to Jennifer- Jennifer and all: Swami's response on Chandi

[Guest guest]

Dear Henny: yes yes yes! I really would love to do that. I would

like to make Chandi my everyday practice for 2008; I will have about

1.5-2 hours/day for chanting and studying. What I am discovering

about myself is that it's important for me to find a balance between

chanting and gaining more of an understanding of (and falling in love

with) the Sanskrit language.

 

I would love to converse more about details after December 25. : )

Thanks for your support, I feel blessed by your enthusiasm. Jennifer

 

, " henny_v_i " <henny_v_i wrote:

>

> Namaste Jennifer,

>

> thank you for asking the question about the Chandi and daily

practice.

> I have been trying to find a way to make the Chandi part of my

daily

> routine for some time, but failed. I was comforted by the thought

that

> the EPS mantra is a supremely condensed form of the Chandi...

> Encouraged by your question and Swamiji's response, I feel ready to

> begin again, and I am thinking perhaps we could start the new year

> together with the daily chanting of the portion Swamiji mentions in

> his response, with as many of our brothers and sisters as will join

> us, and take it from there. We could discuss the texts and ask

> questions etc. What do you think?

>

> with love,

> Henny

>

> , " inspectionconnection108 "

> <inspectionconnection108@> wrote:

> >

> > Namaste Jennifer and all. Below is Swami's response to Jennifer's

> > recent question about chanting sections of the Chandi and studying

> > Sanskrit. Her question is below Swami's response.

> >

> > SWAMI'S RESPONSE:

> > It's best to start the Chandi practice with the Kavach, Argala,

and

> > Kilakam. Then add the Devi Shuktam (Chapter 5) and Narayani Sthuti

> > (Chapter 11). You can finish with Rig Veda Devi Shuktam and Siddha

> > Kunjika Stotram.

> >

> > You can allow the practice to grow from there.

> >

> > Start the study of Sanskrit by memorizing our vocabulary lists

> online.

> > Then it depends on how deeply you wish to go. The language has so

> many

> > dimensions, you can go in several directions.

> >

> >

> > > JENNIFER'S QUESTION:

> > > I chanted the Chandi four times during the monthly sessions

> > offered. I then felt that I needed to turn back to gaining more

> > understanding, so I have since been reading and studying. I also

> feel

> > that I need to increase my understanding of Sanskrit. I am

> delighted

> > with Swami's guidance for doing flash cards, which I have started

> > working on. Is there a succinct overview of Sanskrit that might

> help

> > me in this endeavor, either thru the Devi Mandir or another

source

> you

> > know of?

> > >

> > > Also is there some seed of the Chandi contained within it's text

> > that I could take up as a daily practice that would be good for

> > saturating my mind and soul with the essence of Chandi each day,

> that

> > could be chanted in under an hour? I remember vaguely some

> discussion

> > of this on the posts.

> > >

> > > Thank you for your assistance, I feel supported in this

journey.

> > Jennifer

> > >

> > >

> > > PREVIOUS QUESTIONS AND RESPONSE

> >

> >

> > , " jrholm1007 " <jrholm1007@>

> wrote:

> > >

> > > Thank you so much, Swami, Vishweshwar, and Henny. I will

> contemplate

> > > both Swami's wisdom, and the Nectar poem. I very much

apporeciate

> > > the opportunity to become more clear about this! Peace to you

> all,

> > > Jennifer

> > >

> > > , " henny_v_i " <henny_v_i@>

> wrote:

> > > >

> > > > " Jesus and Buddha and Chaitanya,

> > > > they were all crazy with Your love.

> > > > Hey Maa, when will I be so fortunate as

> > > > to be able to mix with them?

> > > > Heaven is a festival for lunatics.

> > > > Just as is the guru, so are Her disciples.

> > > > Who can understand this play of love?

> > > > You are the one who causes everyone to become crazy with love.

> > > > You are the epitome of craziness.

> > > > Maa, You are so wealthy.

> > > > Give me the blessing of insanity

> > > > with love.

> > > > I'm begging for Your love

> > > > at the ocean of love.

> > > > I am the servant of love,

> > > > and I'm singing this song to You. "

> > > >

> > > > (The Nectar of Eternal Bliss, p.350)

> > > >

> > > >

> > > > -- In , " inspectionconnection108 "

> > > > <inspectionconnection108@> wrote:

> > > > >

> > > > > Namaste Jennifer and all: Please read and contemplate

Swami's

> > > > > response to Jennifer's questions on loving. She picked up

a

> > > thread

> > > > > from earier discussions.

> > > > > First I will post Swami's response, then, Jennifer's

questions

> > > below

> > > > > his response.

> > > > >

> > > > > SWAMI " S COMMENTS

> > > > >

> > > > > Namaste Jennifer,

> > > > >

> > > > > I cannot describe a time when someone could contemplate the

> > > > existence

> > > > > of something and the absence of something simultaneously.

In

> the

> > > > same

> > > > > way how can we contemplate loving an object and loving

without

> an

> > > > > object simultaneously? I believe our love is constantly

> shifting

> > > > from

> > > > > " with form " to " without form " .

> > > > >

> > > > > Far be it from me to ascribe (or even attempt to ascribe)

any

> > > > > percentage value as to how much time we spend with each. It

is

> > > > enough

> > > > > to know that we go into samadhi and we come out.

> > > > >

> > > > > It is possible to have universal love for all even while

> existing

> > > in

> > > > > duality. Jesus showed it, Ramakrishna, Shree Maa, the Vedic

> > > Rishis.

> > > > >

> > > > > This is our goal, even though it is very difficult to

attain.

> > > > >

> > > > > ________

> > > > > JENNIFER'S QUESTIONS

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Hello Friends, peace to you all, I have a few questions

> about

> > > the

> > > > > > discussion on love and fear that we had a few days back.

> I'm

> > > > > > referring to the post, 'without fear, love cannot

manifest'

> and

> > > > the

> > > > > > learnings which followed from there.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Swami expanded our understanding by sharing that in pure

> > > > absorption,

> > > > > > we experience love purely (with no fear) and then once we

> are

> > > out

> > > > of

> > > > > > that state and back in duality, it's love/fear again. He

> also

> > > > > > illuminated for us that it is possible to just LOVE with

no

> > > > object.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > But it isn't an either/or, is it?

> > > > > >

> > > > > > My question is, is it possible for US to just LOVE with

no

> > > object

> > > > in

> > > > > > duality? As I go deeper into the love of Divine Mother...

> spend

> > > > more

> > > > > > time with Her, contemplate her teachings, surrender to

Her

> > > > abundant

> > > > > > love, do I change that ratio? So that, before Her

effects

> in my

> > > > > > life, it's 50% love, 50% fear, but as I seek relationship

> with

> > > > Her,

> > > > > > it becomes more like 60% pure love, 40% fear, and keeps

> moving

> > > in

> > > > > > that direction?

> > > > > >

> > > > > > Perhaps more accurately: is it possible to become

saturated

> in

> > > > LOVE

> > > > > > with no object while still living in duality? The image

for

> me

> > > is

> > > > > > like a bird's nest (the 'I') placed in an ocean of

perfectly

> > > still

> > > > > > water (Divine Mother's Love). The weave of the nest

> relaxes,

> > > > > > softens, expands outward and downward, is permeated by

the

> > > water.

> > > > > > The design of the nest stays the same, but opens into the

> > > water,

> > > > so

> > > > > > that what is known is more water than nest. No fear of

> losing

> > > > > > anything, because it is all felt to be held in Her deep

> still

> > > > waters.

> > > > > >

> > > > > > With gratitude, Jennifer

> > > > >

> > > >

> > >

> >

>