Guest guest Posted March 11, 2007 Report Share Posted March 11, 2007 Dear Tanmaya, thank you for your wise and beautiful words. I know the book you mention. You have helped me more than I can say, with love, Henny , " ty_maa " <dsjames wrote: > > > Dear Henny, > > " My Father's House has many mansions. " > > Hinduism and Christianity, as we know them, are two rooms in my Father's > House. The beloved child of the Home can move freely and joyfully from > room to room. > > When-at a very definite moment in my life-it became clear that now it is > time for me to become serious about religion, I began my search, not for > a tradition, but for a person who had had direct experience of God. I > told even my friends in the world at the time when I was leaving that I > may find such a person in the Christian tradition-with which I was > familier-or in Buddhism, Hinduism, or something else, it didn't matter > where, as long as that person was God-realized. I began saving money, > thinking that my search may take me quite far. > > I was about to leave for Southern California, where I had heard that > there was a possibility, when I remembered a small peaceful and > unassuming temple of some Indian-type of religion. I had been born two > blocks from that temple and always lived not far from it. I had often > taken walks in that neighborhood, always manageing to pass it, > especially when going through the ups and downs of adolescence. > > I had always thought it was something like Indian Unitarianism-something > more or less eclectic, doctrinal and intellectual. Oddly enough, there > was no real reason for that assumption, except that it was always very > quiet. There was a silence around the whole place and the grounds within > the walls, and even the immediate neighborhood. > > So I walked through the doors during one of the announced services, and > immediately felt what I had not felt previously in this lifetime, but > which I was in search of: the palpable Presence of God. It was all > through the temple/hall, and especially coming from the Indian man > quietly speaking at the podium, dressed in ochre-colored clerical garb. > > I didn't ask for a conversation with that Swami for several weeks, but, > when I did, he recomended in the course of conversation, that I get a > copy of Brother Lawrence's Practice of the Presence of God. I found > later that it was not just because of my familiarity with Christianity, > but that he recommended the little book to everyone. > > ....And later, in reading the life of Sri Ramakrishna, all sectarian > walls began to dissolve. > > It may be that it is really only Presence, in the various meanings of > the word, which convinces fully and finally. > > > Affectionately, > > Tanmaya > > > > > , " henny_v_i " <henny_v_i@> wrote: > > > > Dear Vish, Tanmaya and all, > > > > the story about the watch has given me much food for thought. > > Especially the part where it says: " Then, one day he suddenly left the > > monastery. There was no particular reason; it just seemed to him to be > > the right thing to do. " > > Lately, I have had some doubts of my own and perhaps it is a good > > thing to put them on the table now, before they become too big to > > handle and running away seems the right thing to do. I hope those who > > read this will understand I do not mean to be disrespectful to Shree > > Maa or Swamiji, or their teachings, in any way. > > Over the past year or so, I have made an effort to familiarize myself > > with the teachings and practices Shree Maa and Swamiji so generously > > share with us. I learnt how to do puja, how to recite, how to chant. I > > read most of the books, and listened to Maa's songs all the time. I > > learned to love Her and Swamiji more and more. So I was overjoyed that > > now with the webcam, I could finally see the celebrations and attend > > classes. > > But now a strange thing has happened: to watch the celebrations did > > not make me particularly happy. It rather made me sad, as I was > > shocked to discover. Partly, this was because I could not physically > > be there, and felt isolated at my desk on my own, but for the greater > > part it was that I felt an outsider in another way. I felt as if I had > > tried to learn a new language and suddenly realized I would never be > > able to pass for a native speaker. As if a gap had appeared inside > > which I could not cross. And as the days passed, and more celebrations > > and classes followed, I found myself longing for the crisp cool sounds > > of Gregorian chant and for the 'language' of the tradition I was > > raised in. I longed for the stories I know and for the familiar words. > > I felt homesick for the psalms and the saints who have inspired me > > through the years, and instead of Maa Durga on Her lion, in meditation > > I thought of the Mother of God crowned with Glory. And as I performed > > puja, every word acquired new meaning, because it made perfect sense > > applied both to Shiva and to the Lord Jesus. I saw Maa reflected in > > Mary, Mary in Maa. > > Now, recently it has been said here (by you, Vish?) that Maa > > celebrates Christmas and Eastern which as much devotion as Shivaratri > > or other festivals. I have seen Swamiji perform both puja and mass at > > Christmas. But They know things that I do not and Their consciousness > > embraces all. There is no conflict. But I struggle with this: although > > I know that to love God is all, no matter the name or form we choose. > > But is it possible to combine two 'languages' for the simple devotee > > without becoming hopelessly confused? Once a member of this family > > told me it is better to stick to one tradition, at least if you mean > > business (I paraphrase), and I understand why this is so. But the > > heart has its own ideas and has started to speak now in this language, > > now in that. Is it the right thing to do to listen to both voices and > > give expression to both? Is it the right thing to do to combine > > Sanskrit and Latin? Is it wise to read St Teresa and Shankara? To sing > > with Shree Maa and with the Montserrat choir? To recite Lord's Prayer > > and the Guru Gita? Or is this desire to make both worlds one, to > > integrate those parts, the equivalent of the gold watch given by our > > parents, which, although beautiful in itself and presented with the > > best intentions, is best thrown away before one gets carried away? > > > > I would be very happy to hear the thoughts of my brothers and sisters > > on this matter and I wonder if perhaps someone else, coming from a > > Christian background, has had the same experience. > > > > with love, > > Henny > > > > > > > > , " inspectionconnection108 " > > inspectionconnection108@ wrote: > > > > > > Dear Tanmaya, > > > > > > You never told that story before. It made me feel sad too. I have > > > observed the Guru put tremendous love and attention on their > > > disciples. Then, one day, for no reason I can fathom, the disciple > > > departs. The Master gives and gives, but, if the student stops > > > receiving, the connection is severed. > > > The ego is so crafty. We must be so vigilant and stay in contact > > with > > > the Master, no matter how confused we become, because, the Master > > > holds the key. They will always see thru the clouds of delusion and > > > can remove our doubts. As long as we want them to. > > > > > > Jai Maa Jai Swami > > > > > > vishweshwar > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > -- In , " ty_maa " <dsjames@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > " No idea how crafty " . > > > > > > > > Dear Vishweshwar, > > > > > > > > I'd like to share a story (maybe I told it before long back) about > > the > > > > career of a monastic brother. > > > > > > > > This brother had all the good qualities: he could meditate, he > > knew > > > > Sanskrit, he was a good singer of devotional songs, he was very > > > > personable--and the favorite of all the visiting abbotts. He was > > > > generally thought to be a sure success in spirtiual life. > > > > > > > > Although, like the others, he had only limited communication with > > his > > > > family in the outside world, once, on his birthday, he walked into > > the > > > > abbott's room to joyfully show his Guru the new watch which his > > parents > > > > had just sent him as a gift. > > > > > > > > To his suprise and chagrin , the Guru quietly looked up for a > > moment, > > > > and then, suddenly and forcefully pointiing to the corner of his > > room, > > > > said, " throw it in the wastebasket-- now! > > > > > > > > The brother was unable to speak, he was so dumbfounded by the > > order. He > > > > very slowly backed out of the room and silently went up the stairs > > to > > > > his own room to ponder what had just happened. He knew that he had > > > > disobeyed his Guru; and that caused him great sorrow. But he also > > > > thought that the order his Guru had given him was so outlandish > > and so > > > > unreasonable that he gradually began to rationalize his response. > > > > > > > > As time passed, the Guru was as loving and kind to him as > > > > ever--although, it gradually became apparent to the brother that > > the > > > > Guru's conversation with him was on a more general, even somewhat > > > > superficial, level than before. His Guru no longer spoke to him > > about > > > > his spiritual life and training; rather, he conversed with him > > more as > > > > he did to visitors-- about their families, the state of the world, > > and > > > > so forth. > > > > > > > > This hurt the brother; and he was wise enough to understand that > > he had > > > > broken a special relationship between himself and his Guru by his > > > > disobedience;. Nevertheless, he couldn't bring himself to return > > to the > > > > Guru's room and dispose of the watch which his parents had so > > lovingly > > > > sent him for his birthday, as he was certain he must do to set > > right his > > > > mistake. Why was the Guru so unreasonable? It was only a watch! > > There > > > > was no danger--it was not something worldly after all-just a > > useful tool > > > > like many other brothers wore. > > > > > > > > Things went on like this for a while; and then the watch stopped. > > This > > > > upset the brother very much because it was expensive and still > > > > practically new. And he was quite sure the Abbott would not budget > > for a > > > > watch repair given the circumstances. In any case, he didn't want > > to > > > > bring the subject up. So, after some thought, he decided to go to > > the > > > > library and get a book on watch repair. Which he did. > > > > > > > > To his great delight, the brother found that he was indeed able to > > > > repair the watch using the book, and that it again was running and > > > > keeping perfect time. And it didn't cost anybody a thing. In fact, > > he > > > > was so happy about his success that he offered to repair another > > > > brother's watch that had lately stopped--and he was successful > > with that > > > > one too! > > > > > > > > He began to think that he could be of useful service to the > > monastery by > > > > this means, and he was soon studying more about the workings of > > watches, > > > > and working on them late into the night. He didn't do this during > > the > > > > normal hours because he still thought that his Guru might > > disapprove. > > > > > > > > Then, one day he suddenly left the monastery. There was no > > particular > > > > reason; it just seemed to him to be the right thing to do. The > > Swamis > > > > and his peers were suprised and disappointed, but there was > > nothing they > > > > could say to change his mind. So, he left and got a job in a > > nearby > > > > hardware store. After that, he joined one of the armed services. > > > > > > > > When he was released from the service, he used his G.I. loan to > > go to > > > > the University at Berleley for a degree in engineering. Before > > long, > > > > after graduating, he found himself in Silicon Valley, where he > > soon > > > > started a company which manufactured a computer chip of his own > > design. > > > > And he sold a lot of them--a whole lot. > > > > > > > > In fact, soon, though still quite a young man, he had become a > > > > multimillionare. > > > > > > > > I had the opportunity to see him once. One day, when I was paying > > a > > > > visit to his old ashram he also stopped by that day for the first > > time > > > > after leaving. He drove up in an expensive red sports cars, and a > > pretty > > > > blond girl waited in the car while he entered the ashram for a few > > > > minutes. > > > > > > > > All the Swamis and brothers greeted him and spoke in a very > > friendly way > > > > about his successful life and other things in general. After a > > short > > > > visit he drove off, and the brothers returned to their various > > tasks. > > > > > > > > I can't exactly say why, but for some time afterward I felt a > > great > > > > emptiness and loneliness somewhere inside. > > > > It couldn't be for the young man who had just driven off in his > > red > > > > sports car because he was full of joy and his life was exciting > > and > > > > before him. Nor could my sadness have been for the brothers; they > > very > > > > soon forgot him in their tasks and spiritual practice. > > > > > > > > Maybe it was for the old Abbott and Guru--who saw more than he > > could > > > > explain, but who could only speak his Truth as he saw it, even as > > he > > > > knew that it could not change what was to be. > > > > > > > > Yes, the loneliness I felt must have been for the old Abbott who > > had > > > > lost his monastic son. > > > > > > > > Respectfully, > > > > > > > > Tanmaya > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > , " inspectionconnection108 " > > > > <inspectionconnection108@> wrote: > > > > > > > > > > Namaste > > > > > > > > > > A perfect statement. Action, either for thee or me. > > > > > I remember once talking to Maa about some drama my ego was > > creating. > > > > > I said I could not believe how crafty the ego was. Maa said, in > > > > > essense, " you have not idea how crafty " . > > > > > I remember that often, in fact daily, as I watch my small self > > get me > > > > > into one problem after another. > > > > > Fortunately, She is there to catch me when I fall, and She > > encourages > > > > > me to get up, dust off, and get back on the bucking bronco. > > > > > How truly blessed to have Her as a Guru and Mother. > > > > > > > > > > Jai Ma Jai Swami > > > > > > > > > > vishweshwar > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > , shreemaadevotee@ wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > Daily Reflection > > > > > > March 3 - Spirituality > > > > > > > > > > > > Every action that we produce in life has two possibilities. > > It will > > > > > be for > > > > > > me or for Thee. Either I am acting motivated by selfishness > > or I am > > > > > acting > > > > > > motivated by surrender. There are some really fine shades of > > gray > > > > > where we think > > > > > > we are surrendering, but are actually enhancing our egotism. > > > > > > > > > > > > from The Guru and the Goddess > > > > > > Copyright 1995, 1998 Devi Mandir Publications > > > > > > Third Edition > > > > > > www.shreemaa.org > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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