[ramakrishna] Digest Number 840

[Guest guest]

Dear Maura,

 

It is very difficult for an outsider like me to understand/feel your anguish

but I will try.

************************************************

I am rephrasing Swamiji's (Swami Vivekananda) utterances :

 

The most unfeeling way of replying to your question on Why me God? is to

rationalize your present condition as a result of your cumulative past across

several births. We do not know the cause, we see only the current effect and

wonder if it

is unfair.

 

This kind of thinking can produce 2 effects :

(i) You become more helpless at your present condition and it makes the

suffering

even more intense

 

(ii) You become determined that you and you alone is responsible for the present

condition

and do what ever you can from now on to change the future. This changes your

present

condition into a position of strength.

 

******************************

Another way to think about your condition is summarized by Thakurji

(Sri Ramakrishna)

 

Lord, let me be the child which depends on its mother for everything. Why did

you

put me in this present condition? I don't know. But you are the mother who is

responsible for me. Take care of me and make me learn what I have to by sending

these trials and difficulties

 

Turn all your difficulties to the Lord and surrender yourself in total to

Him/Her.

We don't know why the Lord sends these difficulties to us - He knows best and

he will do everything for a purpose. Just like a mother gives a bitter medicine

to a crying child

only in order to make it better. The child does not know it yet, and cries out

in pain on

being administered the medicine.

**************************

Thus you can consider choose to question why or surrender yourself in total to

Him as 2 alternatives

amongst the many you would be contemplating and do what you think/feel is best.

*************************

Finally, I had heard this story about God's ways - may be this can help too.

 

A person had a lot of difficulties in his life but prayed steadfastly to God

to help him overcome them. In spite of this, his difficulties multiplied

manifold.

It became so unbearable that he became disllusioned with God and abused Him

savagely. God appeared before him and said he would walk him through his life.

God takes him to a seashore and show him 2 sets of footprints on the sands. God

says to him,

look I have been with you during your difficult times. The second set of

footprints that you see besides yours is mine. As they keep walking across

the sands they see vast strecthes where there is only one set of footprints.

The devotee questions the Lord about it. The Lord says, that those

were the really difficult times in the devotee's life.

 

The devotee looks up to the Lord and says " See, What I mean? You abandoned me

during my

most difficult times! "

 

The Lord replies " No, my child! Those single footprints you see are mine. I was

carrying you

in my arms during those times "

 

Have faith in the Lord that when you see a single set of footprints, He is

carrying you in His arms "

 

 

With love,

Sreedhar

 

 

> >

> > Message: 2

> > Tue, 10 Jul 2001 00:07:39 +0100

> > " Vivekananda Centre " <vivekananda

> > Why Brain Damage?

> >

> > Sometimes we get questions sent to us by someone in real distress.

> > We would like the list to respond directly or via the list.

> > The wordings in the message are not clear due to the problem faced

> > by the individual. ... Can any list member help?

> > jay

> > ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~copy email~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

> > -

> > <mpq

> > Monday, July 09, 2001 11:43

> > (no subject)

> >

> > Hello I had a brief question on your view on reincarnation went to

> > spiritual pages for feedback.I might have emailed you before if so

> > please disregard this.I was born normal then had accident then

> > braind amage.The brain does not register much although once smart.

> > This is very unfair.Like the person disappeared and left a blank

> > space dont know why I have to be like this.was walking across the

> > street got hit by byclist then faculties were gone.this does not

> > feel like human being.Anyway wonder if there is rebirth and hwo

> > can I be born human again like everyone else with same

> > normal human intelligence like origianlly had.This is not human this is

> > blankness dont know why.Anyway wonder about your opinion of rebirht and

> > also if die with dementia what can happen.Just want to be normal human

> > being without brain damage.just " standard issue " brain.Thaks for any

> > feedback.Know these are odd questions.Wanted to get spiritual perspective.

> > How can this happen to someone be normal then nothing.

> >

> > Sincerely Maura

> >