Who am I?

February 10, 2009

Namaste all family: Monday night in Shiva class, Swami taught about

establishing life in the Shiva lingum, or murti, and then offering

various gifts and food, to Him. See Page 168 on. One of the

offerings is a mirror.

Why offer a mirror?, we asked. What is the significance?

Swami responded:

We hold the mirror up to the lingum. The lingum is the para-atman,

the Supreme Soul. We are the atma, the individual soul. Although the

2 are the same, when I look at Shiva, I sometimes forget, and think I

am different. By offering the mirror, I want to remember that I am

the same as Shiva, infinite and eternal. I am that reflection I see in

the mirror.

Swami continued: When we look into a mirror, we have been trained to

see the reflection. Very few of us have been trained to see the

reflector. In the mirror, consciousness is the reflector, and nature

is the reflection.

When we look into the mirror, we see ourselves as the body. Upon

reflection, we wonder this: if we are God, then how can we also be

this changing, decaying, mortal body? If that is so, then God must be

ever-changing and He can die.

But we know that is not true. God is infinite and eternal and non

changing. So, when we look into the mirror, we want to see the non

changing reflector, not the changing reflection.

How do we accomplish this huge change in perception? The Rishis say

one word: tapasya.

Then, as a result of tapasya, we become pure, and our vision sees

beyond the gross physical to the metaphysical: to Shiva, the

Consciousness of Infinite Goodness which pervades all, which is the

essence of all, which is All.

In the same way that a seer can see Shiva in everything, a highly

trained and focused scientist can see and understand the sap: the

odorless, colorless sap, from which all the diversity of the plant

arises.

Thru the process of tapyasa, we can become so refined and focused

that we can see consciousness, that which unifies and connects all-the

essence of all, and KNOW the interconnectedness of all creation.

Maa offers a simple technique to help us expand our vision beyond the

physical boundaries of our body.

Here's how: Maa suggests that when we awake each day, we look into the

mirror. We look for that which is nonchanging, not the body, but

consciousness. See the reflector, not the reflection. Then we will

see and know that we are one with Shiva. We are Shiva.

I have given the briefest review of just a fraction of the lesson.

Please listen to Swami's word, and feel his bhava, and be transported

to the Bliss of Shiva.

The Guru is Bhrahma, the Guru is Vishnu, and the Guru is the Great

Maheswara. The Guru is God. Bow down to the Guru, and He will take

you across the Ocean of Maya.

Thanks Swami, we love you.

Jai Ma Jai Swami

vishweshwar

February 11, 2009

Dear Vishweshwar,

This is beautiful.

I like the note on cosciousness and nature - nature being a thin film on the substratum of consciousness so that everything is "mothered" by space.

Prasana

--- On Mon, 2/9/09, inspectionconnection108 <inspectionconnection108 wrote:

inspectionconnection108 <inspectionconnection108[www.ShreeMaa.org] Who am I? Date: Monday, February 9, 2009, 11:23 PM

Namaste all family: Monday night in Shiva class, Swami taught aboutestablishing life in the Shiva lingum, or murti, and then offeringvarious gifts and food, to Him. See Page 168 on. One of theofferings is a mirror. Why offer a mirror?, we asked. What is the significance? Swami responded: We hold the mirror up to the lingum. The lingum is the para-atman,the Supreme Soul. We are the atma, the individual soul. Although the2 are the same, when I look at Shiva, I sometimes forget, and think Iam different. By offering the mirror, I want to remember that I amthe same as Shiva, infinite and eternal. I am that reflection I see inthe mirror. Swami continued: When we look into a mirror, we have been trained tosee the reflection. Very few of us have been trained to see thereflector. In the mirror, consciousness is the reflector, and natureis the reflection. When we look into the mirror, we see

ourselves as the body. Uponreflection, we wonder this: if we are God, then how can we also bethis changing, decaying, mortal body? If that is so, then God must beever-changing and He can die. But we know that is not true. God is infinite and eternal and nonchanging. So, when we look into the mirror, we want to see the nonchanging reflector, not the changing reflection. How do we accomplish this huge change in perception? The Rishis sayone word: tapasya. Then, as a result of tapasya, we become pure, and our vision seesbeyond the gross physical to the metaphysical: to Shiva, theConsciousness of Infinite Goodness which pervades all, which is theessence of all, which is All.In the same way that a seer can see Shiva in everything, a highlytrained and focused scientist can see and understand the sap: theodorless, colorless sap, from which all the diversity of the plantarises. Thru the process

of tapyasa, we can become so refined and focusedthat we can see consciousness, that which unifies and connects all-theessence of all, and KNOW the interconnectedness of all creation. Maa offers a simple technique to help us expand our vision beyond thephysical boundaries of our body.Here's how: Maa suggests that when we awake each day, we look into themirror. We look for that which is nonchanging, not the body, butconsciousness. See the reflector, not the reflection. Then we willsee and know that we are one with Shiva. We are Shiva. I have given the briefest review of just a fraction of the lesson. Please listen to Swami's word, and feel his bhava, and be transportedto the Bliss of Shiva. The Guru is Bhrahma, the Guru is Vishnu, and the Guru is the GreatMaheswara. The Guru is God. Bow down to the Guru, and He will takeyou across the Ocean of Maya. Thanks Swami, we love you.Jai Ma

Jai Swamivishweshwar

February 20, 2009

Namaste all family especially Vish:

This thought has been playing in my mind almost since reading this mail from Vish. When i look at the shiva linga on the home page with Maa's photo superimposed (?? not sure this is the right word but the one that comes to mind); it seems to be a visual explanation of Swamiji's verbal explanation of the mirror.

The linga is the mirror in this case and in realizing that I am the same as Shiva, infinite and eternal, I (Maa) merge and become one with the eternal.

Jai Maa and Happy Shivatri to all.

Jai Maa Jai Swami

Om namah Shivayai.

, "inspectionconnection108" <inspectionconnection108 wrote:>> Namaste all family: Monday night in Shiva class, Swami taught about> establishing life in the Shiva lingum, or murti, and then offering> various gifts and food, to Him. See Page 168 on. One of the> offerings is a mirror. > Why offer a mirror?, we asked. What is the significance? > Swami responded: > We hold the mirror up to the lingum. The lingum is the para-atman,> the Supreme Soul. We are the atma, the individual soul. Although the> 2 are the same, when I look at Shiva, I sometimes forget, and think I> am different. By offering the mirror, I want to remember that I am> the same as Shiva, infinite and eternal. I am that reflection I see in> the mirror. > Swami continued: When we look into a mirror, we have been trained to> see the reflection. Very few of us have been trained to see the> reflector. In the mirror, consciousness is the reflector, and nature> is the reflection. > When we look into the mirror, we see ourselves as the body. Upon> reflection, we wonder this: if we are God, then how can we also be> this changing, decaying, mortal body? If that is so, then God must be> ever-changing and He can die. > But we know that is not true. God is infinite and eternal and non> changing. So, when we look into the mirror, we want to see the non> changing reflector, not the changing reflection. > How do we accomplish this huge change in perception? The Rishis say> one word: tapasya. > Then, as a result of tapasya, we become pure, and our vision sees> beyond the gross physical to the metaphysical: to Shiva, the> Consciousness of Infinite Goodness which pervades all, which is the> essence of all, which is All.> In the same way that a seer can see Shiva in everything, a highly> trained and focused scientist can see and understand the sap: the> odorless, colorless sap, from which all the diversity of the plant> arises. > Thru the process of tapyasa, we can become so refined and focused> that we can see consciousness, that which unifies and connects all-the> essence of all, and KNOW the interconnectedness of all creation. > Maa offers a simple technique to help us expand our vision beyond the> physical boundaries of our body.> Here's how: Maa suggests that when we awake each day, we look into the> mirror. We look for that which is nonchanging, not the body, but> consciousness. See the reflector, not the reflection. Then we will> see and know that we are one with Shiva. We are Shiva. > > I have given the briefest review of just a fraction of the lesson. > Please listen to Swami's word, and feel his bhava, and be transported> to the Bliss of Shiva. > The Guru is Bhrahma, the Guru is Vishnu, and the Guru is the Great> Maheswara. The Guru is God. Bow down to the Guru, and He will take> you across the Ocean of Maya. > Thanks Swami, we love you.> > Jai Ma Jai Swami> > vishweshwar>