God Will Always Guide Us...

December 26, 2008

Mayaa tatamidam sarvam jagadavyaktamoortinaa;

Matsthaani sarvabhootaani na chaaham teshvavasthitah.

4. All this world is pervaded by Me in My unmanifest aspect;

all beings exist in Me, but I do not dwell in them.

Na cha matsthaani bhootaani pashya me yogamaishwaram;

Bhootabhrinna cha bhootastho mamaatmaa bhootabhaavanah.

5. Nor do beings exist in Me (in reality): behold

My divine Yoga, supporting all beings, but not

dwelling in them, is My Self, the efficient cause of beings.

Yathaakaashasthito nityam vaayuh sarvatrago mahaan;

Tathaa sarvaani bhootaani matsthaaneetyupadhaaraya.

6. As the mighty wind, moving everywhere, rests always

in the ether, even so, know thou that all beings rest in Me.

Gita, ...Chapter 9, (4 to 6)

-----

Hari OM!

A number of years ago, I spent my Christmas day

writing a post called " Mine is to Serve. "

Basically, in the end, the most important point of it to

me for what I need to say, was my very specific

request for offlist guidance from list members here.

It was a painful post for me to author and tears

streamed down my face as I pressed the computer

key to send it. It had dredged up painful emotions

and it contained personal information that I really

did not care to share. I am a private person.

Yet, I felt moved and guided to do it and to

do it then...on my own volition, it would not

have been my first choice of how to spend

my Christmas day. #15497

advaitin/message/15497

The next day, like the lightning bolts I discussed in

the post, Shri Ram-ji Chandran's post hit me when

it appeared on my computer screen... he had

forwarded an article just published in the Hindu

Times, the article was called " God Will Always

Guide Us. " It was the only answer I received to

my specific request for guidance and the only

one I was meant to Receive. When I falter,

I think of it and know that if I slow my mind

and open my heart to His will, I will do what

He asks of me and accept what comes my way.

advaitin/message/15501

Everything which led up to my post that day was for the

purpose of teaching me and anyone else who wanted to

learn it, that God Will Always Guide Us. That one short

promise in the title of Shri Ram-ji's post has indeed

been my guiding light since then. It was the last

thing I was asking for or expecting to get in answer

to my online request, but it was exactly what He

intended for me to Receive. Even as I have been

writing today and for the past few days as I have

reviewed my posts and His, my tears have been

flowing, much the same as they did six years ago.

Although He asked me to come to Him in complete

surrender, I only knew what that meant to the flow

of Grace. I did not understand yet what it meant

in everyday life. Because He made this clear to

me from the beginning that this was my path,

my sadhana has been one of saranagati, surrender

to that guidance and to His will, whatever may

come my way. And, contrary to popular belief,

surrender is NOT always easy. While it may not

require the philosophical evaluation of the world

through the eye of advaita, what it does require

is the mental and emotional abandonment of the

need for that evaluation, giving way instead to the

need for Divine sustenance.

Surrender is its own path or process of self enquiry.

To maintain an attitude of surrender requires that you

constantly enquire into the source of your actions.

Who wills this moment?

Who is He that is the Eternal Source of all causes

and all effects? And is my action in worship of His

will or is it in worship of my desires? But it is the

daily puja of the bhakta, and so it becomes easier

as you go along and you begin to understand and

see when your ego is flying high. The answers are

not to be found in the books, although they can

indeed point to the moon for you. But only grace

can take you can there, into the embrace of what

Kabir called the Breath inside the breath.

Although my request in the post for advice had to

do with a book I thought I was writing, I now know

I was only discharging demons, not writing a book.

I just did not know it then because I was too in the

middle of it all. That manuscript is stashed away

somewhere in a drawer now, like an empty

prescription bottle that you did not throw away.

It is incomplete as to the intentions I set for it.

My stated purpose for writing the book and

why I thought I wrote it remain in the ethers

of my past. But as to His purpose, it is

Pari Poornam. What He knew I needed to know,

not in my head, where mithya reigns supreme,

but in my Heart, where Hari reigns Supreme,

is that He was there for guidance. I guess He

knew I needed to see it in print, too...must

be the lawyer in me. What does that guidance mean?

It is there everywhere in every moment, in the synchronicity

of events meant especially for you. It is there in the phone

call of support that comes from a friend at the moment

that you need it. It is there in the innocent eyes of a child

smiling at you. It is there in the flower that blooms to

hearken the opening of Spring in your backyard garden.

It is there in the hummingbird which appears in front

of your camera while you were waiting for the chickadees.

It is there in the zephyr of the air when the fledging

spreads his little wings and flies for the first time.

It is there in the love that you feel in His embrace.

This is from Him. He would like you to listen and

know it to be so...

In His Service,

Joyce

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

Jaya Radha-Madhava Written by Shrila Bhaktinoda Thakura

The first set of words are those which appear on

Shri Jagjit Singh's website and are those which he

sings in the bhajan. The second set below, with

translation, appears on most Bhaktivedanta

sponsored webpages:

Jai Radha Madhav, Jai Kunj Bihari,

Jai Gopi Jan Walabh, Jai Girdhar Hari,

Murli Manohar Karuna Sagar,

Jai Govardhan Hari,

Yashoda Nandan,

Brij Jan Ranjan,

Jamuna Teer Ban Chari

Hare Krishna Hare Krishna

Krishna Krishna Hare Hare

Hare Rama Hare Rama

Rama Rama Hare Hare

Translation

" Oh Lord Krishna, Oh energy of the Lord, please engage me in Your devotional

service. "

jaya radha-madhava kunja-bihari

gopi-jana-vallabha giri-vara-dhari

yashoda-nandana braja-jana-ranjana

jamuna-tira-vana-chari

Translation

Krishna is the lover of Radha. He displays

many amorous pastimes in the groves of

Vrindavana, He is the lover of the cowherd

maidens of Vraja, the holder of the great hill

named Govardhana, the beloved son of

Mother Yashoda, the delighter of the inhabitants

of Vraja, and He wanders in the forests

along the banks of the River Yamuna.

December 26, 2008

Hello Joyce!Thank you for writing this. I remember the article you wrote several years ago. It was at that time when many of us were writing about transformative experiences for this list, at Harsha's request. At that time you and I wrote to each other back and forth quite a bit, as the stories we were all telling about the spiritual crises and experiences that transformed our lives were drawing us all into a closer circle. You sent me a beautiful book of writings of Mahatma Gandhi, bound in yellow paper, from India. Do you remember that? I felt your supportive presence very much at times when it was much welcome. Surrender is difficult. It took me years to even grasp such a possibility. In long years of hearing this word all it brought up for me was fears of how things would fall apart if I let down my vigilance. I really did not even grasp what surrender meant. That is what a big and complicated structure the ego can be. love,JillOn Dec 25, 2008, at 8:52 PM, Joyce wrote:Mayaa tatamidam sarvam jagadavyaktamoortinaa;Matsthaani sarvabhootaani na chaaham teshvavasthitah.4. All this world is pervaded by Me in My unmanifest aspect;all beings exist in Me, but I do not dwell in them.Na cha matsthaani bhootaani pashya me yogamaishwaram;Bhootabhrinna cha bhootastho mamaatmaa bhootabhaavanah.5. Nor do beings exist in Me (in reality): beholdMy divine Yoga, supporting all beings, but notdwelling in them, is My Self, the efficient cause of beings.Yathaakaashasthito nityam vaayuh sarvatrago mahaan;Tathaa sarvaani bhootaani matsthaaneetyupadhaaraya.6. As the mighty wind, moving everywhere, rests alwaysin the ether, even so, know thou that all beings rest in Me.Gita, ...Chapter 9, (4 to 6)-------------------------Hari OM!A number of years ago, I spent my Christmas daywriting a post called "Mine is to Serve."Basically, in the end, the most important point of it tome for what I need to say, was my very specificrequest for offlist guidance from list members here.It was a painful post for me to author and tearsstreamed down my face as I pressed the computerkey to send it. It had dredged up painful emotionsand it contained personal information that I reallydid not care to share. I am a private person.Yet, I felt moved and guided to do it and todo it then...on my own volition, it would nothave been my first choice of how to spendmy Christmas day. #15497advaitin/message/15497The next day, like the lightning bolts I discussed inthe post, Shri Ram-ji Chandran's post hit me whenit appeared on my computer screen... he hadforwarded an article just published in the HinduTimes, the article was called "God Will AlwaysGuide Us." It was the only answer I received tomy specific request for guidance and the onlyone I was meant to Receive. When I falter,I think of it and know that if I slow my mindand open my heart to His will, I will do whatHe asks of me and accept what comes my way.advaitin/message/15501Everything which led up to my post that day was for thepurpose of teaching me and anyone else who wanted tolearn it, that God Will Always Guide Us. That one shortpromise in the title of Shri Ram-ji's post has indeedbeen my guiding light since then. It was the lastthing I was asking for or expecting to get in answerto my online request, but it was exactly what Heintended for me to Receive. Even as I have beenwriting today and for the past few days as I havereviewed my posts and His, my tears have beenflowing, much the same as they did six years ago.Although He asked me to come to Him in completesurrender, I only knew what that meant to the flowof Grace. I did not understand yet what it meantin everyday life. Because He made this clear tome from the beginning that this was my path,my sadhana has been one of saranagati, surrenderto that guidance and to His will, whatever maycome my way. And, contrary to popular belief,surrender is NOT always easy. While it may notrequire the philosophical evaluation of the worldthrough the eye of advaita, what it does requireis the mental and emotional abandonment of theneed for that evaluation, giving way instead to theneed for Divine sustenance.Surrender is its own path or process of self enquiry.To maintain an attitude of surrender requires that youconstantly enquire into the source of your actions.Who wills this moment?Who is He that is the Eternal Source of all causesand all effects? And is my action in worship of Hiswill or is it in worship of my desires? But it is thedaily puja of the bhakta, and so it becomes easieras you go along and you begin to understand andsee when your ego is flying high. The answers arenot to be found in the books, although they canindeed point to the moon for you. But only gracecan take you can there, into the embrace of whatKabir called the Breath inside the breath.Although my request in the post for advice had todo with a book I thought I was writing, I now knowI was only discharging demons, not writing a book.I just did not know it then because I was too in themiddle of it all. That manuscript is stashed awaysomewhere in a drawer now, like an emptyprescription bottle that you did not throw away.It is incomplete as to the intentions I set for it.My stated purpose for writing the book andwhy I thought I wrote it remain in the ethersof my past. But as to His purpose, it isPari Poornam. What He knew I needed to know,not in my head, where mithya reigns supreme,but in my Heart, where Hari reigns Supreme,is that He was there for guidance. I guess Heknew I needed to see it in print, too...mustbe the lawyer in me. What does that guidance mean?It is there everywhere in every moment, in the synchronicityof events meant especially for you. It is there in the phonecall of support that comes from a friend at the momentthat you need it. It is there in the innocent eyes of a childsmiling at you. It is there in the flower that blooms tohearken the opening of Spring in your backyard garden.It is there in the hummingbird which appears in frontof your camera while you were waiting for the chickadees.It is there in the zephyr of the air when the fledgingspreads his little wings and flies for the first time.It is there in the love that you feel in His embrace.This is from Him. He would like you to listen andknow it to be so...http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSwgJYc6v08In His Service,Joyce-------------------------Jaya Radha-Madhava Written by Shrila Bhaktinoda ThakuraThe first set of words are those which appear onShri Jagjit Singh's website and are those which hesings in the bhajan. The second set below, withtranslation, appears on most Bhaktivedantasponsored webpages:Jai Radha Madhav, Jai Kunj Bihari,Jai Gopi Jan Walabh, Jai Girdhar Hari,Murli Manohar Karuna Sagar,Jai Govardhan Hari,Yashoda Nandan,Brij Jan Ranjan,Jamuna Teer Ban ChariHare Krishna Hare KrishnaKrishna Krishna Hare HareHare Rama Hare RamaRama Rama Hare HareTranslation"Oh Lord Krishna, Oh energy of the Lord, please engage me in Your devotional service."jaya radha-madhava kunja-biharigopi-jana-vallabha giri-vara-dhariyashoda-nandana braja-jana-ranjanajamuna-tira-vana-chariTranslationKrishna is the lover of Radha. He displaysmany amorous pastimes in the groves ofVrindavana, He is the lover of the cowherdmaidens of Vraja, the holder of the great hillnamed Govardhana, the beloved son ofMother Yashoda, the delighter of the inhabitantsof Vraja, and He wanders in the forestsalong the banks of the River Yamuna.