Guest guest Posted January 9, 2009 Report Share Posted January 9, 2009 Namaste Linda and all: Dear Linda, I have a very similar experiences as you regarding " getting to work " on my sadhana. Even when I was living at the Mandir while Maa and Swami were in India for 30 days, I had trouble some mornings sitting down to worship. Always something " important " would arise, and my " monkey " mind would get excited and run after that thought, feeling, mood, etc. Just like dangling a set of keys in front of a crying baby to distract it, my mind will go to the next flashy impulse rather than to worship. So, how to stop running after mirages? This is a different experience than boredom during worship. This is putting other distractions away so I can begin to worship. I wish all of our family would share their techniques for breaking through this invisible barrier. Jai Ma Jai Swami vishweshwar -- In , nierika wrote: > > Dear Swamiji ~ thank you for again giving us a question that goes deep into > the heart of worship and devotion. I will be the first to admit that I find > sadhana difficult. So far, I mostly find I am able to participate if it is a > group sadhana, like the annual sankalpa or when the group chants the Chandi > Path during Navaratri, the Prayer Club, etc. For the past several mornings I > have had the opportunity to see very clearly what distracts me from satsang, or > rather, who distracts me. I distract me. > > Here is what I experience. It is like being two people in one body, and it > also is very attached to my body. There is one me who feels eagerness at the > prospect of doing the sadhana, who feels the longing, who feels called by the > sadhana. That part of me wants to get up right away and go do the sadhana. > > Then there is the other part of me that is just as determined to stay where > I am, and continue doing whatever I am doing. And believe me when I say, I am > never doing something so important that it should distract or stop me from my > sadhana. But that part of me stubbornly wants to stay where it is, and if > what I am doing doesn't seem like a good enough reason, then many other things > to do start popping into my head. So, it is like two bodies in one ~ one is > eager to get going, and I even feel the incipient movement inside me, readying > to carry me off to do my sadhana; while the other is just as eager to stay > where it is, and it is capable of having lots of excuses. > > For example, for certain reasons, the morning is the best time for me to do > sadhana. It is when my husband is still asleep and I feel very quiet and alone > (in a good way). But if I am sitting at the computer, reading and answering > emails, time will pass, and more time will pass. The part of me that is eager > to get up is getting frustrated, and before I know it, I feel the time has > passed to the point where I won't feel comfortable doing my sadhana. So > computer me wins. > > Yesterday I had taken the sheet of paper with the mantra, along with my > mala, into the room where I have my altar. Since I do the sankalpa mantra on the > couch where I can prop it up and see it well, I was aware that to do my > sadhana I had to first go and get these items. Finally the sankalpa me said to the > computer me, I am just going to go and get my tools. And I realized that, as > soon as I got up and took the first step, I would do my sankalpa this > morning. It wasn't a feeling of winning, almost more of an ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, just > putting one foot in front of the other, then one mantra after another. I had the > thought, all it takes is the first step. I guess if our minds are like > monkeys, once you get the monkey to take one step it is very likely you will get > the monkey to take a second step. > > I realize this is a lot of explaining, and forgive me for using so much > time. It was just so wonderful to get the question, right as I am experiencing > the answer, and then see the dualism of the sankalpa me and the computer me, and > to be the witness, watching both and then choosing. It was almost as if a > third party (of me) had to intercede and take the reins, so to speak. After > that, everything came more naturally and without a struggle. > > > Question from Swamiji: > > " If it is so important to maintain our spiritual inspiration, why do > we find so many distractions that give precedence to satsang? > > > **************New year...new news. Be the first to know what is making > headlines. (http://www.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000026) > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 12, 2009 Report Share Posted January 12, 2009 We are told to: " Be still and know that I am God " Sadhu Maa , " inspectionconnection108 " <inspectionconnection108 wrote: > > Namaste Linda and all: Dear Linda, I have a very similar experiences > as you regarding " getting to work " on my sadhana. Even when I was > living at the Mandir while Maa and Swami were in India for 30 days, I > had trouble some mornings sitting down to worship. Always something > " important " would arise, and my " monkey " mind would get excited and > run after that thought, feeling, mood, etc. > Just like dangling a set of keys in front of a crying baby to distract > it, my mind will go to the next flashy impulse rather than to worship. > So, how to stop running after mirages? This is a different experience > than boredom during worship. This is putting other distractions away > so I can begin to worship. > I wish all of our family would share their techniques for breaking > through this invisible barrier. > > Jai Ma Jai Swami > > vishweshwar > -- In , nierika@ wrote: > > > > Dear Swamiji ~ thank you for again giving us a question that goes > deep into > > the heart of worship and devotion. I will be the first to admit that > I find > > sadhana difficult. So far, I mostly find I am able to participate if > it is a > > group sadhana, like the annual sankalpa or when the group chants the > Chandi > > Path during Navaratri, the Prayer Club, etc. For the past several > mornings I > > have had the opportunity to see very clearly what distracts me from > satsang, or > > rather, who distracts me. I distract me. > > > > Here is what I experience. It is like being two people in one body, > and it > > also is very attached to my body. There is one me who feels > eagerness at the > > prospect of doing the sadhana, who feels the longing, who feels > called by the > > sadhana. That part of me wants to get up right away and go do the > sadhana. > > > > Then there is the other part of me that is just as determined to > stay where > > I am, and continue doing whatever I am doing. And believe me when I > say, I am > > never doing something so important that it should distract or stop > me from my > > sadhana. But that part of me stubbornly wants to stay where it is, > and if > > what I am doing doesn't seem like a good enough reason, then many > other things > > to do start popping into my head. So, it is like two bodies in one > ~ one is > > eager to get going, and I even feel the incipient movement inside > me, readying > > to carry me off to do my sadhana; while the other is just as eager > to stay > > where it is, and it is capable of having lots of excuses. > > > > For example, for certain reasons, the morning is the best time for > me to do > > sadhana. It is when my husband is still asleep and I feel very quiet > and alone > > (in a good way). But if I am sitting at the computer, reading and > answering > > emails, time will pass, and more time will pass. The part of me that > is eager > > to get up is getting frustrated, and before I know it, I feel the > time has > > passed to the point where I won't feel comfortable doing my > sadhana. So > > computer me wins. > > > > Yesterday I had taken the sheet of paper with the mantra, along with > my > > mala, into the room where I have my altar. Since I do the sankalpa > mantra on the > > couch where I can prop it up and see it well, I was aware that to do my > > sadhana I had to first go and get these items. Finally the sankalpa > me said to the > > computer me, I am just going to go and get my tools. And I realized > that, as > > soon as I got up and took the first step, I would do my sankalpa this > > morning. It wasn't a feeling of winning, almost more of an > ahhhhhhhhhhhhh, just > > putting one foot in front of the other, then one mantra after > another. I had the > > thought, all it takes is the first step. I guess if our minds are like > > monkeys, once you get the monkey to take one step it is very likely > you will get > > the monkey to take a second step. > > > > I realize this is a lot of explaining, and forgive me for using so > much > > time. It was just so wonderful to get the question, right as I am > experiencing > > the answer, and then see the dualism of the sankalpa me and the > computer me, and > > to be the witness, watching both and then choosing. It was almost > as if a > > third party (of me) had to intercede and take the reins, so to > speak. After > > that, everything came more naturally and without a struggle. > > > > > > Question from Swamiji: > > > > " If it is so important to maintain our spiritual inspiration, why do > > we find so many distractions that give precedence to satsang? > > > > > > **************New year...new news. Be the first to know what is making > > headlines. (http://www.aol.com/?ncid=emlcntaolcom00000026) > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 14, 2009 Report Share Posted January 14, 2009 Sorry if this has been said before but I just wanted to say thank you to whoever it was who suggested lighting candles and incense before bathing etc, to prepare for sadhana. I have found this very very helpful and it has completely revitalised my desire to perform sadhana. Thank you!Jill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 15, 2009 Report Share Posted January 15, 2009 Dearest Jill,Some how this note passed by without seeing it.When you have time can you explain the candles and inscence before bath mess.Thank you,Devi--- On Wed, 1/14/09, Jill Gordon <j.gordon5 wrote:Jill Gordon <j.gordon5[www.ShreeMaa.org] Re:Linda and all: responding to Swamiji's question Date: Wednesday, January 14, 2009, 6:51 AM Sorry if this has been said before but I just wanted to say thank you to whoever it was who suggested lighting candles and incense before bathing etc, to prepare for sadhana. I have found this very very helpful and it has completely revitalised my desire to perform sadhana. Thank you!Jill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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