Guest guest Posted August 28, 2008 Report Share Posted August 28, 2008 vish wrote: Namaste all: Verse 2, Part 1, from the introduction to Advanced ShivaPuja, by Shankar Acharya states: "Maintain the association of truepeople, take refuge with devotion in the Supreme Divinity, and withall your capacity try to befriend the universe, and very quicklyrenounce the fruits of your labors."The Great Sage is giving us the keys to Heaven in these words. ---------- Dear vish ~ you have said so much of value that I am taking two posts to respond. : ) I am living proof that this verse is true, and I have found my way through the morass by following my instincts and my heart. In my early life, there were few "true people" for me to associate with. As I have mentioned, given what was going on in my family, my relationships were primarily fear based, as were the behaviors I was responding to. I realize that now, but it took a looooong time to realize that what felt like hate, rejection, attack, etc., were really, underneath it all, fear. My one true relationship, as I mentioned mostly by inference, was my maternal grandmother. During my life there were some "true people" that I was blessed to know, and then as I began to be in the company of true people. These associations helped me tremendously, although, until I found Maa and Swamiji, many of the devotees and followers of those others used their association as an excuse to continue behaving poorly. They would excuse this behavior by saying "Mother is stirring the pot". I do realize that Maa and Swamiji may sometimes stir our own pots, to help us better see and understand our behavior ... or maybe it is our karma that stirs the pot, but I have never seen any Maa and Swamiji devotees use this phrase as an excuse. One example is when I loaned my clock radio to someone during a retreat (not Maa's or Swamiji's). She said she'd give it back to me the next day. I was very concerned to get it back because, even then, I was dealing with severe pain and fatigue, and I did not want to miss the darshan. After three days, I still didn't have my radio. I thought, okay, is Mother stirring my pot; is She stirring the other person's pot, or both our pots? Then as several more days passed, it occurred to me that perhaps the lesson here was to take care of myself and not continue to "accept" the other person's behavior. Since then I have realized the difference between what usually passes as "accepting," which is only an intellectual understanding, to a true "accepting," which is really letting go. I credit this to Maa and Swamiji who always serve as impeccable examples of how to behave as a spiritual person. And I credit also my husband and our reuniting. I first began to react to situations and behaviors as I would have in the past; suddenly I turned a corner ~ don't ask me how ~ and I found true acceptance, and life has become heaven, at least in my small corner of the universe. Once when David asked me what had happened; why I was so different, I said, "I only have time for kindness." And it was a true statement, and David is one of the very significant "true people." Even though he proclaims himself an atheist, I don't believe him because he acts with exquisite impeccability, and one only has to experience this, or look at his photography, to know just how deep his spiritual nature goes. So, in some ways he is another guru for me. I recall, during the retreat in Issaqua, WA, my sister telling me this story. She went to Maa to complain about her husband. Maa's response was quick and left no room for misinterpretation: "you worship him." After that, my sister put a picture of her husband on her altar and added him to her devotional practices. More next reply ... I hope I am not taxing people's ability to wend their way through my posts. I know they tend to be long, however, I want to inscribe these "aha" moments and what I experience with all of you as completely as possible. My next lesson will hopefully come from Swamiji: elegant and succinct and absolutely true answers to our questions. Jai Maa !!! Jai Swamiji !!! Jai Devi Mandire Family !!! thank you all LindaIt's only a deal if it's where you want to go. Find your travel deal here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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