Digest Number 683

[Guest guest]

Agreed! wonderful understanding, particularly the latter one.

 

Vishnu

 

, Madhuri and Mohan

<mmsagar@e...> wrote:

>

> Dear Vishnu,

>

> You will have to forgive what are crude American observations of a

> culture that I have admired for years, but could never completely

be a

> part of. I would have to disagree, though, that the A:lwa:rs'

teachings

> could not be considered " mystical " . Please note that by this, I

do not

> the mean the argument offered by some that the A:lwa:rs were

mysterious

> beings who lived supernatural lives, or that their words have some

> uncanny connection to Ve:dic texts (which would seem to be what

you

> refer to when you speak of the " damage that it has caused " ).

Rather, I

> use the American definition of " mysticism " as being a direct

awareness

> of God's presence, which undoubtedly is the sole result of His

Grace

> alone. But, if one day, by His Grace, we could truly understand

that

> all this is His Grace Alone, and that He expects nothing from us,

would

> it not change our view of life such that each moment becomes one

of joy

> and gratitude for all that He has Blessed us with? From my

standpoint,

> that could only be an inspiring, confidence building experience

verging

> on the " mystical " in the bounds of the definition above.

>

> Regarding the issue of " viraham " , may I be so so bold to suggest

that it

> too is but a natural, down-to-earth part of the human

experience? In

> our own experiences of human love, we know that no matter how much

one

> tries to do so, love can never be fully expressed when given, nor

fully

> understood when received. So, there is always a certain poignant,

> bittersweet feeling of separation. If that occurs in the mundane

> experience of love, what to speak of the A:lwa:rs and their

intense Love

> for the Supreme Being?

>

> adiyen

> Mohan

>