Guest guest Posted November 15, 2003 Report Share Posted November 15, 2003 When I have $100 , I can spare $1 - no problem. When I have a lot of time , I can spend a few minutes to help - no problem. When I have a lot to eat, I can spare a few crumbs - no problem. When I have a lot of knowledge, I can share that knowledge - no problem. I can give when I have a lot to give ... that's is not generosity, that's just sharing . When I cannot spare what is asked for ... When what you want is dearest to my heart ... But when I give it because you need it more than I - that is true generosity. I hold on because I think "what if I cannot get this back" and so am not generous. Rosie said in an earlier message, that we hold on because we think there is not enough love to go around . There lies the problem. , "kamalama_2002" <kamalama_2002> wrote: > Kiran, > You've asked a very simple, yet profound question for all of us > who seek a deeper, wholistic, spiritual way of life. I invite all > of our brothers and sisters in this email group to join Kiran in this > quest and share your insights on this, because we all have, everyday, > so many opportunities in performing our seva or karma yoga to look > deeply at our motivitations for our "giving" behavior, and to know when > we are truly giving with no selfish agenda, no investment in the > results of our actions, and no expectation of something in return. > This lifetime has certainly blessed me with soooo many > opportunities to understand "selfless service". Many of you know that > I come from a family of 14 children, and was the eldest daughter in > that family with 20 years of serving and being served by them. Then > life furthered this journey with 23 years of service as a social > worker. One day at the ashram while studying the Gita and cleaning the > kitchen, a light came on for me, an awakening that showed me all of the > reasons why I served: some were pure, some were not! I discovered > that I did then, and do now still have a lot of work to do to purify > my desire to serve. My answer here is to look inside, and also to draw > inspiration from saints like Shree Maa, Mother Theresa, Saint Valentine > and others who are such beams of light in this area. In closing I want > to share a little paragraph from the Peace Pilgrim, who had an > awakening something like mine, and shares it so succinctly: > "As I looked about the world, so much of it impoverished, I became > increasingly uncomfortable about having so much while my brothers and > sisters were starving. Finally I had to find another way. The turning > point came when, in desperation and out of a very deep seeking for a > meaningful way of life, I walked all one night through the woods. I > came to a moonlit glade and prayed. > I felt a complete willingness, without any reservation, to give my > life -- to dedicate my life--to service. "Please use me!" I prayed to > God. And a great peace came over me. > I tell you it's a point of no return. After that, you can never > go back to completely self-centered living. > And so I went into the second phase of my life. I began to live > to "give" what I could, instead of to get what I could, and I entered a > new and wonderful world." > And so Kiran and all, a new motto from the Peace Pilgrim: Live to > Give! And let's have fun while doing it! Kamala Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 16, 2003 Report Share Posted November 16, 2003 Dear Kiran There is an apparently simple, yet very, very important and profound shloka in the Chandi: In the Kilakam (the Praise which Removes the Pin), verse 8: dadaati prati grhnaati naanyathaisha prasidati ittham rupena kilena mahaadevena kilitam "He gives and in return he receives, and by no other means is She pleased. And this is the form of the pin by which it has been bound by the Great God." "As you give, so shall you receive!" I can't help thinking. In other words, it is the way of things--the Sacred Circle--the Goddess Herself. There is really no need to even call it "generosity"--it is simply the way of living in complete harmony with the Divine Mother, in pure love--it is the very Pin. Perhaps this is related to grace-- what Swamiji usually calls krpaa, or "what you give is what you get." I have held the Kilakam for some time, waiting for it to talk some more to me, as it seems a beautiful gift and mystery to unwrap; maybe this is a little bit more. Nitya , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > When I have $100 , I can spare $1 - no problem. > When I have a lot of time , I can spend a few minutes to help - no > problem. > When I have a lot to eat, I can spare a few crumbs - no problem. > When I have a lot of knowledge, I can share that knowledge - no > problem. > > > I can give when I have a lot to give ... that's is not generosity, > that's just sharing . > > When I cannot spare what is asked for ... > When what you want is dearest to my heart ... > > But when I give it because you need it more than I - that is true > generosity. > > I hold on because I think "what if I cannot get this back" and so am > not generous. Rosie said in an earlier message, that we hold on > because we think there is not enough love to go around . There lies > the problem. > > > > , "kamalama_2002" > <kamalama_2002> wrote: > > Kiran, > > You've asked a very simple, yet profound question for all of > us > > who seek a deeper, wholistic, spiritual way of life. I invite all > > of our brothers and sisters in this email group to join Kiran in > this > > quest and share your insights on this, because we all have, > everyday, > > so many opportunities in performing our seva or karma yoga to look > > deeply at our motivitations for our "giving" behavior, and to know > when > > we are truly giving with no selfish agenda, no investment in the > > results of our actions, and no expectation of something in return. > > This lifetime has certainly blessed me with soooo many > > opportunities to understand "selfless service". Many of you know > that > > I come from a family of 14 children, and was the eldest daughter in > > that family with 20 years of serving and being served by them. Then > > life furthered this journey with 23 years of service as a social > > worker. One day at the ashram while studying the Gita and cleaning > the > > kitchen, a light came on for me, an awakening that showed me all of > the > > reasons why I served: some were pure, some were not! I discovered > > that I did then, and do now still have a lot of work to do to purify > > my desire to serve. My answer here is to look inside, and also to > draw > > inspiration from saints like Shree Maa, Mother Theresa, Saint > Valentine > > and others who are such beams of light in this area. In closing I > want > > to share a little paragraph from the Peace Pilgrim, who had an > > awakening something like mine, and shares it so succinctly: > > "As I looked about the world, so much of it impoverished, I > became > > increasingly uncomfortable about having so much while my brothers > and > > sisters were starving. Finally I had to find another way. The > turning > > point came when, in desperation and out of a very deep seeking for > a > > meaningful way of life, I walked all one night through the woods. I > > came to a moonlit glade and prayed. > > I felt a complete willingness, without any reservation, to > give my > > life -- to dedicate my life--to service. "Please use me!" I prayed > to > > God. And a great peace came over me. > > I tell you it's a point of no return. After that, you can > never > > go back to completely self-centered living. > > And so I went into the second phase of my life. I began to > live > > to "give" what I could, instead of to get what I could, and I > entered a > > new and wonderful world." > > And so Kiran and all, a new motto from the Peace Pilgrim: Live > to > > Give! And let's have fun while doing it! Kamala Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 16, 2003 Report Share Posted November 16, 2003 I liked your wisdom very much. don Miguel Ruiz writes a story and it goes something like this. Imagine we are hungry and we have a kitchen with no food. When someone knocks on our door telling us "I will give you pizza if you do what I tell you, let me control you". We are soooo hungry, we say, "OK pizza man, I am so hungry, you can control my life, no problem." Then we allow ourselves to be controled by our hunger and allow ourselves to be controled by something we think we lack. Now imagine you have a kitchen that is full of food and you feed yourself and others on a daily basis, it is your joy. Then the pizza man knocks on the door and says, "I will give you my pizza if you let me control your life." Because of how much food you have, you would look at him and say, "What? Allow you to control my life when I have plenty of love in my own kitchen? No thank you." When we operate from lack, we hold on to what we have or we pine on someone elses resourses. When we realize how large and bountiful a kitchen we really have (Spirit) we can turn down the one who wants to control us. Lack is very interesting. The first senario, most likely the person in her hunger would not even think of giving a morsel away to another and therefore became the prey of the tempter. The second knew she had everything and didn't succumb to an outside force to control her. When we lack, we seek to control or be controlled. Our kitchens can be anything, but mostly it's represents self love. I noticed that even knowledge of mantra's can be hoarded amongst some devotee's, (none here that I've seen) to the point of wanting to be exclusive. Acting like there is not enough mantra for everyone is a very weird place for a devotee. It's sad when lack pokes it's head into a spiritual community. I'm so grateful Swamiji and Shree Maa are generous with the teachings and feel that they are not loosing anything by sharing or being generous with mantra or puja. There is nothing more appalling than a spiritual leader who won't teach all who come their way. Swamiji and Shree Maa are very good examples from what I can see. Does any one else have stories of generosity or idea's of lack? These are big issue's since finding self-love is an ongoing practice. Namaste, KellyLatha Nanda <lathananda > wrote: When I have $100 , I can spare $1 - no problem.When I have a lot of time , I can spend a few minutes to help - no problem.When I have a lot to eat, I can spare a few crumbs - no problem.When I have a lot of knowledge, I can share that knowledge - no problem.I can give when I have a lot to give ... that's is not generosity, that's just sharing .When I cannot spare what is asked for ...When what you want is dearest to my heart ...But when I give it because you need it more than I - that is true generosity.I hold on because I think "what if I cannot get this back" and so am not generous. Rosie said in an earlier message, that we hold on because we think there is not enough love to go around . There lies the problem.--- In , "kamalama_2002" <kamalama_2002> wrote:> Kiran,> You've asked a very simple, yet profound question for all of us > who seek a deeper, wholistic, spiritual way of life. I invite all> of our brothers and sisters in this email group to join Kiran in this > quest and share your insights on this, because we all have, everyday, > so many opportunities in performing our seva or karma yoga to look > deeply at our motivitations for our "giving" behavior, and to know when > we are truly giving with no selfish agenda, no investment in the > results of our actions, and no expectation of something in return.> This lifetime has certainly blessed me with soooo many > opportunities to understand "selfless service". Many of you know that> I come from a family of 14 children, and was the eldest daughter in > that family with 20 years of serving and being served by them. Then> life furthered this journey with 23 years of service as a social > worker. One day at the ashram while studying the Gita and cleaning the > kitchen, a light came on for me, an awakening that showed me all of the > reasons why I served: some were pure, some were not! I discovered> that I did then, and do now still have a lot of work to do to purify> my desire to serve. My answer here is to look inside, and also to draw > inspiration from saints like Shree Maa, Mother Theresa, Saint Valentine> and others who are such beams of light in this area. In closing I want> to share a little paragraph from the Peace Pilgrim, who had an > awakening something like mine, and shares it so succinctly:> "As I looked about the world, so much of it impoverished, I became > increasingly uncomfortable about having so much while my brothers and > sisters were starving. Finally I had to find another way. The turning > point came when, in desperation and out of a very deep seeking for a > meaningful way of life, I walked all one night through the woods. I > came to a moonlit glade and prayed.> I felt a complete willingness, without any reservation, to give my > life -- to dedicate my life--to service. "Please use me!" I prayed to > God. And a great peace came over me.> I tell you it's a point of no return. After that, you can never > go back to completely self-centered living.> And so I went into the second phase of my life. I began to live> to "give" what I could, instead of to get what I could, and I entered a > new and wonderful world." > And so Kiran and all, a new motto from the Peace Pilgrim: Live to> Give! And let's have fun while doing it! KamalaTo from this group, send an email to:Your use of is subject to the Protect your identity with Mail AddressGuard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 Kelly, That's an excellent Ruiz story. I really don't like the idea of selling mantras, as some organizations do. But some mantras have to be kept secret. Even when Ammachi gave me a mantra (for free) I was told to keep it secret. Astraea , Kelly Leeper <blissnout> wrote: > Latha Nanda, > > I liked your wisdom very much. don Miguel Ruiz writes a story and it goes something like this. Imagine we are hungry and we have a kitchen with no food. When someone knocks on our door telling us "I will give you pizza if you do what I tell you, let me control you". We are soooo hungry, we say, "OK pizza man, I am so hungry, you can control my life, no problem." Then we allow ourselves to be controled by our hunger and allow ourselves to be controled by something we think we lack. Now imagine you have a kitchen that is full of food and you feed yourself and others on a daily basis, it is your joy. Then the pizza man knocks on the door and says, "I will give you my pizza if you let me control your life." Because of how much food you have, you would look at him and say, "What? Allow you to control my life when I have plenty of love in my own kitchen? No thank you." > > When we operate from lack, we hold on to what we have or we pine on someone elses resourses. When we realize how large and bountiful a kitchen we really have (Spirit) we can turn down the one who wants to control us. Lack is very interesting. The first senario, most likely the person in her hunger would not even think of giving a morsel away to another and therefore became the prey of the tempter. The second knew she had everything and didn't succumb to an outside force to control her. When we lack, we seek to control or be controlled. Our kitchens can be anything, but mostly it's represents self love. > > I noticed that even knowledge of mantra's can be hoarded amongst some devotee's, (none here that I've seen) to the point of wanting to be exclusive. Acting like there is not enough mantra for everyone is a very weird place for a devotee. It's sad when lack pokes it's head into a spiritual community. I'm so grateful Swamiji and Shree Maa are generous with the teachings and feel that they are not loosing anything by sharing or being generous with mantra or puja. There is nothing more appalling than a spiritual leader who won't teach all who come their way. Swamiji and Shree Maa are very good examples from what I can see. > > Does any one else have stories of generosity or idea's of lack? These are big issue's since finding self-love is an ongoing practice. > > Namaste, > Kelly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 17, 2003 Report Share Posted November 17, 2003 The story makes me laugh. It keeps me light hearted when I realize every once in a while, "Uh Oh, I just bought the pizza mans pizza" Mantra's from initiation should be kept secret. The one's I've seen hoarded by some disciples/swami's are ones like vedic mantra's or just basically anything mantra or puja. They think only certain people are worthy of learning the gayatri or chandi and use it for a solo act as a prop for their ego. "I know it and you don't" If you ask for assistance in learning, they turn their nose up at you, just like in show business. Anyone see Chicago at their local temple? I'm so glad I can relax and learn from people whom it would pain if they didn't share it. I'm very blessed to have met Swamiji and Shree Maa. By met I mean thru the ethers and internet:) Really, it's a relief to know people here are not hoarding the chants. To not learn them has brought a great deal of suffering in the past. Chicago is great on the stage, but not in a temple. Namaste, Kelly astraea2003 <astraea2003 > wrote: Kelly,That's an excellent Ruiz story.I really don't like the idea of selling mantras, as some organizations do. But some mantras have to be kept secret. Even when Ammachi gave me a mantra (for free) I was told to keep it secret.Astraea, Kelly Leeper <blissnout> wrote:> Latha Nanda,> > I liked your wisdom very much. don Miguel Ruiz writes a story and it goes something like this. Imagine we are hungry and we have a kitchen with no food. When someone knocks on our door telling us "I will give you pizza if you do what I tell you, let me control you". We are soooo hungry, we say, "OK pizza man, I am so hungry, you can control my life, no problem." Then we allow ourselves to be controled by our hunger and allow ourselves to be controled by something we think we lack. Now imagine you have a kitchen that is full of food and you feed yourself and others on a daily basis, it is your joy. Then the pizza man knocks on the door and says, "I will give you my pizza if you let me control your life." Because of how much food you have, you would look at him and say, "What? Allow you to control my life when I have plenty of love in my own kitchen? No thank you." > > When we operate from lack, we hold on to what we have or we pine on someone elses resourses. When we realize how large and bountiful a kitchen we really have (Spirit) we can turn down the one who wants to control us. Lack is very interesting. The first senario, most likely the person in her hunger would not even think of giving a morsel away to another and therefore became the prey of the tempter. The second knew she had everything and didn't succumb to an outside force to control her. When we lack, we seek to control or be controlled. Our kitchens can be anything, but mostly it's represents self love.> > I noticed that even knowledge of mantra's can be hoarded amongst some devotee's, (none here that I've seen) to the point of wanting to be exclusive. Acting like there is not enough mantra for everyone is a very weird place for a devotee. It's sad when lack pokes it's head into a spiritual community. I'm so grateful Swamiji and Shree Maa are generous with the teachings and feel that they are not loosing anything by sharing or being generous with mantra or puja. There is nothing more appalling than a spiritual leader who won't teach all who come their way. Swamiji and Shree Maa are very good examples from what I can see. > > Does any one else have stories of generosity or idea's of lack? These are big issue's since finding self-love is an ongoing practice.> > Namaste,> KellyTo from this group, send an email to:Your use of is subject to the Protect your identity with Mail AddressGuard Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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