Kumari and all: why do we suffer? How to stop!

[Guest guest]

Namaste Kumari and all: this is the biggest problem for all of us. I have been

thinking about these issues too, and was glad to read your post. To gain another

perspective, I turned to the Kasyapa Sutra, P. 13-14, from the book: SHREE MAA

THE GURU AND THE GODDESS, because I wanted to trace the cause of my errant

behaviors. So many times it is easy to blame others for my fate. I react to a

situation because it seems to " threaten " my ego, and as soon as I react

" negatively " , I create a whole other chain of events.

Swami says: ...We have a lot of outstanding debts. We have many arrows that

have been shot off in the atmosphere, and we are waiting for them to land. That

is prarabdha karma. It is for the purpose of perfecting our karma, of

fulfilling the destiny that we ourselves have created, that we have all taken

birth.....

 

Every action has a reaction. As you sow so shall you reap.

So how to get off the seemingly endless cycle of action and reaction?

 

Shree Maa wrote a prayer to Divine Mother which tells us about making friends

with prarabhda karma. See P. 13

 

" Oh Dearest Mother, we offer our prayer unto you. We are your children, please

accept our plea. Divine Mother, you are the bestower of excellence. You are

the well wisher of the universe, the intrinsic nature of the wisdom of

existence. You are the form of the creator. Please always illuminate the

universe for us. May we become eternally pure and may the spirit of purity

reside within us. Please be a protector to all. Please cause all behavior to

be true. Illuminate the universe with truth. Please destroy all sin and

protect us from all evil. Please emanate light in the form of the bodies of the

Gods and Goddesses. Please illuminate all souls with wisdom. This is my

prayer. "

 

On P. 15., Swami says: " ....there is some reason that it comes into

manifestation, and the arrows we have shot will land. When the stimulus does

come, do we react reflexively, or do we control ourselves and design a response

that will bring us closer to what we want in furtherance of our goals?

Do we know what we want? Or do we react emotionally on transient impulses?

When we react emotionally, are we not creating more karma for ourselves, so that

once again we condemn ourselves to wait for those new arrows to land? "

 

In the next 2 pages Swami describes the 8 limbs of yoga and how they help us to

formulate a goal, and a plan to achieve it.

1. Yama: to take control; 2. niyama: create a discipline; 3. asana: putting the

body in harmony; 4. pranayama: controlling the breath; 5. pratyahara:

withdrawing the senses from the objects of sense-close all your senses and look

within; 6. dharana: concentration; 7. dhyana: meditation; samadhi: the

perfection of union, completion.

 

On P. 17, Swami summarizes:... " I don't believe yogis are free from karma. No

one is free from action, not Brahma, not Visnu, or Siva. But people can free

themselves from attachment to the fruits of their actions. They can do that by

designing their reactions to situations in their lives so as not to get into any

deeper trouble than they are already in. ....Yogis figure out what they want to

attain and how they should go about getting it, rather than just reacting to

every present situation with transient emotion. "

 

On P. 20, Swami says: " " I will think, before I respond. " As we cultivate this

habit of discrimination, we find that anger, passion, greed, lust, avarice, and

ignorance all dissolve into discrimination. "

 

Shree Maa says: " Remove the ego and attachment from the performance of all

activities for which you are responsible. Go to your places of work, etc., and

carry yourselves as a great renunciate. Inspire people to act in truth..... "

 

There is so much we can do for ourselves, but ultimately for me, when I am at a

loss for action, and at the end of my rope, I bow down to the feet of Divine

Mother and Lord Shiva and ask them for their Grace, to take the energy away from

the impulses of duality, and put their attention and energy on the impulses

which will take me to my highest ideal of perfection, Oneness with Them. and

they always answer my prayer.

 

Jai Ma Jai Swami

 

vishweshwar

 

 

 

 

-- In , Joan Fisher <mjfisher2005 wrote:

>

> Today my very heartfelt pondering was over this contradiction:  Why, if I am

doing puja, japa and at least trying to meditate every day, why do I keep

falling back into my bad habits, my anger and self-defeating behaviour?

>  

> I was doing puja to Vishnu, so i opened up Swamiji and Shree Maa's translation

of the Bhagavad Gita and it fell open to Chapter 3.

>  

> Arjuna said:  Then why does man move to unite with sin?  By what force is he

driven, even against his will?

>  

> The Respected Supreme Divinity said:  Desire and anger arise from Nature's

quality of passion.  They are insatiable and terribly wicked.  Know them as

enemies.

>  

> (They are my asuras, what more can I say?  They are deep and seemingly

unending at times.  I feel like I am dancing on hot coals when they come

forward.  They are my enemies, indeed)

>  

> As fire is covered by smoke, the highest Ideal is covered by imperfection, the

fetus hidden in the womb, just so is Wisdom hidden by these enemies.

>  

> The wisdom of the wise is hidden by these eternal enemies in the form of

selfish desires which are insatiable like fire, O Son Of Who Takes Away the

Deficiency of Others.

>  

> (I know this, Gods I know this, and yet I still seem powerless to remove these

coverings.)

>  

> The answer is actually in the previous chapter (chapter 2, verse 30)

>  

> With full renunciation, fix your consciousness in spiritual knowledge

performing all actions for Me.  Becoming free from desire, free from attachment,

fight this disease of darkness.

>  

>  

> This is a fight to the death, as Kali, Durga and Chandi demonstrate amply. 

But my role is to accept myself as I am and continue to be aware of those self

defeating asuras and try to not totally buy into their dark ways, without adding

fuel to their fire of anger, fear and attachment/aversion.  I offer my

spiritual, enlightening actions to Deity as well as my dark moments equally in

hopes of attaining the superior position beyond both.

>  

> Pranams to Swamiji and Shree Maa. 

> Jai Kali Ma.  Om Namah Shivaya.

> Kumari

>

> --- On Wed, 4/22/09, inspectionconnection108 <inspectionconnection108

wrote:

>

>

> inspectionconnection108 <inspectionconnection108

> [www.ShreeMaa.org] Re: Living with our soul : Shree Maa's teaching

>

> Wednesday, April 22, 2009, 1:18 AM

>

>

Namaste all family: I have discovered that when Maa and Swami are performing

more sadhana, i.e. during the 9 days of Navaratri, I had much deeper and more

profound pujas and meditation. It seemed as if the Self was so much more

accessible and lively during sadhana and daily life. I would perform Shiva puja

at the Shiva lingum, Napashwar, in the woods at the Mandir, then sit and

meditate for several hours each day during Navaratri. Then I would return to my

home and just float through the day. Nothing seemed to bother me. My heart and

mind were bathed and soothed by the constant gentle mantra, Om Namah Shiva.

> I wonder how many others feel this way? Please share your experiences. It

seems that the connection to Maa and Swami is growing stronger. Does it feel

that way to others?

> I asked Swami if we could extend Navaratri, or create another situation where

everyone would perform longer and deeper sadhana, in harmony with them, in order

to prolong and deepen this experience. If others are feeling this way, let's let

Maa and Swami know so they can consider this request.

> The world is in such flux, and so many hearts are crying for peace, And

through God's Grace, it seems that we have this incredible opportunity to help.

>

> Lova and Jai Maa

>

> vishweshwar

>

> , " n_ramya108 " <n_ramya108@ ...> wrote:

> >

> > Beloved Family

> >

> > Shree Maa once said that in silence we can feel our soul - make connection

with Atman. She said that in Her earlier years She never spoke much. When She

came to America also, She was very quiet - many old devotees tell us that. Maa

said that in that silence we can feel the connection with our soul.

> >

> > How do you feel the connection with your soul?

> >

> > With what practice in what situations? W

> >

> > hat has helped you and what prevents and interupts that connection?

> >

> > Can you please share your inspiration and help us all go deeper and closer

within - and without!

> >

> > Thank you! Awaiting your thoughts and inspiration!

> >

> > Jai Maa!

> >

> > ramya

> >

>