relationships again

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/4/2002 3:59:45 PM Pacific Daylight Time, tomgull

writes:

 

 

> >>Shree Maa and

> her swami, I do have great respect for them. Here's

> an interesting discussion on the topic of

> relationships >>http://shreemaa.org/article05.htm

>

 

Thanks for sending this link, it was very interesting. Normally I pay little

attention on what celibates say about love relationships and sex, but this

was pretty good and pretty positive. -=-= Nick

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Although I'm not a true-believer in Shree Maa and

her swami, I do have great respect for them. Here's

an interesting discussion on the topic of

relationships in one of their newsletters:

 

http://shreemaa.org/article05.htm

 

The only part I didn't like was the suggestion

of learning to do puja in helping to see God in

your partner. They're a big proponents of doing

pujas as a sadhana. Pujas are good to learn

and do however simple or fancy, but it's not

a path for most in my opinion.

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 8/5/2002 4:09:40 PM Pacific Daylight Time,

girishv writes:

 

 

> > Normally I pay little

> > attention on what celibates say about love relationships and sex,>>

>

> <<<<<<Nick, isn't this like saying that you will not be treated by a doctor

> unless he has the same ailment ?>>>>>>

>

 

Actually, I'm glad you used this analogy, because the central issue is that I

don't buy into the pathologizing of sexual desire, or into an attitude that

thinks it's "tolerable" only if it is justified by procreation. So if they

do that, they've lost my ear already (at least on that subject). I tend to

look at romance and sex as a blessing from God's love. I suppose the Hebrew

Bible's Song of Songs would come closer to something I could appreciate, or

perhaps the poet William Blake's attitudes. I also like the romantic

traditions in general, especially as mythologist Joseph Campbell explains and

appreciates them. I believe there is a spiritual dimension to love and sex.

I'll accept ethical restrainst from that point, but not from the ascetic

approach which devalues the whole experience, treating sex as a concession to

human "weakness." My approach is a very Western approach, although the

Kama Sutra has some doses of it as well (I like Alain Danielou's translation,

although in the sutras the emphasis is on sex).

I don't have a problem with people practicing celibacy for part or all of

their life (most people get a dose of it sooner or later), I only have a

problem if they have to demonize sexuality and love (and everyone who

experiences this) in order to do it. <A

HREF="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0892815256/qid=1028591775/sr=8-5/re\

f=sr_8_5/104-4400642-4200766">Amazon.com: buying info: The Complete

Kama Sutra: The First Unabridged Modern T</A>

..For Campbell: <A

HREF="http://www.rain.org/~young/articles/campbell.html">Joseph Campbell's

Mythic Journey</A>

<A HREF="http://www.jcf.org/">Welcome to the Joseph Campbell Foundation

Website</A>

==-- om==- Nick

 

Joseph Campbell and the Power of Myth: Six Video Tape Series, Review From

Barnes Noble. Renowned teacher and storyteller Joseph Campbell joins Bill

Moyers in this acclaimed series exploring the meaning myths have in our daily

lives. Each of the six episodes --"The Hero's Adventure,"

"The Message of the Myth,"

"The First Storytellers,"

"Sacrifice and Bliss,"

"Love and the Goddess,"

and "Masks of Eternity" -- focuses on a character or theme found in

mythologies of various cultures and religions. In his lively discussions with

Moyers, Campell argues eloquently that these timeless archetypes continue to

exert a powerful pull on our unconscious

 

 

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

Ammachi, SoulQuest7@a... wrote:

> Normally I pay little

> attention on what celibates say about love relationships and sex,

 

Nick, isn't this like saying that you will not be treated by a doctor

unless he has the same ailment ?

;-)

 

 

Namashivaya,

Girish

[Guest guest]

Ammachi, "svgirish" <girishv@e...> wrote:

> Ammachi, SoulQuest7@a... wrote:

> > Normally I pay little

> > attention on what celibates say about love relationships and sex,

>

> Nick, isn't this like saying that you will not be treated by a

doctor

> unless he has the same ailment ?

 

Being celibate has some very good points, however I have seen

examples where part of the focus on being celibate has to do with

cultural discrimination against women.

 

Also, sometimes, the excuse of saving sexual energy

is motivated by a subtle greed for power.

 

Being celibate, for what i have experienced and seen, comes out

natural, as one becomes more spiritualy advanced (as one becomes

a true lover), and older.

 

Being celibate alone, does not indicate to me, high spirituality.

 

A prostitute with a compasionate heart is more spiritual to me,

than a monk that speaks low about people that have sex in their

lives.