Diverse ways!

[Guest guest]

Dear Divine Sparks!

I was quite astonished to read the following lines from 'The Daughter of

Fire':

"Still later, he was telling me that I don't follow him as I should,

because I still love to go to Pushpa's Kirtan. ....

"Tabla, harmonium, the singing, it pleases you- you like it- you do not

realize that it is useless from my point of view."

Since my childhood I have been singing. In fact, I believe I learned to

sing before I learned to speak! Reading this came as quite a surprise

that some spiritual teachers may not place as much emphasis on the power

of kirtan as others do. This reminded me of the Dhyana Shloka where Amma

is descibed as 'Sankirtanalapinim' (One who sings melodiously or loves

kirtan).

During our times with Amma, thousands are primarily moved by the

powerful energy generated by the singing. I still recall with clarity,

my first experience of listening to this divine music in New Hampshire

in 1988. The bhajans, 'Durge Durge', 'Kannande Kaloccha' and later

Gange! Gange! have moved listeners beyond words.

My question to other siblings is:

1) Am I right in understanding that this Sufi Master sees no merit to

devotional music?

2) Was this teaching meant only for Irena Tweedie to suit her

temperament?

The importance of music has been emphasized by Narada, Shankara and many

other sages (including our Amma!) Any thoughts?

Jai Ma!

Chandrika

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Dear Chandrika and Other "Viewers" on the List,

 

I have read some of "Daughter of Fire," which I highly recommend for anyone

following a guru. We can all identify with Irina's thoughts and emotions in

following a master. It is the detail of her thoughts that is helpful to me.

It shows me the barrage of thoughts that go through our minds as sadhaks.

The book powerfully illuminates the sometimes convoluted process of the

guru/disciple relationship.

 

Speaking from more personal experience, I believe the quote you brought to

our attention was Irina's master's way of dealing with her individually and

was never meant to apply to all. For instance, in the book, Irina makes it

clear that her master treated other disciples differently, even her friend

"L". I also think the kirtan at Pushpa's was a way of her getting some of

her needs met when it was (seemingly) difficult for her to get these needs

met from her master. However, it also could have simply been a natural

longing for God through music.

 

In my childhood practice of the Catholic faith, I was exposed to devotional

hymns at an early age. I was taught that singing of hymns was emulating the

angels singing in heaven and so doing that would bring me closer to God.

And it did. Also, the Protestant churches have wonderful devotional hymns,

some of them very fiery and passionate (Go Tell it On the Mountain is a good

example). Hymns, kirtan, bhajans, these appeal to the spiritual seeker on

one level - a more devotional and emotional level. Certain people are going

to be naturally drawn to this method. The seeker has to examine his or her

own motives for singing the bhajans. I suppose one could get too wrapped up

in bhajans and forget that they are not an end unto themselves, just a means

towards feeling closer to Divine Mother. But they can serve as a powerful

way of approaching God.

 

Other people will have different temperaments and will be more drawn to

meditation, or hatha yoga, or japa or seva. I know various Amma devotees

here in California who appear to get more from doing seva than participating

in satsang or bhajans and that's fine. My elderly father also is one who

seems to feel a special sense of the Divine by working with the home-bound

and those in hospices (seva). For me, bhajans are a powerful and primary

way of feeling close to Amma. Maybe Irina's guru meant that we shouldn't

get TOO caught up in just one method, but that we should also try to

experience that connection with the Master via one of these other methods.

In addition to self-examination, seeking the advice of a swami or a vedic

astrologer can help identify which path might help enhance each person's

experience of the Divine.

 

Also, I think all these methods, music, seva, mantra japa, they all work on

us on an internal level. To illustrate, there are many mornings when I wake

up with bhajans on my mind before I've barely opened my eyes. And, it is

not because I've sung them before going to sleep the night before. They

just simply "arise". I take them as a blessing. I also feel something has

shifted whenever I do seva during the tours - it's internal and hard to

describe.

 

That's my perspective and I hope those on this list who resonate with the

bhajans will continue to manifest Amma's grace through singing those

spiritualized tunes.

 

Blessings,

 

Amritanand

 

Chandrika Sharma [Chandrika_Sharma]

Friday, April 13, 2001 8:17 AM

Amma Mail; Ammachi (AT) eGroups (DOT) com

Diverse ways!

 

 

Dear Divine Sparks!

I was quite astonished to read the following lines from 'The Daughter of

Fire':

"Still later, he was telling me that I don't follow him as I should,

because I still love to go to Pushpa's Kirtan. ....

"Tabla, harmonium, the singing, it pleases you- you like it- you do not

realize that it is useless from my point of view."

Since my childhood I have been singing. In fact, I believe I learned to

sing before I learned to speak! Reading this came as quite a surprise

that some spiritual teachers may not place as much emphasis on the power

of kirtan as others do. This reminded me of the Dhyana Shloka where Amma

is descibed as 'Sankirtanalapinim' (One who sings melodiously or loves

kirtan).

During our times with Amma, thousands are primarily moved by the

powerful energy generated by the singing. I still recall with clarity,

my first experience of listening to this divine music in New Hampshire

in 1988. The bhajans, 'Durge Durge', 'Kannande Kaloccha' and later

Gange! Gange! have moved listeners beyond words.

My question to other siblings is:

1) Am I right in understanding that this Sufi Master sees no merit to

devotional music?

2) Was this teaching meant only for Irena Tweedie to suit her

temperament?

The importance of music has been emphasized by Narada, Shankara and many

other sages (including our Amma!) Any thoughts?

Jai Ma!

Chandrika

 

 

 

 

 

Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha!

 

Ammachi

 

 

Your use of is subject to

[Guest guest]

--

Please note! New email address! kenna

 

 

> The importance of music has been emphasized by Narada, Shankara and many

> other sages (including our Amma!) Any thoughts?

 

"The devotee whose voice is choked with emotion, whose heart melts out of

Love, who sobs again and again, and at times begins to laugh, and shaking

off bashfulness begins to sing loudly and dance, sanctifies the whole

world."

 

Srimad Bhagavatam

Skanda X, Canto XIV, verse 24

(quoted in Amma's biography)

 

I agree with the others that the master must have been specifically teaching

that daughter. Haven't we all experienced singing that was more about the

ego than pure devotion?

 

The Sufi Order of the West, which promoted Sufi Dancing, arises out of the

Chisti (not sure of that spelling) branch of Sufism, which emphasizes music

as a spiritual practice. The whirling dervishes are a different branch.

 

"Children, bhajan helps to expand our mind and to gain more energy. Our

energy is not getting dissipated while singing, it is being conserved. When

we sing the glories of God we get a concentrated mind....When we pray with a

universal resolve, our mind will get purified. The singer's mind, the

listerner's mind, the at,osphere and Nature--all will get sanctified. Such

songs will awaken the mind in due course."

Amma

 

Aum Amriteshavaryai Namah

 

premarupa