mantra recitation

December 30, 2006

Hello Everyone -

Until a person reachs the state in their mantra japa where the mantra

begins "chanting you" (Kashyapa Sutra #12 out of The Guru and the

Goddess) is there any time when one should not chant their mantra?

Blessed Be

Marsha (Orca)

December 31, 2006

Not that I know of. The way you reach the state by which your mantra chants you, or that you hear/experience the ajapa japa, is by chanting your mantra as much as possible.

Though some take the school of thought that you do your mantra at your scheduled practice times and focus on your tasks with full attention and don't repeat mantra then.

Jai Maa!

Surya

-

Marsha

Saturday, December 30, 2006 2:37 PM

[www.ShreeMaa.org] mantra recitation

Hello Everyone -

Until a person reachs the state in their mantra japa where the mantra

begins "chanting you" (Kashyapa Sutra #12 out of The Guru and the

Goddess) is there any time when one should not chant their mantra?

Blessed Be

Marsha (Orca)

December 31, 2006

Hi Marsha,

Hope you are having a wonderful holiday!

Thanks

Debi

Marsha <mal5wic (AT) aol (DOT) com> wrote:

Hello Everyone -

Until a person reachs the state in their mantra japa where the mantra

begins "chanting you" (Kashyapa Sutra #12 out of The Guru and the

Goddess) is there any time when one should not chant their mantra?

Blessed Be

Marsha (Orca)

December 31, 2006

Hi Marsha,

It's an interesting question.

As with any aspect of spiritual life, I think japa transforms as we

do. There is an aside in Shree Maa The Guru and the Goddess between

Swamiji and Shree Maa, where Swamiji says to her, not to complain, but

rather to point it out, that she doesn't hear him a lot of the time,

doesn't listen to him, because she is always with the mantra.

Shree Maa doesn't need to do japa to gain mantra siddhi, yet she

continues. Who can say exactly why? Perhaps she is giving back to this

world, or the universe as a whole; perhaps she has other purposes.

I think perhaps as long as we are manifested beings mantra will be

with us in some form.

Jai Maa!

Chris

, "Marsha" <mal5wic wrote:

>

> Hello Everyone -

>

> Until a person reachs the state in their mantra japa where the mantra

> begins "chanting you" (Kashyapa Sutra #12 out of The Guru and the

> Goddess) is there any time when one should not chant their mantra?

>

> Blessed Be

> Marsha (Orca)

>

January 1, 2007

Hello Chris -

I too enjoyed this statement and was thankful to Shree Maa for letting

me know I wasn't being rude for trying to chant my mantra at all times.

Thank you

Marsha

January 1, 2007

Hi Debi -

Happy New Year.

Blessed Be

Marsha

January 2, 2007

Looks like we're on the same page.

Looked at Jan 19 in file and trying to get ready for it.

Good to see you here.

deb

Marsha <mal5wic (AT) aol (DOT) com> wrote:

Hi Debi -

Happy New Year.

Blessed Be

Marsha

January 4, 2007

Namaste,

I have read the various recomendations here to chant a mantra at all

times, and i do not disagree with that principle. I think that the

only way to stimulate the practice of ajapa is by constant repetition.

There have been times when i have had difficulty to detach from

worldy fears / desires to chant, but have forced my self to do this.

Now notice a quiet "echo" of the mantra i practice nearly anytime i

become silent but especially after long periods of nearly constant

chanting.

I have a question. I have noticed that my mantra stimulates the

upward movement of the kundalini and other bodily energies. Ayurveda

(and yoga) teaches that the udana vaayu is responsible for all upward

movement in the body (i.e. coughing, sneezing, spitting, exhalation,

and deep states of spiritual consciousness). It teaches that the

apana vaayu controls all downward movements in the body (elimination,

procreation, detachment etc). As such my mantra seems to help in only

some of my worldly endevours. The mantra only causes detachment from

the world in a round-about way by displacing attachents to the world

by putting blissful states in the consciousness.

I believe strongly that because my mantra stimulates the udana vaayu

it hinders the apana vaayu. Spirituality transcends the material

world, but i still have attachments for which i require the body. I

believe it is my duty to preserve the life of the body. As such i had

trouble to say my mantra when i urinated or defficated. I became

almost superstitious about saying my mantra at such times and would stop.

Because i know fear and superstition is not a useful attachment i

prayed to the devata of my mantra to protect me as i said my mantra so

it would not cause harm to the physical body (e.g. constipation)at

the times i went to the bathroom. I noticed that through my prayer

the mantra's shakti became withdrawn, though i recited it at this and

other times that its energy may not support my physical health /

wellbeing.

I would like to imagine a time when i do not require food and could

always live on the pranas of the mantra alone but i have not yet

reached that point. I wonder if anyone has insight into this or other

examples of the energies of mantras working against the acheivement of

certain material things essential to the life of the body. The

ayurveda and yoga shastras say that the body is the best tool we have

to seek the divine. I admit that it may be possible that it is a

judgement of the mind that the mantra is harmful at these times. It

could arise from a natural fear of the pain of tapas (spiritual

austerity). I have noticed, however, that continued practice at these

and other times can lead to a situation in which the physical effect

is enough to cause me to stop my practice altogether until i recover

(that is recovery becomes my practice). It seems that this is a lack

of balance which slows the acutual spiritual growth for me. I wonder

if anyone may have any insight to share.

With Love

Ganapati

January 5, 2007

Hi Ganapati, welcome!

Whew! You have a lot to say, unfortunately I'm afraid I only

understood a little bit of it...

If I may make a suggestion?

I used to assume that my experience was essentially the same as

everyone else's, that if I described something, others would easily be

able to identify it and relate to it - even to my interpretations of

my experiences. I eventually discovered that this is not the case.

Even though in the broadest sense, we do all have similar experiences

on the spiritual path, there is wide room for variation, and the

closer to the particular we get, the wider the variation of

experience. Add to that how we, as individuals, interpret our

experiences, and it is a wonder we can relate to one another at all!

Each of us has a slightly different focus. Within the same path, we

nevertheless tread a different path than our neighbor. How can it be

otherwise when we all have different karmas?

Many of your references to personal experience, especially as they

touched on your interpretation, were lost to me. I would begin to

think, "OK, I think I know...," and then you would say something else

and I wouldn't have a clue. Perhaps it would help if you would assume

your reader shares nothing of your experience, and must have

everything explained to him. When you finish writing, wait a few

minutes and then go back to the beginning and reread it to see if you

have truly described not only your experience, but your beliefs and

assumptions about it. Rereading and revising is the best tool for

ensuring that you communicate in the clearest possible way.

It is terribly difficult to describe in words the experiences of

spiritual practice - but it is fun (and can be very rewarding) to try

sometimes.

You seem to have some issues around the mantra and being effective in

life. I'm not sure what all of them are, and especially I am not sure

about this whole "superstition" business, but I do get the part about

elimination. I struggle with this myself, sometimes.

When the bowels are full all kinds of tamasic and rajasic energy

pollute mind and prana. It is necessary to empty the bowels

efficiently, both for the sake of health and so that one's practice is

not disturbed.

You said that the body is the best instrument for spiritual

attainment. I would amend that to say that the mind is the finest

instrument for spiritual enlightenment. Control of the pranas is only

possible with a purified mind and will. Your difficulties are the

result of your impurities, and so you must learn to adapt yourself

until they have been burned away. Find what works for you.

There is certainly nothing wrong with doing japa while eliminating,

but if it prevents you from eliminating, then suspend your japa until

you are finished. Develop control over your pranas. If prayer helps

you attain a proper downward flow of apana when you need it, then

pray. I myself, sometimes repeat the bija for muladhara, the seat of

apana vayu, but some schools do not recommend any messing about with

the lower chakras, so I do not recommend this practice, it is an

individual thing that I do.

I cannot give you spiritual advice. Only a qualified gurudeva

(including the one in your heart) can do that. But my advice, for what

it's worth, is to try to be practical. If you have to interact with

the world, on whatever level, do so as efficiently as you can. One

cannot always be in meditation on the light at the top of the head or

in the cave of the heart. Sometimes one must meditate on that God who

is the hydraulic press, pressing out all the countless parts, one

after another, after another, after another. Or one meditates on that

God who is the emptying of the bowels. It is all One. Be practical. Be

flexible. Be efficient.

If your experience is anything like mine, you will struggle, and you

will fall down a lot, but if you keep going, God willing, eventually

your struggles will lessen. True freedom is not found in the asana

alone, but in whatever situation you find yourself in.

Jai Maa!

Chris

, "patrickwcoyle"

<patrickwcoyle wrote:

>

> Namaste,

>

> I have read the various recomendations here to chant a mantra at all

> times, and i do not disagree with that principle. I think that the

> only way to stimulate the practice of ajapa is by constant repetition.

> There have been times when i have had difficulty to detach from

> worldy fears / desires to chant, but have forced my self to do this.

> Now notice a quiet "echo" of the mantra i practice nearly anytime i

> become silent but especially after long periods of nearly constant

> chanting.

>

> I have a question. I have noticed that my mantra stimulates the

> upward movement of the kundalini and other bodily energies. Ayurveda

> (and yoga) teaches that the udana vaayu is responsible for all upward

> movement in the body (i.e. coughing, sneezing, spitting, exhalation,

> and deep states of spiritual consciousness). It teaches that the

> apana vaayu controls all downward movements in the body (elimination,

> procreation, detachment etc). As such my mantra seems to help in only

> some of my worldly endevours. The mantra only causes detachment from

> the world in a round-about way by displacing attachents to the world

> by putting blissful states in the consciousness.

>

> I believe strongly that because my mantra stimulates the udana vaayu

> it hinders the apana vaayu. Spirituality transcends the material

> world, but i still have attachments for which i require the body. I

> believe it is my duty to preserve the life of the body. As such i had

> trouble to say my mantra when i urinated or defficated. I became

> almost superstitious about saying my mantra at such times and would

stop.

>

> Because i know fear and superstition is not a useful attachment i

> prayed to the devata of my mantra to protect me as i said my mantra so

> it would not cause harm to the physical body (e.g. constipation)at

> the times i went to the bathroom. I noticed that through my prayer

> the mantra's shakti became withdrawn, though i recited it at this and

> other times that its energy may not support my physical health /

> wellbeing.

>

> I would like to imagine a time when i do not require food and could

> always live on the pranas of the mantra alone but i have not yet

> reached that point. I wonder if anyone has insight into this or other

> examples of the energies of mantras working against the acheivement of

> certain material things essential to the life of the body. The

> ayurveda and yoga shastras say that the body is the best tool we have

> to seek the divine. I admit that it may be possible that it is a

> judgement of the mind that the mantra is harmful at these times. It

> could arise from a natural fear of the pain of tapas (spiritual

> austerity). I have noticed, however, that continued practice at these

> and other times can lead to a situation in which the physical effect

> is enough to cause me to stop my practice altogether until i recover

> (that is recovery becomes my practice). It seems that this is a lack

> of balance which slows the acutual spiritual growth for me. I wonder

> if anyone may have any insight to share.

>

> With Love

> Ganapati

>

January 6, 2007

Namaste,

Thank you Chris,

I agree with your comments whole-heartedly. You have said that it is

difficult to describe spiritual experience in words. This is

neccessarily true, because the goal of spiritual practice is more

subtle than the spoken (vaikhari) level of speech. I think you have

helped to clarify what i had intended to say. I apologize if i had

been unclear. I am doing my best to always deepen my understanding

from the point of my own unique experience. I thank you for your

suggestions about writing.

I have realized from what you have written the essense of what i was

trying to convey before. I thank you for helping me find the words to

describe it. I believe there are two times when i deem japa to be

inapapropriate, though the practice is always good (in general). 1)

When it opposses my worldly duties and 2) when it becomes so difficult

that i want / need a rest. I present this as my own experience

because i know things are different for everyone, but i hope that my

personal accounts my inspire or edify others toward the Truth we are

all seeking.

1) The first reason is; when the practice prevents me from achieving

my duties in the world. This could be exemplified by the example of

elimination. It is certainly difficult to talk to a person when one

is chanting aloud, and for me it is hard to focus on silent ajapa

while holding conversartions. It can be especialy difficult as japa

begins to lead to higher states of consciousness beyond the physical

realm, because sight of the spiritual realm can sometimes limit sight

of the physical realm. It is a part of most peoples' dharma to relate

with people in the world as they unburdon themselves from their

karmas. Constant japa would not permit this possiblilty for growth.

Japa certainly has the power to dissolve ALL of the karmas, but most

people i have met, eventual become overwhelmed by such japa and return

to the world to process certain difficult karmas there. This is

perhaps not a valid reason, because though i have obligations in the

world, japa would fulfill those duties if i practiced it constantly

with perfect faith. I have previously failed to exercise perfect

faith in my practice, so i usually stop it to eat food. I know that

the mantras can feed me, but i also know that goddess maya keeps me in

this world for a reason.

2) The other reason is; processing karmas can be a "painful"

experience. There is a constant need to broaden our acceptance of

things which we fear or reject. As i have trained myself to stop

resisting, there have often been times when i needed to stand back and

process, or to re-align myself to the changing situation. The

attachments of the mind have been overwhelmed by the work of spiritual

practice and become controled by the tendancy toward resistence. I

used to struggle against my resistence to the process (japa). I

realized that the resistance added to the discomfort but didn't help

to process the karmas which caused the discomfort. It occured to

me that if i stopped my practice i could much more comfortably pick it

up again later. As i did so the practice deeped at a quicker rate due

to the sincerity of purpose as i practiced. I view this as Ganeshas

way to insure things happen according to his will and in his time

(rather than as i wish). Though it is possible to simply chant a

mantra until liberation is attained, i must continue trying because

my attachments have caused me to stop when various mental vasanas

arose. This frustrated the mind, because it could not accept

Ganesha's will for me in my own unique process. I felt like he was

asking me to stop seeking him, when he was realy asking me to broaden

my notion of seeking so i could see him more completely. Once i

stepped back and accepted his will, it became fun. I step back less

often with practice, but i do so whenever i feel guided to, so i can

reafirm my purpose of seeking him everywhere.

With Love

Ganapati

January 7, 2007

Hi Ganapati,

I think I understand most of what you wanted to convey this time,

however, I have to say this one took me a little while to get...

"The attachments of the mind have been overwhelmed by the work of

spiritual practice and become controled by the tendancy toward

resistence."

But, yes. We all have to come to some kind of truce or balance with

the mind and its tendencies, between its demands and the demands of

sadhana, and it is not an easy process. There are times when it is

best to indulge our desires and tendencies, and there are times when

it is best to stand firm against them. There is no simple rule, as I

understand, only experience.

I'm a little disturbed by your references to food. It's the second

time you've mentioned it, and I'm wondering what ever gave you the

idea that realized beings don't eat? Perhaps you read Autobiography of

a Yogi? I think that you wouldn't be the first person to have come out

of that book with that notion.

I recall a story Pandit Tigunait wrote about Swami Rama and a visitor

he had. She was a grad. student doing research for her doctorate. She

came to see Swami Rama to interview him. While she was there, Swamiji

excused himself to use the bathroom. She was shocked. She believed

that all enlightened masters didn't eat or drink, and therefore had no

reason to use the bathroom! She lost all faith in him then, and even

reportedly started spreading rumors about him.

There are a few people who have reportedly been blessed with the grace

of living on prana alone. The reason why is, I assume, known only by

God. The rule is, if you have a body and you want to keep it, you must

feed it. Paramhansa Yogananda himself ate to live, as do Shree Maa and

Swamiji. It is an interesting truth that those beings who have risen

to the level of being beyond the usual fetters of this life in the

body jealously guard the normal rules of life, the law of karma and

the dharma of living on earth. Though they have power to do anything,

they forbear, because that is the perfection of creation, that is

Divine Mother Herself.

There is a belief that in order to develop spiritually one must give

up all enjoyment, all pleasures. This is an unfortunate

misunderstanding. The pleasures of life are meant for our use. Food is

one of life's great pleasures.

Somewhere there must be a balance. All of these desires must be

purified, controlled, and brought into a proper relationship with the

true flow of life and the truth of our nature. To simply stomp them

down is a form of violence.

The Bhaghavad Gita says that the yogi neither eats too much nor too

little, nor sleeps too much nor too little. It is important to

remember that a balanced life is part of what we are striving for, and

that what that balance is, what it means for us individually, changes

as we progress. Enlightenment is not the work of a day or a week. Like

the marathon runner, we must choose our pace with care, lest we fall

before we reach the finish.

May the grace of Ganesha be with you always (as I'm sure it is).

Jai Maa!

Chris

, "patrickwcoyle"

<patrickwcoyle wrote:

>

> Namaste,

> Thank you Chris,

>

> I agree with your comments whole-heartedly. You have said that it is

> difficult to describe spiritual experience in words. This is

> neccessarily true, because the goal of spiritual practice is more

> subtle than the spoken (vaikhari) level of speech. I think you have

> helped to clarify what i had intended to say. I apologize if i had

> been unclear. I am doing my best to always deepen my understanding

> from the point of my own unique experience. I thank you for your

> suggestions about writing.

>

> I have realized from what you have written the essense of what i was

> trying to convey before. I thank you for helping me find the words to

> describe it. I believe there are two times when i deem japa to be

> inapapropriate, though the practice is always good (in general). 1)

> When it opposses my worldly duties and 2) when it becomes so difficult

> that i want / need a rest. I present this as my own experience

> because i know things are different for everyone, but i hope that my

> personal accounts my inspire or edify others toward the Truth we are

> all seeking.

>

> 1) The first reason is; when the practice prevents me from achieving

> my duties in the world. This could be exemplified by the example of

> elimination. It is certainly difficult to talk to a person when one

> is chanting aloud, and for me it is hard to focus on silent ajapa

> while holding conversartions. It can be especialy difficult as japa

> begins to lead to higher states of consciousness beyond the physical

> realm, because sight of the spiritual realm can sometimes limit sight

> of the physical realm. It is a part of most peoples' dharma to relate

> with people in the world as they unburdon themselves from their

> karmas. Constant japa would not permit this possiblilty for growth.

> Japa certainly has the power to dissolve ALL of the karmas, but most

> people i have met, eventual become overwhelmed by such japa and return

> to the world to process certain difficult karmas there. This is

> perhaps not a valid reason, because though i have obligations in the

> world, japa would fulfill those duties if i practiced it constantly

> with perfect faith. I have previously failed to exercise perfect

> faith in my practice, so i usually stop it to eat food. I know that

> the mantras can feed me, but i also know that goddess maya keeps me in

> this world for a reason.

>

> 2) The other reason is; processing karmas can be a "painful"

> experience. There is a constant need to broaden our acceptance of

> things which we fear or reject. As i have trained myself to stop

> resisting, there have often been times when i needed to stand back and

> process, or to re-align myself to the changing situation. The

> attachments of the mind have been overwhelmed by the work of spiritual

> practice and become controled by the tendancy toward resistence. I

> used to struggle against my resistence to the process (japa). I

> realized that the resistance added to the discomfort but didn't help

> to process the karmas which caused the discomfort. It occured to

> me that if i stopped my practice i could much more comfortably pick it

> up again later. As i did so the practice deeped at a quicker rate due

> to the sincerity of purpose as i practiced. I view this as Ganeshas

> way to insure things happen according to his will and in his time

> (rather than as i wish). Though it is possible to simply chant a

> mantra until liberation is attained, i must continue trying because

> my attachments have caused me to stop when various mental vasanas

> arose. This frustrated the mind, because it could not accept

> Ganesha's will for me in my own unique process. I felt like he was

> asking me to stop seeking him, when he was realy asking me to broaden

> my notion of seeking so i could see him more completely. Once i

> stepped back and accepted his will, it became fun. I step back less

> often with practice, but i do so whenever i feel guided to, so i can

> reafirm my purpose of seeking him everywhere.

>

> With Love

> Ganapati

>

January 17, 2007

Hello Chris

Namaste, Jai Maa!

Thank you for you good comments. They have helped me to more deeply

consider some crucial events in this life and to better understand the

changing situation.

I think it is very perceptive for you to notice the food theme. You

have a keen understanding of peoples' situations and a well developed

sense of compassion. Do you work as a counseler?

Food has been a major point of difficulty for me in this body. I have

known sense my birth that my desire to eat was a selfish and temporary

attempt to cover up my feeling of longing for something bigger than

myself. It took me some time to be able to alow myself to eat. I

knew i was looking for something greater than the body, but had

trouble to realize that i needed the body to find it. Even as a small

child i refused food if it inconvenienced others. I would never eat

if i knew others were hungery. I founded a soup-kitchen to feed local

homeless that is still feeding people 15 years later. I was very

confused though about the neccessity of food for my self.

I was emaciated (90 lbs for a 5"10' male). When i studied and began

to practice ayurveda, i realized that this thinness was causing many

pains to the body (it caused considerable brain damage and damaged the

reproductive tisue to the extent of sterility). I just didn't feel

good about eating while others starved. So i neglected to eat and fed

others. As i began meditation i realized that it was harming my

capacity to help the world to deny myself health in service of others.

As my meditations deepened, i saw that when i ate it cause

others to be nourished by the strength i gained (it bettered my

service to them). I set out to gain weight, but could not acheive any

result from foods and herbs.

I studied astrology and realized that several planets were the

non-physical cause of this karmic condition. I began innumerable

puujaas to the planets. Those nine came to me and taught me about

karma. They told me it was my duty to feed myself, but then took away

the means to do so. They then taught me that if i could not suceed,

that i should try as hard as i could and have faith that they would

support me in my defficiency. I did what those kind planets said, but

still never gained a single pound. One day i realized that there was

no problem. People had told me that i was to thin because they were

afraid for my wellbeing. They worried that i would never be happy

because i could not produce children etc. Worry i realized could not

be the direct cause of happiness. When i realized i had done the best

i could to fulfill the Planet's will for me, i accepted their will and

ceased to suffer. Though the body was dis-eased, it did not bother

me, because i truely saw it to be god's blessing to me.

Later i gave up my home and job and money, so i could wander around

searching for better ways to serve my Lord. Sometimes he would give

me food and other times he would not. I became concerned, once, after

a week without food or more than a teaspoon of water in a day. I

recalled the medical theory stating that three days without water will

kill a persons' body. When it occured to me that i should have

expired four days before, i realized that Devi Annapurna was feeding

me from inside. Even though i was anxious about obtaining food i

noticed i was physically healthy. Because the mind was concerned

about the food, i honored those mental vasanas and prayed for her to

feed me. I recall longing for laddus (it is impossible to buy good

laddus in S.E. Virginia where i was residing). Eventually a woman

walked up to me and handed me the best tasting laddu i have ever had,

saying she had gotten it at an out-of-town wedding. I ate it and felt

emotionally satisfied. This absolutly stopped the feeling of hunger

and thirst. I knew then that the need to eat was created out of an

emotional longing to seek fulfillment in the world.

Recently i became inspired by the story of a Chirstian saint who vowed

to eat only communion waffers and communion wine until she found her

Lord. She did this for years! I selfishly desired to replicate this

beautiful story and moved to the grounds of a temple whose priests

were benign to my cause. I vowed to eat only vibhuti and drink only

abhisheka liquid until i found my Lord Ganapati. After one day the

body was so starved for food and water that i could not sleep. It

caused intense pains to the body and mind. I stayed awake chanting

and expecting that the lord was testing me. On the second day, as the

pains became worse, it became clear that i would find bodily death

before i found Ganesha. I prayed to know if this was God's will for

me, and immediatly one priest repremanded me harshly for making such a

"foolish" vow and another handed me food from the temple cook. I ate

this prasad and retreated into the world. I knew it was not time to

find my lord. I felt sadness because i had not reached his lotus feet

but i knew that my own will to control the situation had obscured his

grace.

I agree with what you said, that there must be balance and that the

attachment to food has nothing to do with the eating of food. I think

these practices were my own way to give up desire for (attachment

to)food and to gain conscious thankfulness for god's abundance in my

life. I do not recommend any action or practice to any other accept

prayer to Devi Annapurna. It is through her grace alone that i have

know the stories of inurmerable fasting sainst to be true in my own

experience. This came by Her will at Her time. But i swear to you, i

believe the stories of Shri Ma, and Sai Baba, and Mata Amritananda

Mayi, and Bhagavan Nityananda, and Shri Ramana mahaRishi etc. etc.

when they have testified to the truth that the one who makes food will

feed the faithful always without any need for physical food.

I am far from perfect. I eat food when ever i can. I have not

completely destroyed the part of me that desires food because it

cannot feel full. I bow to my lord in the form of those desires, and

by His grace, I am uplifted from the pain they cause.

To the best of my knowledge the last sentance of this account is True.

The rest is simply a changing recolection of the karmas which burden

my god. I have pressented it here in the hope that it may inspire or

uplift people. Thank you for helping me to clarify these thoughts! I

am still so deluded, but always trying to bow! Thanks be to Shri ma

and Swamiji for providing this forum in which to do so.

With Love

Ganapati

January 17, 2007

Namaste Ganapati:

Woah! You are far more devoted to your practice than I could ever hope to be. I admire your devotion, but the psychologist in me has to wonder about your obsession with food.

I tend to look at it this way. God or Goddess created us, and by our nature we require certain things such as food, shelter, and a desire to be with other people (amongst other things). I'm not sure that God or Goddess wants us to destroy or break down the very thing they created, which is our human nature. I think, rather, that we move toward enlightenment by learning to break our perception of things as separate from ourselves. It is our perception of things that needs to be reworked.

Here's a strange example of this from my lifetime. When I was younger I used to think that wealthy people were materialistic and poor people were not. I travelled all over Asia seeking enlightenment. I travelled to Japan and found very business oriented people who knew less about Buddha than I did. Then I travelled to Thailand where there were many poor humble people (I thought), but I found people so materialistic that they would sell their own children to get a refridgerator. I found monks smoking, and eating meat. I found rampant prostitution and monks who said that it was the girl's karma to live like that. Ironically, it was not until I returned home that I began to find people with wisdom. For me, some of the most wise people in my life have been Westerners who have learned the wisdom of the East and brought it home. This completely broke my perception of how things were supposed to be.

Good luck to you and live well,

Shankari Kali

patrickwcoyle <patrickwcoyle > wrote: Hello Chris