Householder Dedication

[Guest guest]

In Rhode Island on July 12, 2002, during the question and answer

period, one Indian woman announced that she was a householder and

asked how a housholder could be as dedicated as a brahmacharin.

 

Amma commented, "The mind swings from like to dislike, pleasure and

pain. We must find the balance point."

 

"We must find the balance point between physical life and spiritual

life. We need both."

 

"We need to have a regular routine. Set aside time for spiritual

practice. Along with spiritual practice, we must discharge our

duties. If we are meditating, and the child comes and wants

something, we must take care of that."

 

"You can develop a certai amount of detachment while living in the

world, like butter in water. Even though butter is in the water, it

is not affected by it. Complete detachment is seeing ourselves in

all, seeing hte Self everywhere. Seeing one self so you are alone

(singlular like the Self), even in a crowd."

 

Then Ammachi told a story. "A disciple came into his guru's room

which was lit by one candle. He asked his guru 'What should I do in

my life?' The guru had been writing. After the disciple's question,

he kept on writing. The disciple asked the question again. Still

the guru kept writing. When the candle went out, he stopped

writing. He siad to the disciple 'Life is like that candle. It can

go out at any time. While it is burning, you should finish what you

started."

 

Amma added, "It is a matter of seeing whether you have the strength

to be alone. If you have desires and want a family, then you should

have a relationship. Here in the U.S., it is hard to be alone but

it's okay because you have dogs and cats." Everyone laughed. "They

are more loving," Swamiji began the translation and Amma stopped him

and clarified. He continued, "They are more OBEDIENT than other

people. With people, everybody wants to rule."

 

"The extended family is there in India. So, if the Mother scolds,

grandmother can console. That support is there."

 

""The important thing to remember is that Self-Realization is the

goal."

 

"You can never have complete happiness in the world. But you can

have trouble in the spiritual life also. But the constant

remembrance of God helps one committed to spiritual life."

 

"We must either find strength in ourselves or surrender completely to

God. Depending on another person for happiness, it's a problem. You

can always thing that that person with that thing will give more

happiness. Thus sorrow is always there."

 

************

Aikya

[Guest guest]

Thank you so very very much Aikya for sharing this.

 

 

--

Namaste,

 

Shelly

Mom to 5

CT