retreat

[Guest guest]

Namaste and Love to the Devi Mandir Family:

 

My time at the Devi Mandir, over the last weekend, was not about the words.

Of course, it was wonderful to see the new Mandir, and to see that beautiful

homes have been built for Shree Maa and Swami Satyananda, so that They may

perform Their work most efficiently.

 

And, to see my old friends, Devanath, Devapriya, Surath, Parvati, Gautam,

Mitra, and to meet new wonderful sadhus, Bramesh, Tanmaya, Srini, Srikant, Kiran,

and the rest, such a clear, loving satsang, a tribute to the greatness of

Shree Maa, the sweetest pollen draws the strongest bees.

 

But, beyond my expectations, the face of Shree Maa, again, awakened such a

deep longing and an almost overpowering love, like when we were 17, and we fell

in love,

 

Mother, I cannot do great sadhana,

I do not know the mantras,

I do not know the correct pronounciation,

I cannot raise myself onto one leg

and watch 1008 sunrises without moving.

I am so limited in my expressions to You,

but I have learned the way into Your heart,

I have learned how to win Your love,

and how to receive Your gift of my devotion,

the way through is in sacrifice, surrender, and service.

You have taught me, with your little wave and smile,

that what You ask for is found in Your gift.

My salvation is only in my heart bursting, obsessive

love for You,

And I offer You this salvation,

just let me love You,

let me sing Your names.

 

This is a very intimate thing, not something you ever talk about, your love

for the Mother Divine, it is the secret fire that burns in our hearts, and in

the center of my retreat time with Mother, I offered myself to that inner fire

again with tears and laughter, and again I merged into the all permeating love

of Maa.

 

So what I learned at the Mandir retreat is that God says to us "Give to Me

and I'll give to you" and whatever is left in this incarnation we offer to Her

at the fire in our own hearts, in order to receive from Her our pure devotion.

 

Pranam to You, my dear Mother, may my surrender ever deepen...

 

Love

shubal