why the pain?. . .

[Guest guest]

Namastelast evening Bill asked from several different angles why the pain with Kundalini Ma. . .here is a talk by Swami Sivananda Saraswati that addresses the issue. . .and speaks of it from the lens of his path. . .i think he makes some good points. . . .ordinary sparrowThe Rugged PathSri Swami Sivanandaby Swami Sivananda Saraswati Nothing

that is worthwhile is to be achieved without undergoing a corresponding

amount of pain and suffering. No enduring ideal can be attained without

tire and sweat. The seed splits and perishes to put forth the plant.

The flower lays its life to give place to the sweet fruit. It is in the

furnace that gold emerges from the ore. Even so, the price of sainthood

is to be paid in the interim period of utter loneliness, privation, and

struggle which the really aspiring soul passes through. Every soul on

the path of God-realization harbors no illusions about the true nature

of the spiritual path. There is absolutely no royal road in

spirituality.Adversity is a divine blessing in

disguise. Adversity develops the power of endurance and will-force.

Adversity develops fortitude and forbearance. All the Prophets, Saints,

Fakirs, Bhaktas and the Yogins of yore had to struggle hard against

adverse circumstances. The Almighty Lord puts His devotees under severe

tests and rigorous trials. Every soul on earth is being tested by God

for his sincerity and patience. He puts the aspirants into various

kinds of troubles. He will make man utterly hopeless and helpless and

watch and see whether one has the real devotion for Him or not in such

straitened circumstances. We cannot say exactly what form these trials

will take. But the sincere devotee is never afraid of such kind of

tests.A grim endurance of all vicissitudes and a

dogged resolution to persevere to the end are essential if one has to

realize his ideal. the aspirant has ever to be alive to the stealthy

power of unconscious habits creeping into him. Man is a sybarite by

nature. One may be really very zealous in his austerities and vows in

the beginning, but if one is not on the very proper guard, slowly the

vigour will be relaxed, comforts will creep in the mind and man will be

caught very miserably. If the body is allowed to relapse into softness

and luxury, it will be found that it is well nigh impossible to

discipline it again. The mind immediately takes advantage of even the

least sign of weakness in the most sincere aspirants. It is like a

tiger crouching on its haunches about to spring. One has to keep a very

close watch over his own self and should be ever alert with a vigilance

against the sudden onslaught of Samskaras.In truth,

spiritual life is for eternity, and realization is infinite. It is not

like a period of work, giving place later for a nice vacation. The same

high pitch of purity and discipline has to be maintained if life is to

mean anything at all. No relaxation of rigour and caution can be

afforded. For, the mighty power of cosmic illusion is not a trifle to

be toyed with. A fit of passion is enough to blow away the result

attained by years of slow and painstaking effort. Remembering this, let

the aspirant be ever watchful unto prayer, as the mystics have said.

Man's achievements are of no avail before Maya's charms. She reigns

supreme on the stage of the divine play. None can dogmatically say that

he is beyond all temptations. It is the Lord's Grace alone that not

only makes a man pure, but also keeps him pure till the very end. Man

on his part is but to exercise a constant humility and an active

vigilance. The great lessons of genuine humility

and unremitting caution have to be firmly grasped and borne in mind by

everyone who would make any headway on the slippery path that leads

from darkness to Light, from the unreal to the Real and from mortality

to Immortality. Realization of the Absolute is not a talk, is not a

play. It is the most difficult and the hardest of all tasks. It demands

the price of one's very self. Will you really and willingly pay it? It

demands your ego. It demands your very being as the cost for

Self-realization. If that is everyone's goal, if that is everyone's

ideal, should not the more experienced ones impart that secret to the

lesser ones? Should not every child in the cradle be initiated into the

mysteries of existence?Tat Twam Asi- Swami Sivananda

[Guest guest]

The way I see this wonderful essay is that we do not need to be swallowed or

under threat by a potential pain that doesnt have an end. We are given lessons

that also include breaks from the painful areas of interaction and change.

 

There is light and beauty and joy and friendship and love, blissful and

ecstatic, and its gift of respite at the end of every specific level of

experience and there is wonderful experiences all along the way. Merely to the

ego is the pain so pronounced and as the ego focus fades so does that aspect of

the pain.

 

" Realization of the Absolute is not a talk, is not a play. It is the most

difficult and the hardest of all tasks. It demands the price of one's very self.

Will you really and willingly pay it? It demands your ego. It demands your very

being as the cost for Self-realization. "

 

This I find to be truthful in its expectation. I also find that some have it

occur " Out of the Blue. " And this needs to be noted. Though the fearful tone of

this communication can be a detracting force it is a good gift of the diligence

one must develop and practice in order to place the experience in a beneficial

context. Kundalini will be taken seriously by its own force upon the person if

needed. Even so I suggest that we do not allow ourselves to be put into fear by

this aspect of a well written and organized study of the rigors of

enlightenment.

 

Love is there at every point of the way in my experience. Especially during the

difficult parts! We need only open to its presence. - blessings and thank you

for this excellent point of view. - chrism

 

 

, " ordinarysparrow "

<ordinarysparrow wrote:

>

> Namaste

>

> last evening Bill asked from several different angles why the pain with

> Kundalini Ma. . .here is a talk by Swami Sivananda Saraswati that

> addresses the issue. . .and speaks of it from the lens of his path. .