Guest guest Posted August 30, 2003 Report Share Posted August 30, 2003 Dearest list, Thank you all so much for your love, support, advice and encouragement! In answer to specific questions; I am not going to India for Amritavarshan, and it really breaks my heart. I know that people are offering loans to those who are in financial stress, but I'm already over my head in debt. Also, I am supposed to be teaching a workshop on pranayama that week that I scheduled months ago. Speaking of pranayama, let's all take a deep breath, shall we?!! Sara J, you are just so loving and compassionate. I'm doing much better now. I took a little time away from the madness to regroup, do some serious chanting, meditate, and read the new Harry Potter book! I just need to work on not spreading myself too thin, staying playful and ALWAYS holding tight to Her feet. Robin, in the midst of all you are going through I am really touched that you reached out to me. I had a rough time in school as a child and underwent all kinds of tests for years. I was diagnosed ADD, gifted, Autistic, Bipolar (which I was hospitalized for in my teens) and many other "disorders," each of which came with a new medication and/or therapy. My grandparents really cared, and thankfully leaned to the holistic aspect of healthcare, but once doctors got involved it was a zoo. After the hospital, I stayed on lithium for a few years, and then went off it as my spiritual search really took off in my nineteenth year. It's been a bumpy ride, but above all it was yoga that taught me to be balanced and focused. There are many scientific reasons why it works the way it does, and boy do I wish I'd started a long time ago. I really believe that if I were to be examined by a proffesional at this point in my life, I would be diagnosed as in very good mental health! Not sure why, but that makes me laugh and laugh.... Something else to consider; I believe that part of the reason I was so spaced out and resentful of my teachers was that I was in a meditative state. The moment I walked into kindergarten I realized that I was going to have to keep my mind here on earth for 13 years and it really pissed me off. I think this is pretty natural for many children, some are just better at accepting it. I teach yoga for children twice a week, and the parents have had really positive feedback, especially with kids who have been diagnosed with ADD or similar behavioral patterns. I also work with Autistic kids, and the results with them are literally unbelievable. My best advice would be to get this child into yoga or meditation. Give her the freedom to let her mind soar to her real home. Gasusima and Prashanti, thank you so much for the Ganesha information! How wonderful that Amma gave me that message at this particular time of year! I know exactly what I am going to do now, and I will certainly include a prayer for the removal of the obstacles blocking anyone's path who is on this list! Yogaman, question re: Sri Lalita Sahasranama. I am unsure as to the pronunciation of many of Her names. Will Devi understand and forgive my ignorance, or do the mistakes completely negate the practice altogether? I have read that this is the case with most pujas. Makes me wonder about my own mantra, what if I am pronouncing it slightly wrong, are my efforts wasted? Think I already know the answer. I have a sneaking suspicion that nothing matters more to the Divine Mother than our sincere efforts. All the same, would love to hear your thoughts. May Mother's light constantly illumine our lives, and may we ever feel Her arms around us. Om Amriteswaryai Namaha Brianna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 30, 2003 Report Share Posted August 30, 2003 Namah Shviaya, > Will Devi understand and forgive my ignorance, or do > the mistakes completely negate the practice > altogether? I have read that this is the case with > most pujas. Makes me wonder about my own mantra, what > if I am pronouncing it slightly wrong, are my efforts > wasted? Think I already know the answer. I have a > sneaking suspicion that nothing matters more to the > Divine Mother than our sincere efforts. All the same, > would love to hear your thoughts. Amma says just do it as best you can. p. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 31, 2003 Report Share Posted August 31, 2003 Ammachi, Kenna <kenna@m...> wrote: > Namah Shviaya, > > > Will Devi understand and forgive my ignorance, or do > > the mistakes completely negate the practice > > altogether? I have read that this is the case with > > most pujas. Makes me wonder about my own mantra, what > > if I am pronouncing it slightly wrong, are my efforts > > wasted? Think I already know the answer. I have a > > sneaking suspicion that nothing matters more to the > > Divine Mother than our sincere efforts. All the same, > > would love to hear your thoughts. > > Amma says just do it as best you can. > > p. If you have a copy of the LS book, at the end of the Archana section (Om.... Namah chanting of LS), there is a prayer: mantrahinam kriayhinam bhaktihinam maheshwari yadpujitam mayadevi paripurnam tadastute It translates like: "O Mother of the universe, in this worship of mine, I may have made many mistakes and ommission - not chanted mantras properly (mantrihinam), not done rituals properly (kriyahinam), not had the proper devtion and attention (bhaktihinam) Kindly forgive all the mistakes and make my worship (yadpujitam) full and complete (paripurnam), by Your Grace." I use this prayer freely when I am doing either the Archana, or the LS stotram (verses that begin as "srimata sri maharagni....) If you find chanting these verses difficult also, then you can say an "equivalent" prayer at the end of your worship, provided the prayer encapsulates the same attitude as this one.... even that is enough for our Kind Devi! Don't worry... Devi understands us completely, and accepts us even more than we accept ourselves! This reminds me of how Sri Ramana Mahrishi spoke of our efforts: He said that Grace alone is enough to bring about the Transformation. But our efforts are a big catalyst to the process. The more sincere the effort, the better. He said that effort, by itself, can never completely transform us, because effort comes from the realm of duality (I am purifying .... etc). The effort necessarily includes the 'I' (or the ego), and hence can never transform you completely by itself. What will eventually tranform you is the Grace, when it finally burns up the 'I' who is doing the effort. Our Devi is nothing but the Grace here, and the effort is the sincerity and attitude we bring to our practices. Good luck! Jai Ma! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 31, 2003 Report Share Posted August 31, 2003 For pronounciation, you might want to get the accompanying tape, CD, or CD-ROM to practice with. Doing the best you can will get good results, but I think there's a reason Amma is so careful to make sure we can pronounce our mantras correctly when we get them. That said, she has also made clear that our INTENTION is what matters most, so put your heart into it regardless of pronounciation, and it WILL have effects in your life. With love, Gabriela --- Kenna <kenna wrote: > Namah Shviaya, > > > Will Devi understand and forgive my ignorance, or > do > > the mistakes completely negate the practice > > altogether? I have read that this is the case with > > most pujas. Makes me wonder about my own mantra, > what > > if I am pronouncing it slightly wrong, are my > efforts > > wasted? Think I already know the answer. I have a > > sneaking suspicion that nothing matters more to > the > > Divine Mother than our sincere efforts. All the > same, > > would love to hear your thoughts. > > Amma says just do it as best you can. > > p. > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 31, 2003 Report Share Posted August 31, 2003 Namah Shivaya. Thanks, dear brother Manoj for embellishing so well my cryptic comment. Somewhere at the end of the commentary on the LS, it also says that Amma says you can even do the practice without much sincerity and it will help you! It's kind of like what someone said: just show up and do it as best you can, day after day, and Devi's grace will flow and soon you'll wonder how you ever lived without doing it. Many people who practice LS can tell when they are in a home where it is practiced. It affects the atmosphere in a very positive way. More light, more air, more room to grow spiritually... For me, beginning the practice was somewhat like standing at the edge of a great ocean or in the middle of a huge forest or overlooking the Grand Canyon. The first time I ever attempted it alone, after doing at Ashram for almost a month, was on the return flight. Just little me and the prayer book. It seemed impossible to ever do. This list was a huge help because my dear sister Fe/Saswati sent me copy of the stotra chanted very beautifully which had been sent to her by another list member, Lutz. I've never used the CD version, but understand it's very helpful. So, once the first step is taken, once the commitment is made, Devi herself will help you. A day without LS is like a day without sunshine.... ok, I'll shut up;) Thanks again Manoj. You got me going despite preparations for big trip. Praying for sustained effort and oh, so grateful for her grace. premarupa Aum Amriteshvaryai Namah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 31, 2003 Report Share Posted August 31, 2003 Yes absolutely; if this were not so, i would have been deported to purgatory or hell long time back, considering how badly i have pronounced it:-) it depends on the intention, if you are doing pooja for a specific purpose(like walking on water, living without food etc, in other words for a specific purpose which is not a necessity), then u have to be very careful of the pronounciation; if otherwise, then no problems; that being said, on occasions i have had some troubles usually relating to the body, though my japa was "unselfish"; the advice given to me was that either had some hidden desires or that the japa was cleaning out the filth inside of me, which temporarily manifests as a disease/discomfort; in such instances, ease up a little on the amount of japa. as kenna pointed out, you can really tell which are the homes where LS are being chanted by the aura you feel; another interesting thing is that most of amma's closest shishyas and who also regularly chant LS(that i know of) seem immune to the vagaries of economy, i.e. they are always doing well. very beneficial if you can chant it same place and same time every day. yogaman > Yogaman, question re: Sri Lalita Sahasranama. I am > unsure as to the pronunciation of many of Her names. > Will Devi understand and forgive my ignorance, or do > the mistakes completely negate the practice > altogether? I have read that this is the case with > most pujas. Makes me wonder about my own mantra, what > if I am pronouncing it slightly wrong, are my efforts > wasted? Think I already know the answer. I have a > sneaking suspicion that nothing matters more to the > Divine Mother than our sincere efforts. All the same, > would love to hear your thoughts. > > May Mother's light constantly illumine our lives, and > may we ever feel Her arms around us. > > Om Amriteswaryai Namaha > Brianna > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 31, 2003 Report Share Posted August 31, 2003 Yes absolutely, if this were not so, i would have been deported to purgatory or hell long time back considering how badly i have pronounced it :-) if you arre donig pooja for getting the ability to walk on water, live without food etc, i.e. things that are not necessities, then you have to be careful with pronounciation; if it is selfless worship, or even for bare necessities, should be OK; that being said, i have had a few occasions where i some body troubles even though my japa was "selfless"; advice give to me was that either i had some secret desires or the japa was cleaning me inside out, temporarily resulting in disease/discomfort; when that happens i was told to ease up on japa a little bit. as kenna pointed out, you can tell which are the homes where LS is being chanted by the aura u can feel; an interesting thing is that most of amma's closest shishyas and who also chant the LS(that i know of) are immune to the vagaries of the economy,i.e. are always doing well. aum namasivaya yogaman > Yogaman, question re: Sri Lalita Sahasranama. I am > unsure as to the pronunciation of many of Her names. > Will Devi understand and forgive my ignorance, or do > the mistakes completely negate the practice > altogether? I have read that this is the case with > most pujas. Makes me wonder about my own mantra, what > if I am pronouncing it slightly wrong, are my efforts > wasted? Think I already know the answer. I have a > sneaking suspicion that nothing matters more to the > Divine Mother than our sincere efforts. All the same, > would love to hear your thoughts. > > May Mother's light constantly illumine our lives, and > may we ever feel Her arms around us. > > Om Amriteswaryai Namaha > Brianna > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 31, 2003 Report Share Posted August 31, 2003 oops, sorry i posted this twice thinking that it did not make the first time Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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