Every day is Mother's day

[Guest guest]

Dear All,

While every day is Mother's day at the Mandir, the actual day was

celebrated on both Saturday and Sunday (May 13th and 14th) at the

temple.

 

It is over a week a now, and so I dont remember all the little details.

However I would like to share a few highlights from the two days ...

 

One - When Maa dances !!!!

 

Usually, during satsangs, Maa sings and many of us in the audience start

swaying or dancing to keep with Her rhythm. This time though, after we

did arati that evening, Maa decided to take the arati lamp and offer the

lights to the deities as well.

 

Until that point, what had been a pleasant beginning suddenly took on a

vivid intensity. No longer was it like a spark or two flying, but a

raging fire !!! Maa offered the lights, but continued dancing. We all

stood nearby clapping our hands, and Maa danced with anyone nearby. She

held the hands of the devotees and whirled around merrily.

 

I tell you, it has to be felt to be believed. This tiny frail woman

bringing so much energy first with her presence and then with her

dancing !

 

Two - "Why did you come here today ?"

 

During Kirtan that evening, Maa suddenly stopped and asked us. "Why are

you here today?"

 

Total Silence !

 

Then I ventured "To see you Maa!"

 

And then Maa asked "Why do you want to see me ?" and looked around at

us.

 

More Silence !! My mind was furiously working overtime. "What is the

right answer? - Because you are the divine mother, because you guide me,

because ... because ...?"

My mind went into an overdrive..

 

Then Maa herself continued "I would have been so happy if you had said

"because you loved me"!!!!" and laughed !!!

 

Such a simple truth! But yet the mind is so complicated that it looks

for "correct" answers.

 

Later that evening when I went up to her for darshan, I set the record

straight. "I came this evening because I love you", I told Maa. And Maa

looked at me and said "GOOD!" and moved her hands almost like a 'yea!'

 

Three - What does Maa want from us ?

 

That evening (or was it Sunday morning? Feeble memory due to my

advancing years) Maa said what She wanted from us as her gift. She

wanted the gift of prayer. She asked us how many of us did regular

sadhana. A few tentative hands went up. She said that She would be most

happy if we all did regular sadhana. "Atleast three times a day". She

then recited the story of Vishnu , Narad and the perfect devotee. The

perfect devotee was the one who prayed to Vishnu before and after his

daily karma but did not have time in between. When Narad asked why he

was the greated devotee, Vishnu gave him a pot of oil and asked him to

walk around a mountain. When Narad came back, Vishnu asked him how many

times he had remembered God. Narad confessed to not remembering him even

once, and understood why the devotee who remembered Vishnu even a few

times during the day in between his hard work was the perfect devotee.

 

Maa asked us to do sadhana atleast three times in the day. She also had

a little booklet with mantras gleaned from the Mandir books , which said

"Mantras for the morningafternoon" and "evening". This book , sad to

say, is not available for sale, and was given away to the attendees of

the satsang.

 

I guess, booklet or no, the point is to keep doing our sadhana .

 

I hope we will all remember to keep at our sadhana with renewed vigor !

If we need any reason for sadhana, let us remember that it makes Shree

Maa very happy.

 

Jai Shree Maa

Nanda

[Guest guest]

In a message dated 5/22/2006 11:01:09 P.M. Mountain Standard Time,

chandimaakijai writes:

 

Then Maa herself continued "I would have been so happy if you had said

"because you loved me"!!!!" and laughed !!!

 

 

Namaste Dear Nanda,

 

It was many years ago when I said to Gururdeva personally "I love you" and

that created a wonderful change within me and He said to me "I love you".

Often I wanted to tell this to the group and my shyness prevented me

because I'm talking about change that occurs within and it is like opening a

new channel, or stream, a flow that causes change in your nature from the

inside out. It is not about experience ( good or bad ) that may make you want

to change, but about change from God from the inside out.

 

My Love

 

Kanda

[Guest guest]

> During Kirtan that evening, Maa suddenly stopped and asked us. "Why are

> you here today?"

 

When Maa asked us this question "because we love you" was the first thought that entered my mind. Because of my shyness I didn't say anything though. If I had understood that it was what she wanted to hear I would have leapt to my feet and shouted it out! It's funny all the ways we hold ourselves back from sharing what is most important. I guess my mind was making things complicated as well.

 

That certainly isn't unusual. I have always tended to be quiet in groups (unless I'm the facillitator - then I'm not at all shy) but that evening was a mirror for me, making me wonder how I do that in other areas of my life. When do I miss the opportunity to tell those I love how much I care for them while I hide behind fear and take refuge in silence. This inevitably leads me into woulda, shoulda, coulda land, and I'm never glad that I stayed quiet.

 

OM Shanti

Morningsong