Re::- Diary of a Sankalpa.

[Guest guest]

Namaste Astraea/ Brother Brian ( that makes you sound like a monk

with brown clothes and all) / everyone,

 

Maa and Swami were unwell - they were down with a fever last weekend.

I am hoping that they are doing OK now.

 

As far as sharing the recipes, I'd be happy to send you (Astraea) a

separate email (dont want to bug the non-cooks in the forum ) with

what I have cooked for Maa in the few weeks that she has allowed me .

There is certainly not enough for a booklet :-)

 

I am hoping that EVERYONE here shares their experiences from their

sadhana for all of us to learn. Wouldnt you agree that we should

capitalize on each other's support in the forum to go forward ? The

fact that I have done the entire Chandi for 5 days is in itself a

miracle leave alone 6 months. And I honestly think that all your good

wishes and blessings have added to the effect... with so many people

pulling for me vs me going on my own steam.

 

Maa and Swami came up with the idea of the forum. And we are members.

I KNOW that we have been given yet another valuable tool for growth ,

if only we make use of this opportunity.

 

Love

Latha

 

 

 

 

 

 

, "astraea2003" <astraea2003>

wrote:

> Namaste Latha,

> Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. I really enjoy

> reading spiritual diaries, so if you can find the time to post it,

I

> (for one) will be reading it.

>

> I am concerned that Shree Maa & Swamiji are unwell! Keep us posted.

>

> Are you going to share the recipes you use to cook for Shree Maa?

> Maybe DM could sell it as a booklet. I have the booklet of Shree

Maa

> recipes. Seasoning without garlic & onions is a real challenge for

> me. And yet, if you are cooking for Brahmins or Swamis, they are

not

> allowed garlic & onions.

>

> Astraea

>

>

> , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda>

> wrote:

> > Dear All,

> > Here is an update on my Chandi sankalpa. Five down - 5 months 25

> days

> > to go

> >

> > For those with limited time and patience.(Mahamuni :-) ?)

> > Executive summary - "God is his heaven and everything is all

right

> > with the world and I am chanting"

> >

> > For those that care (Kelly? I am counting on ya) .... here you go.

> >

> > I started on Nov 13 - the first day was AWESOME. Spine straight,

3

> > verse to a breath pranayam, purposeful intent ... felt like a

> climax

> > scene out of a movie.

> >

> > Nov 14 - I posted here asking for blessings. All you wonderful

> folks

> > respond . I am thrilled and all pumped up - no way I can back out

> of

> > a sankalpa without losing face. Day 2 was good too. I write to

Maa

> > and Swami asking for their blessings.

> >

> > Nov 15 - The best day so far. I am staying overnight at the

Mandir

> > and start at 8 pm. Of course there are some brothers and sisters

> > hanging around at the temple. I love playing to an audience . And

> > another devotee sits next to me and reads along silently. Cool -

> > Chanting hasnt been this good.

> >

> > One thing worries me though, havent heard from Maa or Swami so

far.

> > And Swami usually responds fairly quickly. I wrote again in the

> > morning to Swami... lets hope I have an answer from him when I am

> > back home.

> >

> > Besides there was no class today, Maa and Swami are unwell. Maybe

> > thats why Swami didnt get a chance to check his email.. Maybe.

> >

> > Nov 16 - Cook breakfast for Maa and Swami. New recipe - Turns out

> > terrible - for this I opt out of Sundar kand ? Too late to do

cook

> > anything else and so I go and make my offering. Maa asks

> > sweetly 'You didnt go to the satsang ?" I pretend not to

> > understand "You mean Santa Rosa next week Maa ?" . "The satsang

> with

> > Parvati" she says. Gulp ! " They have already left Maa" - my

> > brilliant rejoinder. "OK" she smiles. I scram as fast as I can ,

> get

> > directions and land up just in time for the Sundar Kand.

> > I get home at about 9 pm and start my Chandi. My mind is too

> > distracted from the events of the day. Besides no email from

Swami

> or

> > Maa about blessing the sankalpa either.

> > I start at 9 - a bit sluggish. Pranayam not very good, blocked

> nose,

> > distracted mind. I keep changing seat positions in the middle of

> > chanting . After Prayog, I get up and check my email again.

Nothing.

> > I go back and start chanting the episodes... still couldnt settle

> > down, so I prop my back against the wall, stretch my legs . Yawn.

> Its

> > been a long day. I muddle through till chapter 8 . Its 11.30 pm .

> > Whatever happened to my 2 hr 40 min performance of yesterday .

> > All kinds of Asuras take over - "get a quick nap" , "no one will

> > know " and others. Finally I succumb to "get a quick nap". I

> > compromise, no bed , just a pillow very near my altar and set the

> > alarm at 4 am.

> > 4 am comes and goes. Get up with a start at 6 AM. No wash

nothing,

> no

> > bathroom break no nothing , I just sit immediately, light the

lamp

> > and race through from chapter 8 to end of book as if my life

> depends

> > on it.

> > Whew , thus ended my fourth day or recitation of Chandi.

> >

> > Nov 15 -

> > I am smart , I am prepared. I will start earlier to avoid

> temptations

> > of sleep and laziness. Besides I will not chant unless I am

sitting

> > properly. I see Parvati's post on correct posture and mentally

tell

> > myself "if I slouch I will see Maa tapping my back" or even "Maa

> > tapping Parvati's back"

> >

> > I still havent heard from Swamiji or Maa. I am reading some of

the

> > posts in this site and I read one from Rudran2 who said that he

had

> > been chanting the Chandi for 4 yrs without initiation. His tech

> > stocks went down and he is now scavenging ....

> >

> > Help !! Panic overtakes me . I have a sankalpa and I gotta do it

> > but .... I dont wanna scavenge. "Cant you trust that God will

take

> > care . You are just praying to God, why do you have to worry" - I

> > keep talking to myself. I read the introduction in the Chandi and

> > Swami says "Do not worry about anything. If you recite devotedly,

> it

> > will become known to you" So I take heart from that. It still

would

> > be nice to get a formal signoff or blessing from Maa and Swami.

> >

> > Then the Kindest Moderator in the World - Sarada Saraswati comes

> > online on IM. I share my panic with him and he promises to talk

> with

> > Maa and get back to me. SUCH a sweetheart.

> >

> > Meanwhile I continue chanting .. I finish prayog, come to the

PC ,

> > nope Sarada hasnt had a chance to talk with Maa yet.

> > Grr..

> > I come back finish episodes 1 and 2 and come back to the PC.

Sarada

> > is there and he says "I spoke to Maa " and I am like "And ...."

> > He is taking his own cool time that boy ... A few excruciating

> > moments later he says

> > "Mother is VERY happy with your sankalpa"

> > Yippeeee!

> > And then he said "she just said to not have any desires"

> > Oh Oh. Ok I think. But atleast I got the blessings . THANK YOU

MAA!

> > I go back and complete the Chandi.

> >

> > So far so good. I have the formal blessings and I am chanting.

God,

> > if in someway my chanting and this "diary" can help anyone at all

I

> > offer it to You.

> >

> > Hasta la vista.

> >

> > Love

> > Latha