Back from Ramanasramam

[Guest guest]

Dear Group

 

We have come back home from Ramanasramam.

 

A few notes on the last days there.

 

Thursday my morning meditation was very 'noisy' with thoughts about

the visit and the upcoming return. After breakfast we went again to

Virupaksha Cave and Skandanasramam. In both places, mind was still

and meditation was deep.

 

I asked Nome about this later in the day. He has reminded us to look,

during this trip, at our meditation and see what makes it different.

He asks us to notice that it is not the place, but rather our

internal approach to the meditation that makes the difference. For

example, in visiting a holy place, one's mind takes on a more holy

approach. This helps meditation. In today's meditation in the cave,

he pointed out that before meditation, I had formed the clear intent

to meditate, then going though some real effort to get to where I was

to meditate. Then after the intent, the preparation and the effort, I

had good meditation. I am reminded that travel is not needed to have

intent and preparation prior to meditation.

 

Friday afternoon we left to make the long trip back to the US. Before

we left, there was a special event for Nome. There was arranged a

reading of the Tamil Ribhu Gita, with English copies provided so that

we could read along. They did this reading because of the English

translation that Nome had done (along with Dr. Ramamoorthy) that is

titled, "Song of Ribhu."

 

As I look back on the trip, I feel deep joy at the visit. I feel that

Ramanasramam and Tiruvannamalai have a special place in my heart, and

that Arunachala is somehow a part of my Being. When we left, it was

like leaving home. We are talking now about how to save for another

trip next year. I know that for this practice, the place does not

matter. But the spiritual atmosphere, the warm and spiritually

focused people, and the sites that I feel are holy due to the

connection with Ramana make this place very conducive to practice.

 

Another thing that made it a good trip for us is that we took a

library of CD recordings of Nome's satsangs at SAT. In the afternoons

we would listen to these. This certainly contributed to the spiritual

focus.

 

The rest of the group will be at Ramanasramam for another week. We

had to return earlier due to work needs. We will keep meditating and

keep listing to CDs of Nome's satsangs.

 

Thank you for your many responses to my posting. We are all blessed

by Ramana.

 

I will sign off in a way that was in an inscription of a book:

 

>From Bagavan to Bagavan,

 

Not two,

Richard