Guest guest Posted September 18, 2003 Report Share Posted September 18, 2003 Hari OM blessed selves. My paramaguru, Satyananda Saraswati (Bihar), has said that very few beings have ever had complete faith or devotion. He even wondered, long after he became a paramahamsa, whether or not he had yet been "accepted" as a spiritual seeker. I find this incredibly poignant and human. It occurs to me that the urge to define the "spiritual seeker," at least in the hands of such as myself, might just serve to fuel more self image formation. We might think upon reading a particular definition: Oh! I'll never measure up. Or, I'm really doing great! And most of us want some definitions to give us a sense of direction and the safety of imagining an end to the "path." e.g. When I have perfect devotion, then I'll really have it! We probably need definitions at various points, just like practice with form usually precedes formless practice. So I guess I've ended up saying that definitions serve a purpose as long as we don't become attached to them. OM Tat Sat Lalita Namaste, With all my heart, after considering the question, I have my answer... Complete faith and devotion to the Guru. Jesse Arana (Kailash) www.meditationinfocus.com ------------------------ Sponsor ---------------------~--> Buy Remanufactured Ink Cartridges & Refill Kits at MyInks.com for: HP $8-20. Epson $3-9, Canon $5-15, Lexmark $4-17. Free s/h over $50 (US & Canada). http://www.c1tracking.com/l.asp?cid=6351 http://us.click./0zJuRD/6CvGAA/qnsNAA/XUWolB/TM ---~-> Your use of is subject to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 18, 2003 Report Share Posted September 18, 2003 Namaste, With all my heart, after considering the question, I have my answer... Complete faith and devotion to the Guru. Jesse Arana (Kailash) www.meditationinfocus.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 first of all, thank you Shree Maa and Swamiji for your shining inspiration! I like the way you phrased your answer, Lalita: definitions are useful as long as we don't get attached to them. In that spirit, I will answer the quesiton in this way: as I have trod the path so far, the most important quality has been LOVE. Not prema, yet, but the nearly-obsessive, eighth-grade crush kind of love the Divine Mother's grace has allowed me to feel for Her. >From such love comes shraddha, courage, steadfastness...even jnana and vijnana. (I'm not there yet, BTW!) This discussion group is a great blessing--thank you all for being here. HH , lalita624@e... wrote: > Hari OM blessed selves. > > My paramaguru, Satyananda Saraswati (Bihar), has said that very few > beings have ever had complete faith or devotion. He even wondered, > long after he became a paramahamsa, whether or not he had yet been > "accepted" as a spiritual seeker. I find this incredibly poignant and > human. > > It occurs to me that the urge to define the "spiritual seeker," at > least in the hands of such as myself, might just serve to fuel more > self image formation. We might think upon reading a particular > definition: Oh! I'll never measure up. Or, I'm really doing great! > And most of us want some definitions to give us a sense of direction > and the safety of imagining an end to the "path." e.g. When I have > perfect devotion, then I'll really have it! We probably need > definitions at various points, just like practice with form usually > precedes formless practice. So I guess I've ended up saying that > definitions serve a purpose as long as we don't become attached to > them. > > OM Tat Sat > > Lalita Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 19, 2003 Report Share Posted September 19, 2003 Namaste Lalita-Ji, Your point is exactly what I was hoping to make: that definitions serve a functionaly purpose, but are not in themselves the "whole" truth. My guru in Advaita/Vajrayana Traktung Khepa Rimpoche taught me a Padmasambhava / Yeshe Tsogyel practice ten years ago that ends, "Guru and Disciple GONE.... Ahhhhhhhh." Man, the first time I sang that line was a defining moment in my introduction to non-dual View. Sending Love... Ahhhhhh, Jesse Arana (Kailash) www.meditationinfocus.com > Hari OM blessed selves. > > My paramaguru, Satyananda Saraswati (Bihar), has said that very few > beings have ever had complete faith or devotion. He even wondered, > long after he became a paramahamsa, whether or not he had yet been > "accepted" as a spiritual seeker. I find this incredibly poignant and > human. > > It occurs to me that the urge to define the "spiritual seeker," at > least in the hands of such as myself, might just serve to fuel more > self image formation. We might think upon reading a particular > definition: Oh! I'll never measure up. Or, I'm really doing great! > And most of us want some definitions to give us a sense of direction > and the safety of imagining an end to the "path." e.g. When I have > perfect devotion, then I'll really have it! We probably need > definitions at various points, just like practice with form usually > precedes formless practice. So I guess I've ended up saying that > definitions serve a purpose as long as we don't become attached to > them. > > OM Tat Sat > > Lalita > > >Namaste, > > > >With all my heart, after considering the question, I have my answer... > > > >Complete faith and devotion to the Guru. > > > >Jesse Arana (Kailash) > >www.meditationinfocus.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > >Your use of is subject to Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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