Guest guest Posted June 23, 2007 Report Share Posted June 23, 2007 Namaste Family, I might have posted this before. If yes, sorry. If not, may it please whoever wants to be pleased. Once I was walking with Swamiji around the property and I asked Him, " why should we meditate " ? He returned the question to me, " Why do you meditate? " I scratched my head (figuratively) and said I do so because I think it will make my work more effective. He said, " Good " . Then He added meditation, devotion, attention, awareness all mean the samething except they express the same thing with differrent levels of intensity. Recently, I have been thinking about what I am doing in my life (I do this often). Questions like why do I chant, why do I meditate, the meaning of life, etc. If you are still reading this post, could you please, dear friend, take some time and write a few sentences on why you meditate, if you do. Is meditation escapism? Or is it the only real thing other than George Bush? Thank you for your divine time. I hope you have a nice day and evening by yourself or with your loved ones! Om! srini Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 Namaste Srini, I meditate because a) the mind is always biased, and calming it periodically gives me more perspective; 2) it is pleasant; 3) it gives me access to deeper parts of my mind; 4) it trains my self -awareness and my concentration/attention, which I can apply to dealing with my thoughts/moods and to whatever activities I am pursuing, to do them more wholeheartedly and efficiently. Bottomline I meditate to become a happier and better person, and to come closer to knowing the truth of the reality within and without. Jai Maa! Sushuddha On 6/23/07, srini_sadhu <srini_sadhu wrote: Namaste Family,I might have posted this before. If yes, sorry. If not, may it please whoever wants to be pleased.Once I was walking with Swamiji around the property and I asked Him, " why should we meditate " ? He returned the question to me, " Why do you meditate? " I scratched my head (figuratively) and said I do so because I think it will make my work more effective. He said, " Good " . Then He added meditation, devotion, attention, awareness all mean the samething except they express the same thing with differrent levels of intensity.Recently, I have been thinking about what I am doing in my life (I do this often). Questions like why do I chant, why do I meditate, the meaning of life, etc. If you are still reading this post, could you please, dear friend, take some time and write a few sentences on why you meditate, if you do. Is meditation escapism? Or is it the only real thing other than George Bush? Thank you for your divine time. I hope you have a nice day and evening by yourself or with your loved ones!Om!srini -- Matthew GindinTO, Canada 416-633-7765 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 Blessings to you, Srini! Thank you for the Sunday morning laugh! I meditate to center myself, 24/7. I do not chant. I metaphorically flip the switch and trust that I'm walking in the Light. If I spent my life in hours of structured, thoughtful meditation, apart from the blessings God served me on my plate, I would not be doing what He intended me to do. Sometimes I wish my life could be so simple. At this time, it is not. The universe rarely stops for me to catch up. I believe one would neatly fit me in the category of householder. It is simply my place in present time, and I'm okay with that. Is meditation escapism? No, not if that is His Purpose for you. He brought some here to solely raise the vibrational awareness of the planet through meditation. After all, it's all energy. IMHO, meditation is escapism if that is all you do, thinking it will grant you some special wish, and it prevents you from the obligations and responsibilities He handed you otherwise. But I am not here to judge. You are loved, either way. If life throws me a particularly winding curveball, I'll take a time out and " meditate " , deeply, as to why I couldn't see the pitch, or why I let it hit me. But then I usually just end up taking a glorious nap...Master Yogananda said it was okay...! love and peace to all, sal. , " srini_sadhu " <srini_sadhu wrote: > > Namaste Family, > > I might have posted this before. If yes, sorry. If not, may it > please whoever wants to be pleased. > > Once I was walking with Swamiji around the property and I asked > Him, " why should we meditate " ? He returned the question to me, " Why > do you meditate? " I scratched my head (figuratively) and said I do > so because I think it will make my work more effective. He > said, " Good " . Then He added meditation, devotion, attention, > awareness all mean the samething except they express the same thing > with differrent levels of intensity. > > Recently, I have been thinking about what I am doing in my life (I > do this often). Questions like why do I chant, why do I meditate, > the meaning of life, etc. > > If you are still reading this post, could you please, dear friend, > take some time and write a few sentences on why you meditate, if you > do. Is meditation escapism? Or is it the only real thing other than > George Bush? > > Thank you for your divine time. I hope you have a nice day and > evening by yourself or with your loved ones! > > Om! > srini > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 Srini Maharaj,No one is answering your question...so I'll try,We meditate because, as the Upanishads say, "we are food," that "we are the animals of the 'gods'", we are the food of the 'gods', and "the 'gods' contest with each other for "their shares of the 'sacrifice'".As a farmer builds a fence around his barnyard, so the 'gods' have fenced the eternal, luminous, (really ever-free) Self of mankind with the fence we call "our mind". The Vedas, avataras and sages tell us that what we call "our mind" is not ours at all, but is a foreign entity, "a superimposition" upon our true being, making us weak and dimming the Truth of Reality.Why is it that the human race has not evolved to a higher state for these thousands of years? Why are we are still behaving-ruled by the same motivations, only now on a mass scale-as when we were chewing raw legbones in cold caves: Why is G. B. still our leader?The mind which we honor and praise so highly (with some justification) is a complete superimposition; and, although indeed it is mankind's greatest treasure, it is also man's greatest (spiritual) liability.There is a time and a place for everything, and it is time now for humanity to transcend this false mind in order to realize the luminous Atman. Our evolution, through untold trials and suffering, has taken us to this blessed place.Throughout this necessary past era of our spiritual journey, the 'gods' burdened us with a certain kind of mind or intellegence, Mahishasuras's mind. And, if we notice very carefully, we will catch a clear and undeniable glimpse of Mahishasura's mind at work in our lives---continuously at work, a mind which is not ours, and never has been.On every page of the Upanishads (the Vedas) ring out the words "Be fearless! Be fearless!". The most characteristic quality-the very root-of Mahishasura's mind/ego is fear. How can that be? The great Asura fearful..fear is not one of his generals (or qualities) spoken of in the Chandi?As Sal pointed out so astutely [and I hope I didn't frighten her with my graphic imagery] "worry is the progeny of fear". So also, if one observes very carefully, are the qualities of Mahishasura's generals, and even (and especially) of the great ego itself-the progeny of fear. And so is the greater part of man's inhumantity to man---the progeny of Fear.Contraction is fear. And Mahishasura's ego/mind is Spiritual Light contracted.We meditate because we are burdened with Mahishasura's mind, and we are (collectively, though still mostly unconsciously) weary of it--very weary, nearly to the point of self-extinction. The time has come to move on.During the great teaching demonstration of Sri Ramakrishna's twelve year sadhana, there was a particularly important event. He had been meditating intensely without food or sleep for a long time, and praying earnestly for the vision of God. That meditation and longing had heated every layer of His being to an almost physically painful degree when, as He told it, a terrible-looking entity reeled out of His body and stood before Him. He recognized it at once as the "the papa-purushathe sin entity or being", and immediately prayed to the Divine Mother, "Mother kill the Papa purusha!"Threreupon a second entity, a young sannyasin exactly resembling Himself, also came out of His body and, taking his trident, pierced the dark entity through the heart, killing it.Several questions arise relative to this event in Sri Ramakrishna's life. Two, I believe are very important. First, how can an avatara, who is born perfect and divine, be host to such a dark being as is described in this event in the great master's own words?I would say to that question: when an avatara incarnates, he comes fully endowed with his divinity, but, in addition, assumes a thin covering of the human characteristics of the time. His life wouldn't be useful to us as a teaching demonstration and example to follow, unless he had to deal with, and triumph over, the same limitations we experience. That is, we learn about ourselves, and how to become free and divine, by His/Her example. So Sri Ramakrishna was born with the same superimposed mind (Mahishasura's mind) with which we are burdened and identified.The second question is about the significance of the avatara's experiences (lila) relative to the specific time and place of his incarnation? I believe that question is easily answered in regard to this particular episode. In a sense, the avatara lives the next era of human evolution in a condensed and perfect form. And this extraordinary event in His life is a Divine Statement that humanity is ready, and indeed now will, throw off the false superimposition and limitation of Mahishasura's ego/mind. And will now proceed to realize the eternal Truth which ours, and indeed has been ours, always and forever.That is why I believe we meditate. With Respect, Tanmaya , "srini_sadhu" <srini_sadhu wrote:>> Namaste Family,> > I might have posted this before. If yes, sorry. If not, may it > please whoever wants to be pleased.> > Once I was walking with Swamiji around the property and I asked > Him, "why should we meditate"? He returned the question to me, "Why > do you meditate?" I scratched my head (figuratively) and said I do > so because I think it will make my work more effective. He > said, "Good". Then He added meditation, devotion, attention, > awareness all mean the samething except they express the same thing > with differrent levels of intensity.> > Recently, I have been thinking about what I am doing in my life (I > do this often). Questions like why do I chant, why do I meditate, > the meaning of life, etc.> > If you are still reading this post, could you please, dear friend, > take some time and write a few sentences on why you meditate, if you > do. Is meditation escapism? Or is it the only real thing other than > George Bush?> > Thank you for your divine time. I hope you have a nice day and > evening by yourself or with your loved ones!> > Om!> srini> Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 24, 2007 Report Share Posted June 24, 2007 ty_maa <dsjames wrote: Namaste Srini and all, Meditation for me is a way to remind myself of my oneness. When doing meditaions and alternate sitting and walking meditation in same session. Sitting,walking,sitting,walking,sitting. Then when walking away from seat find that the mind begins to understand that all life is one. The connection is remembered in both acts of standing and sitting, in all done. THis has been very effective for me. WHen done in h0ur sessions find self walking off into the acts of life still in blessful meditation, reacting with love and understanding. Thank you for bringing us together in this topic. Everyones emails have been so wonderful. Devi , "srini_sadhu" <srini_sadhu wrote:>> Namaste Family,> > I might have posted this before. If yes, sorry. If not, may it > please whoever wants to be pleased.> > Once I was walking with Swamiji around the property and I asked > Him, "why should we meditate"? He returned the question to me, "Why > do you meditate?" I scratched my head (figuratively) and said I do > so because I think it will make my work more effective. He > said, "Good". Then He added meditation, devotion, attention, > awareness all mean the samething except they express the same thing > with differrent levels of intensity.> > Recently, I have been thinking about what I am doing in my life (I > do this often). Questions like why do I chant, why do I meditate, > the meaning of life, etc.> > If you are still reading this post, could you please, dear friend, > take some time and write a few sentences on why you meditate, if you > do. Is meditation escapism? Or is it the only real thing other than > George Bush?> > Thank you for your divine time. I hope you have a nice day and > evening by yourself or with your loved ones!> > Om!> srini> Pinpoint customers who are looking for what you sell. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 Peace srini and thank you for sharing this story and for the invitation to share back. Yes, it's true. Meditation IS the only real thing other than George Bush. And, Coca Cola, right? Ha... I meditate each morning primarily to spend time with Divine Mother, it's like a ritual of connection before focusing on all the many others. I also meditate to practice refinement of awareness, mindfulness, nonattachment. Sometimes meditation can be escapism for me because I am easily drawn to drawing inward and can forget that Divine Mother is also expressed/present for connection in every form of creation. So when I catch that happening I practice other forms of meditation, like walking meditation, or meditating on a beautiful flower or the river. Jennifer , " srini_sadhu " <srini_sadhu wrote: > > Namaste Family, > > I might have posted this before. If yes, sorry. If not, may it > please whoever wants to be pleased. > > Once I was walking with Swamiji around the property and I asked > Him, " why should we meditate " ? He returned the question to me, " Why > do you meditate? " I scratched my head (figuratively) and said I do > so because I think it will make my work more effective. He > said, " Good " . Then He added meditation, devotion, attention, > awareness all mean the samething except they express the same thing > with differrent levels of intensity. > > Recently, I have been thinking about what I am doing in my life (I > do this often). Questions like why do I chant, why do I meditate, > the meaning of life, etc. > > If you are still reading this post, could you please, dear friend, > take some time and write a few sentences on why you meditate, if you > do. Is meditation escapism? Or is it the only real thing other than > George Bush? > > Thank you for your divine time. I hope you have a nice day and > evening by yourself or with your loved ones! > > Om! > srini > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 Hi Srini, It's a good question. I am reminded of a quote in a book I read once, or was it a magazine article? It was describing a trip taken by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, his family and other disciples of Swami Rama, to circumambulate Mt. Kailash. They reached a point in their walk around the mountain where they were directly below a monastery with ties to their tradition, and Pandit Tigunait suggested they all stop and meditate there. It was his wife, Meera's, reply that I remember so well, because it just seemed so right to me, perfunctory and offhand, but perfectly expressive of the truth for one who is on the path. To his suggestion that they stop and meditate she replied, " What else is there to do in this life? " There are times, especially lately, when I don't want to do my sadhana, when I would rather be lazy, when I feel like there is too much to do (this even though my life is definitely not crazy), when I am discouraged and just want to chuck it. At bottom I am left with this realization: What else is there to do in this life? I always manage to find a great many things to distract me from my dissatisfactions with myself - too too many things - but no matter how long I am able to manage it, eventually I have to return to myself, and there, waiting for me, is the recognition that nothing in this life, especially me, can ever be satisfying without God, and the road to God is my sadhana. What else is there to do in this life? Jai Maa! Chris , " srini_sadhu " <srini_sadhu wrote: > > Namaste Family, > > I might have posted this before. If yes, sorry. If not, may it > please whoever wants to be pleased. > > Once I was walking with Swamiji around the property and I asked > Him, " why should we meditate " ? He returned the question to me, " Why > do you meditate? " I scratched my head (figuratively) and said I do > so because I think it will make my work more effective. He > said, " Good " . Then He added meditation, devotion, attention, > awareness all mean the samething except they express the same thing > with differrent levels of intensity. > > Recently, I have been thinking about what I am doing in my life (I > do this often). Questions like why do I chant, why do I meditate, > the meaning of life, etc. > > If you are still reading this post, could you please, dear friend, > take some time and write a few sentences on why you meditate, if you > do. Is meditation escapism? Or is it the only real thing other than > George Bush? > > Thank you for your divine time. I hope you have a nice day and > evening by yourself or with your loved ones! > > Om! > srini > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 Dear Tanmaya, Thank you very much! We meditate to kill the ego, the mask, the false personality. Just this morning I was thinking how would it feel if I could let go the knowledge of every relationship I had, let the aacummulation of all the experiences and impressions dissolve, what would be left. I would feel very light. And I started asking how can I get to that feeling? I asked myself again and again. I did'nt get an answer. So I went to eat breakfast. Jai Maa! srini , " ty_maa " <dsjames wrote: > > > Srini Maharaj, > > No one is answering your question...so I'll try, > > We meditate because, as the Upanishads say, " we are food, " that " we are > the animals of the 'gods' " , we are the food of the 'gods', and " the > 'gods' contest with each other for " their shares of the 'sacrifice' " . > > As a farmer builds a fence around his barnyard, so the 'gods' have > fenced the eternal, luminous, (really ever-free) Self of mankind with > the fence we call " our mind " . > > The Vedas, avataras and sages tell us that what we call " our mind " is > not ours at all, but is a foreign entity, " a superimposition " upon our > true being, making us weak and dimming the Truth of Reality. > > Why is it that the human race has not evolved to a higher state for > these thousands of years? Why are we are still behaving-ruled by the > same motivations, only now on a mass scale-as when we were chewing raw > legbones in cold caves: Why is G. B. still our leader? > > The mind which we honor and praise so highly (with some justification) > is a complete superimposition; and, although indeed it is mankind's > greatest treasure, it is also man's greatest (spiritual) liability. > > There is a time and a place for everything, and it is time now for > humanity to transcend this false mind in order to realize the luminous > Atman. Our evolution, through untold trials and suffering, has taken us > to this blessed place. > > Throughout this necessary past era of our spiritual journey, the 'gods' > burdened us with a certain kind of mind or intellegence, Mahishasuras's > mind. And, if we notice very carefully, we will catch a clear and > undeniable glimpse of Mahishasura's mind at work in our > lives---continuously at work, a mind which is not ours, and never has > been. > > On every page of the Upanishads (the Vedas) ring out the words " Be > fearless! Be fearless! " . The most characteristic quality-the very > root-of Mahishasura's mind/ego is fear. How can that be? The great Asura > fearful..fear is not one of his generals (or qualities) spoken of in the > Chandi? > > As Sal pointed out so astutely [and I hope I didn't frighten her with my > graphic imagery] " worry is the progeny of fear " . So also, if one > observes very carefully, are the qualities of Mahishasura's generals, > and even (and especially) of the great ego itself-the progeny of fear. > And so is the greater part of man's inhumantity to man---the progeny of > Fear. > > Contraction is fear. And Mahishasura's ego/mind is Spiritual Light > contracted. > > We meditate because we are burdened with Mahishasura's mind, and we are > (collectively, though still mostly unconsciously) weary of it--very > weary, nearly to the point of self-extinction. The time has come to move > on. > > During the great teaching demonstration of Sri Ramakrishna's twelve year > sadhana, there was a particularly important event. He had been > meditating intensely without food or sleep for a long time, and praying > earnestly for the vision of God. That meditation and longing had heated > every layer of His being to an almost physically painful degree when, as > He told it, a terrible-looking entity reeled out of His body and stood > before Him. He recognized it at once as the " the papa-purusha " " the sin > entity or being " , and immediately prayed to the Divine Mother, " Mother > kill the Papa purusha! " > > Threreupon a second entity, a young sannyasin exactly resembling > Himself, also came out of His body and, taking his trident, pierced the > dark entity through the heart, killing it. > > Several questions arise relative to this event in Sri Ramakrishna's > life. Two, I believe are very important. First, how can an avatara, who > is born perfect and divine, be host to such a dark being as is described > in this event in the great master's own words? > > I would say to that question: when an avatara incarnates, he comes fully > endowed with his divinity, but, in addition, assumes a thin covering of > the human characteristics of the time. His life wouldn't be useful to us > as a teaching demonstration and example to follow, unless he had to deal > with, and triumph over, the same limitations we experience. That is, we > learn about ourselves, and how to become free and divine, by His/Her > example. So Sri Ramakrishna was born with the same superimposed mind > (Mahishasura's mind) with which we are burdened and identified. > > The second question is about the significance of the avatara's > experiences (lila) relative to the specific time and place of his > incarnation? I believe that question is easily answered in regard to > this particular episode. In a sense, the avatara lives the next era of > human evolution in a condensed and perfect form. And this extraordinary > event in His life is a Divine Statement that humanity is ready, and > indeed now will, throw off the false superimposition and limitation of > Mahishasura's ego/mind. And will now proceed to realize the eternal > Truth which ours, and indeed has been ours, always and forever. > > That is why I believe we meditate. > > With Respect, > > Tanmaya > > > > > , " srini_sadhu " <srini_sadhu@> > wrote: > > > > Namaste Family, > > > > I might have posted this before. If yes, sorry. If not, may it > > please whoever wants to be pleased. > > > > Once I was walking with Swamiji around the property and I asked > > Him, " why should we meditate " ? He returned the question to me, " Why > > do you meditate? " I scratched my head (figuratively) and said I do > > so because I think it will make my work more effective. He > > said, " Good " . Then He added meditation, devotion, attention, > > awareness all mean the samething except they express the same thing > > with differrent levels of intensity. > > > > Recently, I have been thinking about what I am doing in my life (I > > do this often). Questions like why do I chant, why do I meditate, > > the meaning of life, etc. > > > > If you are still reading this post, could you please, dear friend, > > take some time and write a few sentences on why you meditate, if you > > do. Is meditation escapism? Or is it the only real thing other than > > George Bush? > > > > Thank you for your divine time. I hope you have a nice day and > > evening by yourself or with your loved ones! > > > > Om! > > srini > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 25, 2007 Report Share Posted June 25, 2007 Dear Sal, Sushuddha, Devi, and Jennifer, Thank you all for writing so kindly. I read all you posts. Yes I did. Satyanarayan Bhagavan ki Jai! Some of you mentioned walking meditation. I want to add something that I read by Vimala Thakar. I really felt what she said was right. She says being in nature is a very good way to cultivate the habit of being non-judgmental. Because when you are walking in a forest, for example, and just watching nature, you can watch without reacting. If we can carry that same feeling to our relationships, we'd have less trouble. And life is more enjoyable. In the Mandir, we meditate in the morning after arati and in the evening after arati. After making lot of divine sounds (or you may call it noise), it becomes easier to move into silence. Meditation is a way of training the mind to be orderly. When we think in a orderly manner, somehow what we create or do is more beautiful and graceful. I think. I look forward to others thoughts! Thanks for sharing! Jai Maa! srini , " jrholm1007 " <jrholm1007 wrote: > > Peace srini and thank you for sharing this story and for the > invitation to share back. > > Yes, it's true. Meditation IS the only real thing other than George > Bush. And, Coca Cola, right? Ha... > > I meditate each morning primarily to spend time with Divine Mother, > it's like a ritual of connection before focusing on all the many > others. I also meditate to practice refinement of awareness, > mindfulness, nonattachment. Sometimes meditation can be escapism for > me because I am easily drawn to drawing inward and can forget that > Divine Mother is also expressed/present for connection in every form > of creation. So when I catch that happening I practice other forms > of meditation, like walking meditation, or meditating on a beautiful > flower or the river. > > Jennifer > > , " srini_sadhu " <srini_sadhu@> > wrote: > > > > Namaste Family, > > > > I might have posted this before. If yes, sorry. If not, may it > > please whoever wants to be pleased. > > > > Once I was walking with Swamiji around the property and I asked > > Him, " why should we meditate " ? He returned the question to me, " Why > > do you meditate? " I scratched my head (figuratively) and said I do > > so because I think it will make my work more effective. He > > said, " Good " . Then He added meditation, devotion, attention, > > awareness all mean the samething except they express the same thing > > with differrent levels of intensity. > > > > Recently, I have been thinking about what I am doing in my life (I > > do this often). Questions like why do I chant, why do I meditate, > > the meaning of life, etc. > > > > If you are still reading this post, could you please, dear friend, > > take some time and write a few sentences on why you meditate, if > you > > do. Is meditation escapism? Or is it the only real thing other than > > George Bush? > > > > Thank you for your divine time. I hope you have a nice day and > > evening by yourself or with your loved ones! > > > > Om! > > srini > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 26, 2007 Report Share Posted June 26, 2007 Very Zen-like Sriniji. Thanks for the lesson. Thanks for reminding us that there is a world of difference between eating breakfast... and just eating breakfast. How light it is. T. , " srini_sadhu " <srini_sadhu wrote: > > Dear Tanmaya, > > Thank you very much! > > We meditate to kill the ego, the mask, the false personality. > > Just this morning I was thinking how would it feel if I could let go > the knowledge of every relationship I had, let the aacummulation of > all the experiences and impressions dissolve, what would be left. I > would feel very light. And I started asking how can I get to that > feeling? I asked myself again and again. > > I did'nt get an answer. > > So I went to eat breakfast. > > Jai Maa! > srini > > > > > > , " ty_maa " dsjames@ wrote: > > > > > > Srini Maharaj, > > > > No one is answering your question...so I'll try, > > > > We meditate because, as the Upanishads say, " we are food, " that " we are > > the animals of the 'gods' " , we are the food of the 'gods', and " the > > 'gods' contest with each other for " their shares of the 'sacrifice' " . > > > > As a farmer builds a fence around his barnyard, so the 'gods' have > > fenced the eternal, luminous, (really ever-free) Self of mankind with > > the fence we call " our mind " . > > > > The Vedas, avataras and sages tell us that what we call " our mind " is > > not ours at all, but is a foreign entity, " a superimposition " upon our > > true being, making us weak and dimming the Truth of Reality. > > > > Why is it that the human race has not evolved to a higher state for > > these thousands of years? Why are we are still behaving-ruled by the > > same motivations, only now on a mass scale-as when we were chewing raw > > legbones in cold caves: Why is G. B. still our leader? > > > > The mind which we honor and praise so highly (with some justification) > > is a complete superimposition; and, although indeed it is mankind's > > greatest treasure, it is also man's greatest (spiritual) liability. > > > > There is a time and a place for everything, and it is time now for > > humanity to transcend this false mind in order to realize the luminous > > Atman. Our evolution, through untold trials and suffering, has taken us > > to this blessed place. > > > > Throughout this necessary past era of our spiritual journey, the 'gods' > > burdened us with a certain kind of mind or intellegence, Mahishasuras's > > mind. And, if we notice very carefully, we will catch a clear and > > undeniable glimpse of Mahishasura's mind at work in our > > lives---continuously at work, a mind which is not ours, and never has > > been. > > > > On every page of the Upanishads (the Vedas) ring out the words " Be > > fearless! Be fearless! " . The most characteristic quality-the very > > root-of Mahishasura's mind/ego is fear. How can that be? The great Asura > > fearful..fear is not one of his generals (or qualities) spoken of in the > > Chandi? > > > > As Sal pointed out so astutely [and I hope I didn't frighten her with my > > graphic imagery] " worry is the progeny of fear " . So also, if one > > observes very carefully, are the qualities of Mahishasura's generals, > > and even (and especially) of the great ego itself-the progeny of fear. > > And so is the greater part of man's inhumantity to man---the progeny of > > Fear. > > > > Contraction is fear. And Mahishasura's ego/mind is Spiritual Light > > contracted. > > > > We meditate because we are burdened with Mahishasura's mind, and we are > > (collectively, though still mostly unconsciously) weary of it--very > > weary, nearly to the point of self-extinction. The time has come to move > > on. > > > > During the great teaching demonstration of Sri Ramakrishna's twelve year > > sadhana, there was a particularly important event. He had been > > meditating intensely without food or sleep for a long time, and praying > > earnestly for the vision of God. That meditation and longing had heated > > every layer of His being to an almost physically painful degree when, as > > He told it, a terrible-looking entity reeled out of His body and stood > > before Him. He recognized it at once as the " the papa-purusha " " the sin > > entity or being " , and immediately prayed to the Divine Mother, " Mother > > kill the Papa purusha! " > > > > Threreupon a second entity, a young sannyasin exactly resembling > > Himself, also came out of His body and, taking his trident, pierced the > > dark entity through the heart, killing it. > > > > Several questions arise relative to this event in Sri Ramakrishna's > > life. Two, I believe are very important. First, how can an avatara, who > > is born perfect and divine, be host to such a dark being as is described > > in this event in the great master's own words? > > > > I would say to that question: when an avatara incarnates, he comes fully > > endowed with his divinity, but, in addition, assumes a thin covering of > > the human characteristics of the time. His life wouldn't be useful to us > > as a teaching demonstration and example to follow, unless he had to deal > > with, and triumph over, the same limitations we experience. That is, we > > learn about ourselves, and how to become free and divine, by His/Her > > example. So Sri Ramakrishna was born with the same superimposed mind > > (Mahishasura's mind) with which we are burdened and identified. > > > > The second question is about the significance of the avatara's > > experiences (lila) relative to the specific time and place of his > > incarnation? I believe that question is easily answered in regard to > > this particular episode. In a sense, the avatara lives the next era of > > human evolution in a condensed and perfect form. And this extraordinary > > event in His life is a Divine Statement that humanity is ready, and > > indeed now will, throw off the false superimposition and limitation of > > Mahishasura's ego/mind. And will now proceed to realize the eternal > > Truth which ours, and indeed has been ours, always and forever. > > > > That is why I believe we meditate. > > > > With Respect, > > > > Tanmaya > > > > > > > > > > , " srini_sadhu " <srini_sadhu@> > > wrote: > > > > > > Namaste Family, > > > > > > I might have posted this before. If yes, sorry. If not, may it > > > please whoever wants to be pleased. > > > > > > Once I was walking with Swamiji around the property and I asked > > > Him, " why should we meditate " ? He returned the question to me, " Why > > > do you meditate? " I scratched my head (figuratively) and said I do > > > so because I think it will make my work more effective. He > > > said, " Good " . Then He added meditation, devotion, attention, > > > awareness all mean the samething except they express the same thing > > > with differrent levels of intensity. > > > > > > Recently, I have been thinking about what I am doing in my life (I > > > do this often). Questions like why do I chant, why do I meditate, > > > the meaning of life, etc. > > > > > > If you are still reading this post, could you please, dear friend, > > > take some time and write a few sentences on why you meditate, if you > > > do. Is meditation escapism? Or is it the only real thing other than > > > George Bush? > > > > > > Thank you for your divine time. I hope you have a nice day and > > > evening by yourself or with your loved ones! > > > > > > Om! > > > srini > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 28, 2007 Report Share Posted June 28, 2007 Dear Chris, Thanks for sharing that story! All the best! srini , " Chris Kirner " <chriskirner1956 wrote: > > Hi Srini, > > It's a good question. > > I am reminded of a quote in a book I read once, or was it a magazine > article? It was describing a trip taken by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, > his family and other disciples of Swami Rama, to circumambulate Mt. > Kailash. They reached a point in their walk around the mountain where > they were directly below a monastery with ties to their tradition, and > Pandit Tigunait suggested they all stop and meditate there. It was his > wife, Meera's, reply that I remember so well, because it just seemed > so right to me, perfunctory and offhand, but perfectly expressive of > the truth for one who is on the path. To his suggestion that they stop > and meditate she replied, " What else is there to do in this life? " > > There are times, especially lately, when I don't want to do my > sadhana, when I would rather be lazy, when I feel like there is too > much to do (this even though my life is definitely not crazy), when I > am discouraged and just want to chuck it. At bottom I am left with > this realization: What else is there to do in this life? > > I always manage to find a great many things to distract me from my > dissatisfactions with myself - too too many things - but no matter how > long I am able to manage it, eventually I have to return to myself, > and there, waiting for me, is the recognition that nothing in this > life, especially me, can ever be satisfying without God, and the road > to God is my sadhana. > > What else is there to do in this life? > > Jai Maa! > Chris > > > > , " srini_sadhu " <srini_sadhu@> wrote: > > > > Namaste Family, > > > > I might have posted this before. If yes, sorry. If not, may it > > please whoever wants to be pleased. > > > > Once I was walking with Swamiji around the property and I asked > > Him, " why should we meditate " ? He returned the question to me, " Why > > do you meditate? " I scratched my head (figuratively) and said I do > > so because I think it will make my work more effective. He > > said, " Good " . Then He added meditation, devotion, attention, > > awareness all mean the samething except they express the same thing > > with differrent levels of intensity. > > > > Recently, I have been thinking about what I am doing in my life (I > > do this often). Questions like why do I chant, why do I meditate, > > the meaning of life, etc. > > > > If you are still reading this post, could you please, dear friend, > > take some time and write a few sentences on why you meditate, if you > > do. Is meditation escapism? Or is it the only real thing other than > > George Bush? > > > > Thank you for your divine time. I hope you have a nice day and > > evening by yourself or with your loved ones! > > > > Om! > > srini > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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