What is the difference between DEVOTION & OBSESSION?

[Guest guest]

Somewhere Maharaj talks about

having " Devotion to your goal "

of finding out what you are.

 

What am I?

 

Of how that should go on

all the time.

 

-----------------------

 

For me,

it was an obsession that

arose spontaneously,

unasked for, long before

Maharaj.

 

In fact an obsession

that culminated in

landing me in Maharaj's

teachings.

[Guest guest]

Nisargadatta also describes it as " earnestness. " It can manifest as

a burning desire or want for the truth. " Those who are willing to

die for the truth will get it. "

 

Courage is also a requirement, that can be attested from the personal

experiences of many (another something Nisargadatta mentions).

 

Your choice of the word " obsession " seems fine as seen from here,

although I question whether it bears an *exact* resemblance to

other " obsessions " (I don't know). Seems to me the word obsession

carries something of a negative connotation... there is a *driving

need to obtain* with an obsession. To me that indicates seeking for

something we don't already have.

 

In my case, I would have called the whole thing more an " intense

interest and fascination " -- especially after a " taste " or two.

Maybe that's obsession..... ?

 

Something is lost in the translation from Marathi, I think, with

words like " Devotion " and such...

 

Namaste,

 

Tim

 

Nisargadatta, elizabethwells2001 wrote:

> Somewhere Maharaj talks about

> having " Devotion to your goal "

> of finding out what you are.

>

> What am I?

>

> Of how that should go on

> all the time.

>

> -----------------------

>

> For me,

> it was an obsession that

> arose spontaneously,

> unasked for, long before

> Maharaj.

>

> In fact an obsession

> that culminated in

> landing me in Maharaj's

> teachings.