Introduction

[Guest guest]

Namaskara to all,

 

I had joined this Group about 2 months back, but I realised I had not

posted my introduction till now. I am 29 years old, South Indian from

Bangalore. I am interested in spirituality. I have explored various

different paths like Kundalini Yoga, various forms of Kriya Yoga,

Sahaj Marg, Shabd Yoga, Mantra yoga, healing etc. I have been deeply

interested in the writings of Aurobindo, J.Krishnamurti,

Chinmayananda,

Dayananda Saraswati, Sivananda, Gurdjieff, Vivekananda and modern

trans-personal psychology.

 

However I am more drawn towards Shankara's Advaita and Ramana's Self-

Enquiry. 'Vivekachoodamani', has influenced me greatly. My main aim

in

joining this group was to get a better grasp of Shankara's Advaita,

so

as to enable me to realise the fact that I am 'already Realised'. My

main interest is practical. I am not so much interested in the

philosophical nitty gritties. How can Advaita help my progress is my

main aim.

 

In this connection I must say that this is one of the better groups

to

be found on the net. The members are learned, experienced, articulate

and focused. It is indeed a great opportunity for beginners like me

to

learn from more learned members. I am thankful for the same.

 

Having said this , I also feel the need to make a few points on the

negative side. I hope the members will pardon me if I offend anybody:

 

1. Before I joined the group, I thought I had got some basic grasp on

 

the practise involved in Advaita. There was no ambiguity was what I

thought. But reading the diverse for/against Nirvikalpa Samadhi; did

Shankara really write the different commentaries ; Is Advaita

referred

to in the New Testament, Buddhism etc ; did Buddha, Christ,

Ramakrishna

Rumi etc. really follow Non-dualism ; is there a special

interpretation

of Advaita for 'advanced practitioners', all these debates have

confused me.

 

2. There is also ambiguity about the different interpretations of

scriptures. As I see it ( I may be wrong) the members are divided

into

the following categories :

 

a) Those who follow Swami Chinmayananda's approach.

b) THose who follow Swami Dayananda.

c) Those who follow Ramana Maharshi.

d) Those who advocate a synthesis of Jnana, Bhakti and Karma, i.e

Purushothama Yoga.

e) And finally, the unfortunate confused members like me who are

attracted

to many different interpretations and are yet to decide whom

follow !

 

3. I feel the practical aspect of sadhana, ie how to integrate

every day living with spirituality is not discussed much.

 

These are my personal views on the group. Can I expect some

clarifications?

 

 

 

amaresh.

[Guest guest]

--- amaresh <agni wrote:

Namaste Amaresh,

I know that the more established members of this

excellent site will be able to give you more grounded

advice but may I make a couple of comments:

>My main aim

> in

> joining this group was to get a better grasp of

> Shankara's Advaita,

> so

> as to enable me to realise the fact that I am

> 'already Realised'.

 

In order to free his hand from the jar, having grasped

the nut, the monkey must let go.

> all these

> debates have

> confused me.

I think that this is why a physical teacher is useful.

Confusion is excellent as it provides the opportunity

to let go of claimed knowledge. 'I know' creates fixed

idols and the vibrant inspiration that was seen at the

moment of creation/vibration can be covered, hidden by

a stone form. The Truth is there, but covered. When

confusion is encountered, this can be a very tender

moment when the love, mercy and compassion of a true

spiritual guide can help. Otherwise, be sure that the

confusion is inspired by Ishvara/Absolute and is the

natural process of being drawn into Self and out of

what you are not. Self is never confused.

>

> 2. There is also ambiguity about the different

> interpretations of

> scriptures.

 

Ambiguity/paradox is necessary for the intellect to

transcend ignorance; it is the process by which sattva

arises out of the opposite of tamas and rajas.

> e) And finally, the unfortunate confused members

> like me who are

> attracted

> to many different interpretations and are yet

> to decide whom

> follow !

 

Again, welcome to the club that most of us enjoy. How

often have I heard this said and repeated it myself.

But there is no problem here. When the bell rings in

the heart..by this I mean that intellectual and true

emotional, unmoving centre...follow. Remember that in

order to use the lamp that is so dim that it can only

show one step at a time, then it is necessary to take

that first step to see the next....Padam Padam.

>

> 3. I feel the practical aspect of sadhana, ie how to

> integrate

> every day living with spirituality is not

> discussed much.

 

The thread on the usefulness of advaita will have

given you some direction on this.

>

> These are my personal views on the group. Can I

> expect some

> clarifications?

 

I do not know if the above is of any use .

 

Finally:When I first arrived in Bangalore on the

overnight bus it was about 5am and very dark. There

were many bus stops at which to get down and in the

darkness I was very confused by such a big city and

got down in the outskirts. I wanted to find a friend

who lived in Benson Town. Wherever there was a light

at a tea house or stall I would seek help. Wrong

directions and decisions were taken at times but by

the time the sun was climbing the heavens I was at my

friend's house. Even though I had telephoned my friend

I still needed help from those whom I met on the way.

The knowledge I had been given had to be put into

practice by myself, no-one could do it for me. Now it

is easy for me to find my way to Benson Town but there

are many other places in which to get lost.

 

Om sri ram

Ken Knight

 

 

 

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[Guest guest]

Ken

 

Your advise to Shree amaresh applies to all of us. Thanks for taking time

to share your experience. One cannot learn swimming by reading books and

listening to the discussion of mechanics of swimming. One has to jump into

the pool and make effort to move. There is no other way. It is a struggle

in the beginning. But the knack of swimming comes only to those who strive

for. Guiding light from a teacher will help - even to see that light one

has to make steps to start.

 

Hari OM!

Sadananda

 

 

>ken knight <hilken_98

>advaitin

>advaitin

>Re: Introduction

>Sat, 26 Jan 2002 02:04:06 -0800 (PST)

>

>

>--- amaresh <agni wrote:

>Namaste Amaresh,

>

>The knowledge I had been given had to be put into

>practice by myself, no-one could do it for me. Now it

>is easy for me to find my way to Benson Town but there

>are many other places in which to get lost.

>

>Om sri ram

>Ken Knight

 

 

_______________

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[Guest guest]

--- amaresh <agni wrote:

> I would like to meet

> you when u visit Bangalore next.

 

Namaste Amaresh,

That would be very nice and I thank you. I should be

in Bangalore now, visiting the campus of the National

Institute of Advanced Studies where there is a very

interesting young lady working in the field of

consciousness studies. We have yet to meet but

exchange e-mails. However prarabhda has other plans at

the moment. Once the way is clear again I will be able

to commence the project that will bring the body to

Bangalore later this year, I hope. Besides the NIAC

contact I also want to go to Madanapalli where another

friend has set up a school for the very poor children

of the area.

The obstacles arise then are taken away; it is all an

interesting play.

The image of the monkey-hand grasping and letting go

is so important for us. There comes that wonderful

moment of understanding, immediately ahankara claims

the knowledge, 'I know.' Now there is the obstacle in

place. We can either clamber over it, round it or dig

under it or 'let go'; in the latter case we will see

that the obstacle was a delusion, it never was, just a

production of mind.

Renunciation is indeed essential, renouncing

renunciation is essential, giving up not renouncing is

necessary. For the mind it is a never-ending process.

Finally the pot cracks, breaks into pieces and returns

to its constituent elements and the space outside the

pot, within the pot and within the molecular structure

of the pot remains, as it always was and is and will

be, undivided and undisturbed.

That is the teaching of advaita as I understand it and

all the various teachers that you mentioned in your

previous posting signal this Truth. However their

teachings have to be culture specific and at the level

of the 'pot' it helps to have experience of the

culture to be able to scratch away the surfaces. We

can only start from where we are and as I implied

before, the flow of grace of the Friend will ensure

that we are in the right place at the right time and

Guru can appear in many forms to shine that lamp the

one step we need to take.

 

Once again, thank you for offering to meet up in

Bangalore when we will be able to share in some good

conversation.

 

Peace and Happiness

Ken Knight

 

 

 

 

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http://auctions.

[Guest guest]

Dear Ken Knight,

 

Thanks for the clarifications,they were useful. I would like to meet

you when u visit Bangalore next.

 

amaresh.

 

 

ken knight wrote:

>