Guest guest Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 Dear Family, Maa specifically dictated these stories for Her club children. Hope you remember the previous two Avadhoot stories... Here are some more. As you read them, can you please think of what you are learning and please share your thoughts and inspiration with all of us. Thank you! Jai Maa! ************************ Maa's tells us a story ********************************* Avadhoot Story (continued) Maa is telling these stories to Her children to give inspiration and also to help them to learn how to relate to Nature -- our Earth Mother, Prakriti, all of creation. Last time you heard the story about Avadhoot and the hunter and Avadhoot and the fisherman. Now, please listen to some more Avadhoot stories. Story # 3 One day a hawk caught a fish and was flying with the fish in his mouth. Behind came hundreds and hundreds of crows. They all flew behind him and chased the hawk wherever he flew. They wanted the fish and went wherever the hawk went. They were disturbing the hawk greatly. The hawk got mad. He threw the fish. At that time, another hawk was flying and caught that fish. The crows left the first hawk and started flying behind the other hawk. The first hawk was so relieved and relaxed! Without a care, he sat on the branch of a tree and watched the plight of the other hawk. The Avadhoot bowed down to the hawk and said, "If you can leave all desires and attachments, then alone you can get peace. When I sit to meditate I want to leave all my desires and attachments, just as you have shown." He prayed to the hawk and said, "You are my Guru. Thank you for your teaching." Story # 4 There was a little pond in which a crane was walking with concentration and moving slowly to catch a fish. Behind the crane was a hunter who was focussing on the crane with the intent of killing it. The crane had no idea as to who was behind. The crane was completely focussed on catching the fish. The Avadhoot bowed down to the crane and told him, "You are my Guru. When I will do meditation, I will never look behind, I will always be focussed on the present and not on the past or the future. Please give me this blessing. Thank you for your teaching." >From these Avadhoot stories we see a beautiful example of how we can learn from all of Nature -- every moment, every aspect of creation can be our Guru and we can learn. Avadhoot gave respect with each action. From this we learn that if we, too, are respectful in each and every one of our actions, the entire Universe will become our family, and we can learn and share with all of creation. ********************************* Jai MAA ************************************* ------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 , "n_ramya108" <n_ramya108 wrote: Dear Family, Maa specifically dictated these stories for Her club children. --------------- Dear Ramya, Thank you for sharing with us Shree Maa's stories. It is such a blessing to hear from her and to be reminded that she supports us so. Her words, even when just a few, are always precious gems that I save and savor. After reading the Avahoot stories 3 and 4 last night, I went to my room and took my asana to do japa and meditate before bed. I was thinking about the part in the post where there was mention about learning from nature. About the time I was getting to a nice meditation place, my dear kitty companion decided my lap was the place she needed to be. Not surprising. However, instead of getting irritated with her, I observed her persistence toward her goal! She has very good one-pointed focus! Today I will look for teachers in all the animals and people I encounter...hopefully this jumpy mind of mine will one day be tamed, and such concentration as the crane has will emerge. Regarding the Hawk story. I asked Swamiji about discernment related to activities that will move me toward the goal (of self realization). His wise counsel helped to reveal and clarify that I have more than one goal. One being liberation and the peaceful heart, disciplined mind and body, and wisdom that comes with that freedom. The other is security. With no one else to support me, and also my role of often helping loved ones, I have an inner drive to make sure shelter and such are secured. I know this is a fear of insecurity. I have not released my world desires and attachments related to security and thus have been suffering. It is very difficult to serve two masters. When the freedom from the torment of such becomes great enough, hopefully I will remember Sri Hawk and release my prize then rest peacefully on a sadhana branch! Hopefully I will someday KNOW with full faith and not just intellectually that when one pursues liberation whole heartedly and with one pointed focus, and achieves this, all needs are met. Jai Maa! Peace to you Dear Ramya. Om, Sadhu Maa ------------------------ Sponsor --------------------~--> Everything you need is one click away. Make your home page now. http://us.click./AHchtC/4FxNAA/yQLSAA/XUWolB/TM --~-> <*> / <*> <*> Your Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 Dear Sadhu Maa and all, thank you, Sadhu Maa, for sharing your observations, which I found to be very inspiring. And I love the image you created in my mind of a very determined kitty trying to get onto your lap while you were trying to meditate:) As I was thinking about the lessons animals can teach us, the question arose what I could learn from animals which are not my particular favorites, like spiders? Normally, when I think of them, my thoughts are not very grateful. But as I thought more about it, I realised I can learn many things from them. There is a (admittedly small) spider living in my house (I let her stay because I long to overcome my irrational aversion, to I use her to practice on) and she is incredibly patient. For days, she does not move. She does not eat and is just sitting there in the middle of a tiny web. So patience and forbearance is one. Then I thought, a spider weaves her web herself, out of material she has, and that reminded me of the 'weaving' we do while practising sadhana: we use our thoughts and other abilities to weave a web into which we hope to attract morsels of wisdom. So, if I imagine myself sitting in a web made from the guided meditationthreads of puja, a morsel (a thought, a feeling, an intuition) could fall into my web. Now, if I was a spider, would I run towards it and start digesting it without even looking? No (well, perhaps some do, but mine does not), I think I would calmly register something had entered my web (which I could feel because through my threads I was connected with every part of my web) and I would go and investigate, taking care not to damage the web. I would not get all excited and jump up and down, thereby destroying my web and falling to the ground. What I have seen is that spiders are very careful and discriminating. So I think, if the morsel looked good, I would perhaps taste it right away or wrap it for later enjoyment, and resume my position in the middle in order to see if more will come. If it looked bad, I would ignore it or throw it out. So apart from patience, the spider also teaches me discrimination and respect for my actions. I'm sure she can teach me many more things, and I feel perhaps we'll become friends after all. Jai Maa, who tells wonderful stories Jai Ramya, who shares them with us Henny , "sadumaa" <sadumaa wrote: > > , "n_ramya108" <n_ramya108@> wrote: > Dear Family, > Maa specifically dictated these stories for Her club children. > --------------- > Dear Ramya, > Thank you for sharing with us Shree Maa's stories. It is such a > blessing to hear from her and to be reminded that she supports us so. > Her words, even when just a few, are always precious gems that I save > and savor. > > After reading the Avahoot stories 3 and 4 last night, I went to my room > and took my asana to do japa and meditate before bed. I was thinking > about the part in the post where there was mention about learning from > nature. > > About the time I was getting to a nice meditation place, my dear kitty > companion decided my lap was the place she needed to be. Not > surprising. However, instead of getting irritated with her, I observed > her persistence toward her goal! She has very good one-pointed focus! > > Today I will look for teachers in all the animals and people I > encounter...hopefully this jumpy mind of mine will one day be tamed, > and such concentration as the crane has will emerge. > > Regarding the Hawk story. I asked Swamiji about discernment related to > activities that will move me toward the goal (of self realization). His > wise counsel helped to reveal and clarify that I have more than one > goal. One being liberation and the peaceful heart, disciplined mind and > body, and wisdom that comes with that freedom. The other is security. > With no one else to support me, and also my role of often helping loved > ones, I have an inner drive to make sure shelter and such are secured. > I know this is a fear of insecurity. I have not released my world > desires and attachments related to security and thus have been > suffering. It is very difficult to serve two masters. When the freedom > from the torment of such becomes great enough, hopefully I will > remember Sri Hawk and release my prize then rest peacefully on a > sadhana branch! Hopefully I will someday KNOW with full faith and not > just intellectually that when one pursues liberation whole heartedly > and with one pointed focus, and achieves this, all needs are met. Jai > Maa! > > Peace to you Dear Ramya. > Om, Sadhu Maa > ------------------------ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 18, 2006 Report Share Posted May 18, 2006 Nirmalananda, This is a very good and practical measuring stick. Thank you for sharing your perspective. Jai Maa! , Nirmalananda Saraswati <nirmalananda1008 wrote: > > When it makes us forget God, then the harrasment has become too much ! ------------------------ Sponsor --------------------~--> Home is just a click away. Make your home page now. http://us.click./DHchtC/3FxNAA/yQLSAA/XUWolB/TM --~-> <*> / <*> <*> Your Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 18, 2006 Report Share Posted May 18, 2006 what an interesting question is is. when the harassment seems to be too much ... what that is, is the exact and precise threshold of our sadhana. for those of us who have quite high goals [as we stated them not that long ago here], as long as we are experiencing harassment as being to much [as opposed to active participation in god-consciousness, regardless of whether it is good or bad, uncomfortable or pleasant], we have fallen short of our goal and can think about what we learned, throw it into the fire and carry on the path. , "sadumaa" <sadumaa wrote: > > Nirmalananda, This is a very good and practical measuring stick. Thank > you for sharing your perspective. > Jai Maa! > > , Nirmalananda Saraswati > <nirmalananda1008@> wrote: > > > > When it makes us forget God, then the harrasment has become too much ! > ------------------------ Sponsor --------------------~--> Get to your groups with one click. Know instantly when new email arrives http://us.click./.7bhrC/MGxNAA/yQLSAA/XUWolB/TM --~-> <*> / <*> <*> Your Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted May 18, 2006 Report Share Posted May 18, 2006 In a message dated 5/18/06 10:08:56 AM Mountain Daylight Time, sconnor (AT) austin (DOT) rr.com writes: as long as we are experiencing harassment as being to much [as opposed to active participation in god-consciousness, regardless of whether it is good or bad, uncomfortable or pleasant], we have fallen short of our goal and can think about what we learned, throw it into the fire and carry on the path. Namaste Steve "Two much or two little", play on words intended. The dual perspective is that, through sadhana becomes Not that. Lesson learned, into the fire. Thanks Steve Love Kanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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