"I have no time for anything else but to meditate on Bhagavan"

February 11, 2002

Dear Sai,

thank you for your sharing!

>I do understand that true bhakti and surrender are beyond the personal. I

think i worry that while i express bhakti to the 'form', i shall be

hindering/blocking the experiencing of the Self

Yes indeed, true bhakti is beyond the personal. Bhakti to the form can be only

as long as the heart, the origin of everything is not fully reached. When the

heart is reached bhakti to the form will disappear by itself. Bhakti to the form

is a good chance to go the way back to the origin. It is a very good vehicle.

>Yes, i think you have it right there. Being a bhakta, my mind? my

understanding, tells me that this is a step that needs to be transcended -

gone beyond. Then i try to go with those thoughts, but often find it

difficult to 'feel' the love - then i think of the form, and a smile

appears, love is felt; then i think Ah! "this i should be doing" and i try

and combine the two....then those thoughts arise again, andthe cycle repeas

itself!

Sri Ramana says:

"Bhakti is not different from mukti. Bhakti is being as the Self (swarupa). One

is always that. He realises it by the means he adopts.

What is bhakti? To think of God. That means: only one thought prevails to the

exlusion of all other thoughts. That thought is of God which is the Self or it

is the Self surrendered unto God. When He has taken you up nothing will assail

you. The absence of thoughts is bhakti. It is also mukti.

The jnana method is said to be vichara (enquiry). This is nothing but "supreme

devotion" (parabhakti). The difference is in words only. "

(Talks, Talk 650)

The same with thinking of the Sat-Guru.

A very great Ramana-bhakta was also the founder of Sri Arunachala Ashrama NY

Bhakta Bhagawat. He was so full of devotion that he sat for hours at his

typewriter to pour out his devotion. It is very moving to read his writings.

Here an example:

"I move in the world completely intoxicated in the love and devotion of

Arunachala Shiva Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi. When I travel by train and want

to read a book, at that very moment meditation seizes me and I am immersed in

the peace and bliss that flow to me from Bhagavan. I still can see passengers

coming and going and the world around me in motion, but my Heart is immersed in

the peace and bliss of Arunachala Shiva Bhagavan Sri Ramana Maharshi.

People say that New York city is no place for the pursuit of peace and

happiness, as there are many distractions. But I have been so completely

submerged in Bhagavan's Grace that I have no time for anything else but to

meditate on Bhagavan."

(Bhakta Bhagwat: In Search of Self, p. 123f)

In Sri Ramana

Gabriele

(besides: f not m)

February 11, 2002

> Dear Sai,

> thank you for your sharing!

It has been my pleasure dear sister

> >I do understand that true bhakti and surrender are beyond the personal. I

> think i worry that while i express bhakti to the 'form', i shall be

> hindering/blocking the experiencing of the Self

> Yes indeed, true bhakti is beyond the personal. Bhakti to the form can be

only as long as the heart, the origin of everything is not fully reached.

When the heart is reached bhakti to the form will disappear by itself.

Bhakti to the form is a good chance to go the way back to the origin. It is

a very good vehicle.

Well that all sounds positive enough! Would you say then that perhaps the

only 'problem' with Bhakta to the form, would be if it was carried out in

ignorance - seeing the guru and oneself as seperate?

I am feeling more positive and comfortable now, towards this expression of

bhakti. I have been apprehensive in doing so for a long time now; perhaps

i've been trying to run before i can walk?

I used to go to a study group, in regards to my guru. I think i mentioned

before that almost all his devotees see him as God. Many would see (despite

his teaching otherwise) seperation - like an orthodox christian would relate

to Jesus, and would talk of the need to do/offer rituals - which wasn't my

understanding, or cup of tea

I'm not psychic in any way, but my guru did on two occasions speak

telepathically to me; the first time he said "crave for the atma within, not

for the god without" (i think to reasure me that my thinking was okay)

I know that these words have had an effect on me in this regard of bhakti to

the form. I have interpreted them i think as saying "don't look at me, look

in yourself!)

I have read others too speak of not being attached to the form of the guru -

of that being a hindrance...being rooted in emotion and stuck in duality.

Together with the intellectual understanding that I am That, and that that's

all i need to focus on, cummatively this has resulted in a slight 'blurring

of my vision' and i feel a great hindrance in my sadhana

Seeing clearly - having true vision i suppose is the key. May i ask how you

relate yourself to Ramana when you think of him - how you relate to that

joy/love that comes from the form, as opposed to attuning to that directly

from the Self?

I think my mind gets itself in a pickle when i get that love from the form,

and not from attuning to "the atma within" it says to me "duality, duality,

you should be doing better"

> Sri Ramana says:

> "Bhakti is not different from mukti. Bhakti is being as the Self

(swarupa). One is always that. He realises it by the means he adopts.

> What is bhakti? To think of God. That means: only one thought prevails to

the exlusion of all other thoughts. That thought is of God which is the Self

or it is the Self surrendered unto God. When He has taken you up nothing

will assail you. The absence of thoughts is bhakti. It is also mukti.

> The jnana method is said to be vichara (enquiry). This is nothing but

"supreme devotion" (parabhakti). The difference is in words only. "

> (Talks, Talk 650)

> The same with thinking of the Sat-Guru.

Ah good stuff!

Thanks again dear sister

blessings

Sai

> (besides: f not m)

February 12, 2002

Hello Sai,

How about seeing that you are loving only the Self wherever you look?

To see the guru as separate from Self would be the duality then, right?

Ramana has said Guru, Self, God..are all the same. I can look for the quote

later.

Gloria

-

prashanti

RamanaMaharshi

Monday, February 11, 2002 8:16 PM

Re: [RamanaMaharshi] "I have no time for anything else but to meditate

on Bhagavan"