To Sadhu Maa-Is marriage an impediment in one's spiritual

[Guest guest]

Namaste Sadhu Maa: Meeting Bharati the first time, I knew without a

doubt that she was the one I had been searching for all my life. She

felt the same way. Our karma has been so intertwined this life. Just

today she said to me, " we are a team, there is no separating us " . How

many times Maa brings us together to fulfill our divine purpose? Only

She knows. As this life unfolds, Maa offers us the choice to work

together for the benefit of our families and friends, or to sink into

short term material comfort and sensual pleasures. Each time we

choose living for Maa and our spiritual family, waves of harmony and

joy surround us. And if we slip into the material world, the illusion

of satisfaction is so transitory that we cannot sustain the effort to

reside in that realm.

The closer we grow towards Maa, the more She envelopes with Her love.

This helps us to choose the highest action next time.

 

Jai Maa Jai Swami

 

vishweshwar

 

 

 

 

, " Sadhu Maa " <sadumaa wrote:

>

> Namaste Brothers, Vishweshwar and Nirmalananda:

>

> And a happy belated birthday to Dear Bharati. Your manifestation of

> the Divine Mother is a blessing to us all.

>

> I think this is an important topic, the role of relationships on the

> spiritual path, and one I have grappled with and wondered about when

> watching others. I am not married, though in my life I have had

> important and lengthy relationships and at one time thought marriage

> would be part of my path. My opinion is that whether marriage is a

> boon or impediment to spiritual progress is first a matter of

> karma/inclination and individual path; second, one of intention; and

> third, one of grace. I suppose at some level what is right for each of

> us is what we say it is.

>

> What a blessing if a marriage can be a cornerstone for spiritual lives

> focused on seva...if that love cultivated in the fires of karmic duty

> can embrace, shelter, and heal others.

>

> Paramahansa Yogananda once spoke about this topic and said that a

> married person is responsible for their family, their well being,

> spiritual welfare and all. He then said that in choosing to be a

> renunciate one assumes responsibility for the larger human family. In

> any case and through my limited memory, I got the message that for one

> choosing a spiritual path, the idea that being a single sadhu means a

> life of freedom without responsibility for others is an illusion.

> Humans live in relationship, and I personally believe that God will

> use us to uplift our families, be they intimate or global, and will

> use others to uplift us.

>

> In many ways our Gurus, Shree Maa and Swamiji, have taken on a huge

> family, all of us. They encourage us, prompt us, correct us, direct

> us, may even provide material support to some in need. What an

> example, what a burden they have assumed, what selfless service.

>

> For myself I think that if we are so fortunate to find ourselves with

> a partner who shares our goals and spiritual inclinations, then this

> is indeed a blessing from God. To have a companion on the spiritual

> path, one to keep us honest, focused, to nurse us when we are ill, and

> to inspire us to our best, one with which we harvest the best of life

> to offer to others...then the dance of Shiva and Shakti is complete.

>

> What an example we also have in Ramakrishna and Sarada Devi.

>

> For those of us not married, then I shall say for me personally,

> satsang and close spiritual friends are critically important. The path

> must be tread by my own feet, but the encouragement and support that

> can be provided by a close spiritual community is essential....else in

> my darkest moments of self doubt or in times if wavering faith, I

> would have only the voice in my head....which is not always correct. I

> need you to be the channel through which the Divine Mother reaches out

> to me. I also need to serve you, how else is my life of any value?

>

> At this phase of my life I really appreciate the wisdom provided by

> Shree Maa and Swamiji in the FAQ section on relationships. When two

> people are drawn to each other, through karmic triggers or physical

> attraction, it is not always easy to step back from that powerful draw

> to say, " What are your goals? " and to honestly assess if this

> relationship will help both people move closer to God. But they have

> set out that as our ideal, our guide, and for that we are blessed.

>

> Jai Maa

> Sadhu Maa

>