to Jason: welcome

[Guest guest]

Dear Jason ~ welcome to the Devi Mandir Family and thank you so much for sharing your very personal story with us. You will find that very often people share their hearts ... their joy in worship, their questions and confusion, and their love of Maa and Swamiji. I was very fortunate to have seen Maa and Swamiji during their last US tour, which, at this point, was many years ago. However, they have opened up the Mandir so anyone may go and participate in their wonderful ways of worshiping the Divine and incorporating Divinity into everyday life. I would never take the liberty of saying you should adopt them as your gurus or even that you should permanently become part of this wonderful family. But, given your last two paragraphs, I believe you would feel very at home here.

 

As a way of getting started visit the website:

http://www.shreemaa.org/drupal/

Especially read "Who We Are." When I read this the first time, it brought me to tears and it still does.

http://www.shreemaa.org/drupal/taxonomy_menu/46/59

 

You will find, often discussed in the digest, many resources on the website, so go and explore and be filled with wonder. There is so much there, including online classes that Swamiji has already given on a variety of the sacred texts he has translated, and the wonderful webcam where you can tune in and actually see the pujas being done at the Mandir. (I will leave it to someone else to give you the times.

 

For many of us, we have first started with the Durga Puja Beginner, about Durga, or the Shiva Puja Beginner, about Shiva. These give you a way to jump in quickly without feeling you are in over your head. In the bookstore are many sacred texts that Swamiji has translated, and many of these are the basis of the pujas performed at the Mandir. There are also some wonderful books about Maa and Swamiji that will give you wonderful introductions.

 

No one will try to "convert" you or steer you (beyond suggesting resourses as I have done. You will find only welcome, open heartedness, and sincere devotion here. And I, like many of us, believe in Divinity as you have described ... one, with many forms.

Jai Maa Jai Swamiji

~ Linda

 

 

Jason wrote:

....I'm looking for a form of spirituality which isn't so exclusive: "Jesus is the only way," or "Krishna is the supreme personality of Godhead and all others are demigods." I've come to believe certain things over the years and I'm trying to find a place to fit in. I believe that divinity is essentially one and by virtue of being divine is at liberty to manifest in unlimited forms. I do not believe that one form is superior to any other but that each form is there for a reason and is attractive and precious to someone somewhere. God is neither male nor female as we understand gender roles, but possessing unlimited energy, male and female divine forms therefore exist. I accept the fact of Karma, the cycle of birth and death and the personal nature of the soul. I believe these things. I do not, however, know what to do with any of my beliefs. I have no relationship with any form of God/dess and I do not chant or meditate. I hunger so much for a guru/disciple relationship, but ISKCON spooked me. I don't know what to read, what to study, what to chant, what questions to even ask or who to turn to at all. I am unguided, adrift and uncertain what action to take. An Excellent Credit Score is 750. See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps!