Seeing God Everywhere Every Day

January 4, 2006

One thing another devotee and I tried is being prayer partners. We

only talked to each other twice a week. We each decided what we

wanted our focus to be and we changed it whenever we were ready to

move on or fine tune it. Based on the focus, we came up with 3

questions for our prayer partner to ask us and we wrote down the

three questions to ask our partner. Amazingly enough, each time we

talked, those questions sounded brand new to me. The last question

on both sides was "What do you want me to ask Amma for on your

behalf?" And then we would each pray for that for the other person

in between calls.

My focus for a while has been to see God in everything. If it

appealed to you, this might be a great thing for you since it takes

attention and awareness rather than lots of time. I've been through

various phases with this intention. Since it is my intention, I

have my feelers out for anything that can help.

Meditation has been very helpful although I admit that I am very

resistant to it. Just recently, I have started to love it so that I

look forward to doing it--like a vacation--a "God" break--but I

still fight actually DOING it.

A book I found that was very helpful was a Catholic book actually, a

classic by Brother Lawrence called PRACTICING THE PRESENCE OF GOD.

Another one which I think will be helpful too is Bo Lozoff's DEEP

AND SIMPLE which I plan to order after next paycheck.

My mind responds immediately to Native American material and one of

their prayers works for me for this focus. The first talk I ever

heard when I studied advaita vedanta talked about how science can

tell us all sorts of things from their analysis of a flower except

about its beauty. The quality of beauty is the spiritual aspect of

a flower but it can't be separated from the chemicals that create

it's color or fragrance or its structure. Lakshmi is beauty as well

as wealth so this prayer helps me remember God

Now I walk in beauty.

Beauty is before me.

Beauty is behind me,

Above and below me.

I know it as a song so I can sing it to myself.

Another song I know works too. It says

In this very room

There's quite anought love for all the world.

In this very room,

There's quite enough joy for all the world.

There's quite enough peace

And quite enough power

To walk through our every fear

For Spirit, God's loving spirit,

Is in this very room.

I will snatch small moments in the day and just be still. They are

like mini-meditations. The stillness ....well, you know that

quotation from the Bible "Be still and know that I am God"? That's

what's going on. I'm being still and knowing. This can be done

while waiting on line in the supermarket, at traffic lights in the

car, -- any time. Busy schedules do not interfere.

I realize that these don't seem to be Amma-related. My little mind

needs these, however, and so this is my program. Some time back I

realized that loving Amma was very special, but, loving wonderful

Amma, I remained miserable old me. I needed to see God inside and

outside. I needed to see God in challenging situations and people.

I needed to overcome longstanding, deeply entrenched, even

unconscious negative feelings and thinking. What is the purpose of

knowing a great one like Amma unless you let your admiration for her

transform YOU.

I figure this is what Amma does. She sees God everywhere and knows

that she is one with God. When people bring problems to her, she

doesn't say she'll pray to a separate God off someplace in any one

of the many Hindu heavens. She says that she will form a sankalpa,

an intention. She knows that she is one with God and if she forms

and intention, the situation is handled.

So I'm working on seeing God everywhere.

Blessings!

Aikya

Ammachi, "Bela Gaytan" <bela.fela@g...> wrote:

>

> Namaste everyone,

>

> I am curious to find out what many of you do on a daily basis as

regular

> spiritual practices and such. If any of you feel inclined to

share, either

> publicly or privately, I was greatly appreciate your

contribution. I'm

> interested in seeing how people can manage their time being a

parent,

> working, volunteering, spending time with friends and family… and

also

> manage their time for sadhana, seva, satsangs, etc.

>

> At the moment, I don't quite have any daily practices down pat.

It's

> certainly something I plan to start doing as soon as possible. I

was off

> work for a year and a half and also drifted away from God, Kali, &

Amma

> during this time. Now that I've blissfully returned, I also

started working

> full-time. I'm a single-parent (separated)… so time management is

really

> something I need to work more on. I've finally reached a point to

where I

> can balance work and home life a bit better now, and to where I am

> accustomed to my new schedule. (I was also sick for a bit over a

year prior

> to starting this new job. I'm now healed completely… but it all

shows what

> a roller-coaster ride the past year or so has been for me!)

>

> So far, I "try" to pray each night. I say "try" as many times I

am putting

> my children to sleep, and I end up so tired that I go to bed at

the same

> time they do. Several weeks back I decided that I would dedicate

my drive

> to work to praying and singing bhajans. I have a 30-45 minute

commute,

> one-way, so it has proven to be a great way to get loads of prayer

in, and

> also a blessed way to start my day off! I've realized that I

could also be

> using my drive home as valuable time, too. I normally listen to

the radio,

> or on several occasions I will listen and sing to bhajans. It's

just not

> something concrete… yet! (* ^_^ *)

>

> I participate in a prayer sankalpa every week, as well. I do the

prayers on

> Saturday or Sunday, and then I also sneak it in, if possible,

while at work

> and having some down time. I will sit quietly and read through

it, praying

> for everyone involved and listed.

>

> I really need to get in more sadhana daily. I also need to start

> meditating… something I don't know too much about. Funds are

limited, but

> I've been buying a few books here and there to help me out along

my path. I

> also purchased a nice wrist and neck mala online, cheaply priced,

to boot.

> I should be getting it some time this week, which will greatly aid

(and

> motivate) me in chanting my mantras.

>

> Thank you in advance to anyone willing to share their practices

with me. I

> learn so much by reading all of your experiences, thoughts, and

feelings. I

> also think it will be a valuable way for me to see some great

ideas and

> inspirations! Jai Ma!!!

>

> ¸..• ´¨¨)) -:¦:-

> ¸.•´ .•´¨¨))

> ((¸¸.•´ ..•´ -:¦:- ..::Brightest Blessings::..

> -:¦:- ((¸¸.•´.¸..•` ..::Bela::..

>

> "Like nectar in the fresh morning flower, let goodness fill you.

The heart

> that unfolds all its petals spreading the fragrance of goodness is

the

> choicest offering at the altar of God" - Amma

>

January 4, 2006

It *is* Amma-related, if you ask me, following her teaching on its

deepest level!

>"Be still and know that I am God"

>I realize that these don't seem to be Amma-related. My little mind

>needs these, however, and so this is my program. Some time back I

>realized that loving Amma was very special, but, loving wonderful

>Amma, I remained miserable old me. I needed to see God inside and

>outside. I needed to see God in challenging situations and

>people. I needed to overcome longstanding, deeply entrenched, even

>unconscious negative feelings and thinking. What is the purpose of

>knowing a great one like Amma unless you let your admiration for her

>transform YOU.

--

Max Dashu

Suppressed Histories Archives

Global Women's History

http://www.suppressedhistories.net

January 4, 2006

AMMAs son would like to greet you with his love and he appreciates what you

have shared.AMMAs son has learned that the transformation has a little to do

with his effort but much to do with HER GRACE.TRANSFORMATION HAPPENS WHETHER

WE ARE AWARE OF IT OR NOT.THIS IS WHAT IS KNOWN AS HAVING FAITH.

AMMA says that PERFECT FAITH IS ENLIGHTENMENT.IT IS FIRST AND FOREMOST HER

LOVE FOR US THAT CHANGES US.TO BE AWARE OF HOW MUCH WE ARE LOVED BY HER IS A

GREAT ATTAINMENT IN ITSELF.

APPRECIATION AND GRATITUDE OF HOW MUCH WE HAVE BEEN GIVEN BY AMMA ,WILL KEEP

US IN A CONTINUED STATE OF AN INNER SMILE.

WE SAY THAT AMMA LOVES US,BUT HOW DEEPLY DO WE REALLY CONTEMPLATE THIS?IF

YOU LOOK AT EVERYTHING IN NATURE ,IT IS LOVING AND SERVING YOU(US).HER GRACE

AND THROUGH HER LOVE IS THE DECIDING FACTOR IN EVERY ASPECT OF OUR

LIVES.KNOWING THIS ONE CAN BE RELIEVED AND COMFORTED,CONTENT AND JOYOUS.ONCE

WE TRULY REALIZE HOW MUCH LOVE IS INVOLVED IN OUR SPIRITUAL GROWTH WE WILL

BECOME FEARLESS AND WE WILL BE THE INEXAUSTIBLE SOURCE OF DIVINE LOVE THAT

WE ALREADY TRULY ARE.

AMMA IS LOVE .I AM LOVE.YOU ARE LOVE .LOVE IS LOVE .LIFE IS LOVE.MA MA MA MA

MA MA MA MA MA IS LOVE IS OUR TRUE NATURE IS AMMA IS YOU IS ME IS LOVE IS

AMMA IS MA AMMA IS LOVE.

>Max Dashu <maxdashu

>Ammachi

> Re: Seeing God Everywhere Every Day

>Wed, 4 Jan 2006 12:09:23 -0800

>

>It *is* Amma-related, if you ask me, following her teaching on its

>deepest level!

>

> >"Be still and know that I am God"

>

> >I realize that these don't seem to be Amma-related. My little mind

> >needs these, however, and so this is my program. Some time back I

> >realized that loving Amma was very special, but, loving wonderful

> >Amma, I remained miserable old me. I needed to see God inside and

> >outside. I needed to see God in challenging situations and

> >people. I needed to overcome longstanding, deeply entrenched, even

> >unconscious negative feelings and thinking. What is the purpose of

> >knowing a great one like Amma unless you let your admiration for her

> >transform YOU.

>

>--

>Max Dashu

>Suppressed Histories Archives

>Global Women's History

>http://www.suppressedhistories.net

>

_______________

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January 10, 2006

Dear Aikya,

Thank you so much for sharing this with me! I also have been trying to see

God in everything. I admit... sometimes it is VERY hard, and I really have

to remind myself of it. It's mostly because of dealing with negative

people... that is the worse area for me. I treat them equally as others,

but I tend to feel less compassionate for these types of people. It's

definitely a work in progress - I am constantly working on it.

"Be still and know that I am God" - how profound! I've always been fond of

this verse, and I also will have still moments throughout the day where I

marvel at life, Creation, and God's love. Many times I get this moment of

stillness after I have rocked my wee ones to sleep, and look at them, calm

and peaceful, lying in my arms, snuggled up against me. Such bliss!

Jai Ma!

¸..• ´¨¨)) -:¦:-

¸.•´ .•´¨¨))

((¸¸.•´ ..•´ -:¦:- ..::Brightest Blessings::..

-:¦:- ((¸¸.•´.¸..•` ..::Bela::..

"Like nectar in the fresh morning flower, let goodness fill you. The heart

that unfolds all its petals spreading the fragrance of goodness is the

choicest offering at the altar of God" - Amma

_____

Ammachi [Ammachi] On Behalf Of

Aikya Param

Wednesday, January 04, 2006 1:16 PM

Ammachi

Re: Seeing God Everywhere Every Day