suffering and all the rest. What of my personal faults- do I have what it takes to go so far? ... Many, many questions but what choice do I have... I am frightened by the flames of samsara and of living life without religion... I feel that during my "spiritual emergency" experience I underwent an initiation and to do anything but live the religious life now would be a sin... (I hope it is ok that I am saying all of this on this website...) Anyhow, since I'm on the topic, does anyone else feel that a sudden violent experience or Knowing of Atman can cause mental illness? And does anyone have any advice for when your past karmas are being fructified and you are in the realized state and acting these karmas out like a madman (it can be very difficult to have all of this occuring at once). Like I said, I am fine now (consciousness is not going to explode, etc.)but, as well, I am afraid of backsliding too much and that is why I joined this group- To study scripture with others who are serious about the spiritual life... Blessings, jen ps. I apologize if this entry (personal details) is entirely inappropriate to this site but if anyone has any words of advice, encouragement or wouldn't mind answering my conch question, please email me at jetanoir Thanks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 10, 2000 Report Share Posted November 10, 2000 namaste. I am otherwise tied up to fully participate in the discussions. However, I like to respond to what I think is a very genuine concern expressed by Jen. On Thu, 9 Nov 2000 jetanoir wrote: > Hi there, it's Jen who thinks this website is 'awesome'... > > [...] > I have personally just gone through what is called now a Spiritual > Emergency but what I understand to be 'getting to into the highest > leelas of Krishna with too little preparation/eligibility/fitness'... > > I am fine now but for months I thought I was either going to die or > go crazy... > > Anyhow, I feel the time is now for me to undergo a great revolution > of consciousness and I am scared. How will I be? What will be my > frame of reference? HOw will my family and friends react when I'm on > the verge of renouncing the world ALL the time? What will my world > view be? Will I be able to hold on to one at all? How will I earn > money to live on? Will I be able to meet the real, culturally > abnormal and very strenuous demands of alert watchfulness, self- > sacrifice, suffering and all the rest. What of my personal faults- do > I have what it takes to go so far? ... > There is no need to be scared. Atma vidyA is to recognize Consciousness is the only thing there is. Being afraid of or scared is when one sees duality. Br^ihadAraNyaka upanishad clearly says where is the chance of fear if there is only One. What are you afraid of if you recognize your Consciousness is the only thing there is on which everything including the feelings of fear and elation are superposed. Further, who are the family and friends? Isn't that also a superimposition on the Consciousness? Renouncing the world is not saying I have nothing to do with the world. Renouncing the world is simply seeing the world for what it is, an adhyAsa on the Consciousness. There are two types of worlds: one that the God, the creator creates and the world of feelings that you create (both of course superimpositions on the Consciousness). The world that the God created does not give us any problem. It is the world that we create, out of our ignorance, is the one that gives problems to us. If we cut through our ignorance, the world that we create out of our ignorance crumbles. So, the fear which you are afraid of, is your own creation out of your own ignorance. As your ignorance goes, the world that you created out of ignorance goes; also goes along with that is the fear, do I earn enough money to live on, etc. > > Many, many questions but what choice do I have... I am frightened by > the flames of samsara and of living life without religion... I feel > that during my "spiritual emergency" experience I underwent an > initiation and to do anything but live the religious life now would > be a sin... > > (I hope it is ok that I am saying all of this on this website...) > > Anyhow, since I'm on the topic, does anyone else feel that a sudden > violent experience or Knowing of Atman can cause mental illness? > > And does anyone have any advice for when your past karmas are being > fructified and you are in the realized state and acting these karmas > out like a madman (it can be very difficult to have all of this > occuring at once). > > Like I said, I am fine now (consciousness is not going to explode, > etc.)but, as well, I am afraid of backsliding too much and that is > why I joined this group- To study scripture with others who are > serious about the spiritual life... > Frankly, one cannot get into advaita out of fear of saMsAra. While it may be true that the fear of saMsAra may be the first seed of advaita, one gets a good and true understanding of advaita, not out of fear but by purity of heart. You can be assured that Atma sAtkshAtkAra does not cause any mental illness. It calms the mind, changes your outlook of things around and you will be at peace with yourself. > Blessings, jen > Regards Gummuluru Murthy ---- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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