Guest guest Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 There are three Aratis everyday at the Mandir - 6 am , noon and 6 pm. The 6 am and noon aratis are very quiet - just the devotee and the deities. The 6 pm affair is usually a much grander one - a gathering of all the devotees and on Saturdays a gathering of the extended families. Maa and Swamiji are invariably present during the Saturday evening . And Maa requests one of the devotees to be the pujari and conduct the Arati on this day. Yesterday, I was chosen. On the trip to the Mandir, I was pacing myself to see the number of Durga Dvatrimsannama malas I could fit in a mile, assuming I was driving at 75 mph, and glad to say I could finish one recitation in 0.7 miles. So the long and short of it was that I was full of bhav yesterday and loved God with a fervor that was well worthy of me. But Mahishasur is alive and well and living inside me. I was thrilled to be doing the Arati - my way of expressing my love for God and I would have probably jumped and danced and pranced around in the privacy of my own room. In front of 40 odd assembled devotees, my body was leaden and my smile wooden. I coulda been a tree in the Petrified Forest and no questions asked. Maa was as usual pouring her heart out in her singing, and more so yesterday , or so it seemed to me, but I could not match her bhav with my steps. Now if it had been the local Mandir ecstatic - Vishweshwar, doing the Arati, he woulda been frisking around like a new born lamb and all of us would have been there with him , shaking a leg. But ... even during the Arati , I was sternly telling myself not to compare myself with others and just focus on my love for God. The entire Arati was a dialogue - Latha who wants to desperately let go and dance, and never mind the consequences, and Latha the cautionary one who is alive to this world, and self conscious . And sadly the second Latha won. The best Arati that I have seen was by a disciple Seema who visited from the East coast a few months ago. She put her ALL in that one Arati - "it is between me and God and who cares ? " Jai Seema - I bow to that spirit. One of these days .... the love I have for God will let me too break free ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 18, 2004 Report Share Posted January 18, 2004 You write so well and I do know that you love God and enjoy what you are doing so why are you sounding like a nervous nine year old. Let go and enjoy Love Dolly JAI MAALatha Nanda <lathananda > wrote: There are three Aratis everyday at the Mandir - 6 am , noon and 6 pm.The 6 am and noon aratis are very quiet - just the devotee and the deities. The 6 pm affair is usually a much grander one - a gathering of all the devotees and on Saturdays a gathering of the extended families.Maa and Swamiji are invariably present during the Saturday evening . And Maa requests one of the devotees to be the pujari and conduct the Arati on this day.Yesterday, I was chosen.On the trip to the Mandir, I was pacing myself to see the number of Durga Dvatrimsannama malas I could fit in a mile, assuming I was driving at 75 mph, and glad to say I could finish one recitation in 0.7 miles. So the long and short of it was that I was full of bhav yesterday and loved God with a fervor that was well worthy of me.But Mahishasur is alive and well and living inside me.I was thrilled to be doing the Arati - my way of expressing my love for God and I would have probably jumped and danced and pranced around in the privacy of my own room. In front of 40 odd assembled devotees, my body was leaden and my smile wooden. I coulda been a tree in the Petrified Forest and no questions asked.Maa was as usual pouring her heart out in her singing, and more so yesterday , or so it seemed to me, but I could not match her bhav with my steps.Now if it had been the local Mandir ecstatic - Vishweshwar, doing the Arati, he woulda been frisking around like a new born lamb and all of us would have been there with him , shaking a leg.But ... even during the Arati , I was sternly telling myself not to compare myself with others and just focus on my love for God. The entire Arati was a dialogue - Latha who wants to desperately let go and dance, and never mind the consequences, and Latha the cautionary one who is alive to this world, and self conscious . And sadly the second Latha won.The best Arati that I have seen was by a disciple Seema who visited from the East coast a few months ago. She put her ALL in that one Arati - "it is between me and God and who cares ? " Jai Seema - I bow to that spirit.One of these days .... the love I have for God will let me too break free ...To visit your group on the web, go to:/ To from this group, send an email to: Hotjobs: Enter the "Signing Bonus" Sweepstakes Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 19, 2004 Report Share Posted January 19, 2004 Namaste Latha, Your arati was beautiful yesterday and I enjoyed your dance. The Meditation that followed was one of the best, so Divine Mother was pleased. We all know we can do more next time but know Divine Mother looks on and smiles, Her gentle loving approval from Her heart. That will hold us till we dance again. Love Bharati Jai Maa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 19, 2004 Report Share Posted January 19, 2004 Latha, I have often been filled to the brim with divine love, but frankly, the whole idea of dancing the arati seems strange and wholly out of character. I know that dancing is considered one of the accepted forms of behavior for sadhakas, but I wonder if that isn't just a misunderstanding. Perhaps someone got jostled as they were copying a manuscript. This dancing thing scares me. More than once I have thought with dread about the possibility of Maa asking me to do it. I would like to reherse a graceful refusal, but I know I could not refuse if she asked -- hence the fear. I can only pray the thought never crosses her mind. Like you, in holy company in holy surroundings, I much prefer to keep my mind off the ego and on the divine. Prancing about in front of a whole bunch of other people is as sure to make me self-absorbed as anything else I could possibly imagine (except perhaps doing it naked). I applaud your courage. Chris , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > There are three Aratis everyday at the Mandir - 6 am , noon and 6 pm. > > The 6 am and noon aratis are very quiet - just the devotee and the > deities. The 6 pm affair is usually a much grander one - a gathering > of all the devotees and on Saturdays a gathering of the extended > families. > > Maa and Swamiji are invariably present during the Saturday evening . > And Maa requests one of the devotees to be the pujari and conduct the > Arati on this day. > > Yesterday, I was chosen. > > On the trip to the Mandir, I was pacing myself to see the number of > Durga Dvatrimsannama malas I could fit in a mile, assuming I was > driving at 75 mph, and glad to say I could finish one recitation in > 0.7 miles. So the long and short of it was that I was full of bhav > yesterday and loved God with a fervor that was well worthy of me. > > But Mahishasur is alive and well and living inside me. > > I was thrilled to be doing the Arati - my way of expressing my love > for God and I would have probably jumped and danced and pranced > around in the privacy of my own room. In front of 40 odd assembled > devotees, my body was leaden and my smile wooden. I coulda been a > tree in the Petrified Forest and no questions asked. > > Maa was as usual pouring her heart out in her singing, and more so > yesterday , or so it seemed to me, but I could not match her bhav > with my steps. > > Now if it had been the local Mandir ecstatic - Vishweshwar, doing the > Arati, he woulda been frisking around like a new born lamb and all of > us would have been there with him , shaking a leg. > > But ... even during the Arati , I was sternly telling myself not to > compare myself with others and just focus on my love for God. The > entire Arati was a dialogue - Latha who wants to desperately let go > and dance, and never mind the consequences, and Latha the cautionary > one who is alive to this world, and self conscious . And sadly the > second Latha won. > > The best Arati that I have seen was by a disciple Seema who visited > from the East coast a few months ago. She put her ALL in that one > Arati - "it is between me and God and who cares ? " Jai Seema - I bow > to that spirit. > > > One of these days .... the love I have for God will let me too break > free ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 19, 2004 Report Share Posted January 19, 2004 Chris, I agree the focus should be on - " Am I giving the best I can at this moment?" And the best will change everytime. And also , not "Am I doing as well as the other person?" . While I will always look to learn from another, I can be only the best I am at that moment - and no regrets. As Bharati-Ma said in her post - the Divine Mother is looking at me and smiling at me. All she cares is that I do the arati for - never mind if it is good or not good or I feel awkward or self-conscious. Jai Maa Latha Here is another excerpt that I read on the web - thanks again to Osho. It is called "Beyond superiority and inferiority " ====================================================================== Osho's talk Every human being is unique. There is no question of anybody superior or anybody inferior. Yes, people are different. Let me remind you of one thing; otherwise you will misunderstand me. I am not saying that everybody is equal. Nobody is superior, nobody is inferior, but nobody is equal either. People are simply unique, incomparable. You are you, I am I. I have to contribute my potential to life, you have to contribute your potential to life. I have to discover my own being, you have to discover your own being. When inferiority disappears, all feeling of superiority also disappears. They live together, they cannot be separated. The man who feels superior is still feeling inferior somewhere. The man who feels inferior wants to feel superior somewhere. They come in a pair; they are always there together; they cannot be separated. It happened... A very proud man, a warrior, a samurai, came to see a Zen master. The samurai was very famous, well known all over the country, But looking at the master, looking at the beauty of the master and the grace of the moment, he suddenly felt inferior. Maybe he had come with an unconscious desire to prove his superiority. He said to the master "Why am I feeling inferior? Just a moment ago, everything was okay. As I entered into your court suddenly I felt inferior. I have never felt like that. My hands are shaking. I am a warrior, I have faced death many times, and I have never felt any fear--why am I feeling frightened?" The master said, "You wait. When everybody has gone, I will answer." People continued coming to visit the master, and the man was getting tired, more and more tired. By the evening the room was empty, there was nobody, and the samurai said, "Now, can you answer it?" And the master said, "Now, come outside." A full moon night--the moon was just rising on the horizon... And he said, "Look at these trees, this tree high in the sky and this small tree. They both have existed by the side of my window for years, and there has never been any problem. The smaller tree has never said, 'Why do I feel inferior before you?' to the big tree. How is it possible? This tree is small, and that tree is big, and I have never heard any whisper." The samurai said, "Because they can't compare." The master said, "Then you need not ask me; you know the answer." Comparison brings inferiority, superiority. When you don't compare, all inferiority, all superiority, disappear. Then you are, you are simply there. A small bush or a big high tree--it doesn't matter; you are yourself. You are needed. A grass leaf is needed as much as the biggest star. Without the grass leaf God will be less than he is. The sound of the cuckoo is needed as much as any Buddha; the world will be less, rich if the cuckoo disappears. Just look around. All is needed, and everything fits together. It is an organic unity: nobody is higher and nobody is lower, nobody superior, nobody inferior. Everybody is incomparably unique. ========================================================== , "Chris Kirner" <chriskirner1956> wrote: > Latha, > > I have often been filled to the brim with divine love, but frankly, > the whole idea of dancing the arati seems strange and wholly out of > character. I know that dancing is considered one of the accepted > forms of behavior for sadhakas, but I wonder if that isn't just a > misunderstanding. Perhaps someone got jostled as they were copying a > manuscript. > > This dancing thing scares me. More than once I have thought with > dread about the possibility of Maa asking me to do it. I would like > to reherse a graceful refusal, but I know I could not refuse if she > asked -- hence the fear. I can only pray the thought never crosses > her mind. > > Like you, in holy company in holy surroundings, I much prefer to keep > my mind off the ego and on the divine. Prancing about in front of a > whole bunch of other people is as sure to make me self-absorbed as > anything else I could possibly imagine (except perhaps doing it > naked). > > I applaud your courage. > > Chris > > > > > > , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> > wrote: > > There are three Aratis everyday at the Mandir - 6 am , noon and 6 > pm. > > > > The 6 am and noon aratis are very quiet - just the devotee and the > > deities. The 6 pm affair is usually a much grander one - a > gathering > > of all the devotees and on Saturdays a gathering of the extended > > families. > > > > Maa and Swamiji are invariably present during the Saturday > evening . > > And Maa requests one of the devotees to be the pujari and conduct > the > > Arati on this day. > > > > Yesterday, I was chosen. > > > > On the trip to the Mandir, I was pacing myself to see the number of > > Durga Dvatrimsannama malas I could fit in a mile, assuming I was > > driving at 75 mph, and glad to say I could finish one recitation in > > 0.7 miles. So the long and short of it was that I was full of bhav > > yesterday and loved God with a fervor that was well worthy of me. > > > > But Mahishasur is alive and well and living inside me. > > > > I was thrilled to be doing the Arati - my way of expressing my love > > for God and I would have probably jumped and danced and pranced > > around in the privacy of my own room. In front of 40 odd assembled > > devotees, my body was leaden and my smile wooden. I coulda been a > > tree in the Petrified Forest and no questions asked. > > > > Maa was as usual pouring her heart out in her singing, and more so > > yesterday , or so it seemed to me, but I could not match her bhav > > with my steps. > > > > Now if it had been the local Mandir ecstatic - Vishweshwar, doing > the > > Arati, he woulda been frisking around like a new born lamb and all > of > > us would have been there with him , shaking a leg. > > > > But ... even during the Arati , I was sternly telling myself not to > > compare myself with others and just focus on my love for God. The > > entire Arati was a dialogue - Latha who wants to desperately let go > > and dance, and never mind the consequences, and Latha the > cautionary > > one who is alive to this world, and self conscious . And sadly the > > second Latha won. > > > > The best Arati that I have seen was by a disciple Seema who > visited > > from the East coast a few months ago. She put her ALL in that one > > Arati - "it is between me and God and who cares ? " Jai Seema - I > bow > > to that spirit. > > > > > > One of these days .... the love I have for God will let me too > break > > free ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 19, 2004 Report Share Posted January 19, 2004 Dear Chris, Not to worry. The first time I was asked to do arati I had only been visiting the Mandir for a couple of months. Since I did not "know" what I was supposed to do and I had no chance to plan, I was just swept up by the moment and the bhav flowing in the temple. I improvised and I am sure that no one had ever done it the way I did (and probably not since). But when I offered the lights to Maa and to Swamiji they were totally radiant (so were the murtis). And Parvati was prancing around and ringing the big bell from the ceiling. Over the years since then I have seen many people do arati and they each have their own style. Kamala is very graceful and serene. Swamiji is full of energy and dances very rhythmically and offers his inner Self to the Goddess. Whatever you have to offer in your arati is perfect, just as You are Perfect. Love, Ardis "Chris Kirner" <chriskirner1956 > Mon, 19 Jan 2004 18:58:04 -0000 Re: Arati Latha, I have often been filled to the brim with divine love, but frankly, the whole idea of dancing the arati seems strange and wholly out of character. I know that dancing is considered one of the accepted forms of behavior for sadhakas, but I wonder if that isn't just a misunderstanding. Perhaps someone got jostled as they were copying a manuscript. This dancing thing scares me. More than once I have thought with dread about the possibility of Maa asking me to do it. I would like to reherse a graceful refusal, but I know I could not refuse if she asked -- hence the fear. I can only pray the thought never crosses her mind. Like you, in holy company in holy surroundings, I much prefer to keep my mind off the ego and on the divine. Prancing about in front of a whole bunch of other people is as sure to make me self-absorbed as anything else I could possibly imagine (except perhaps doing it naked). I applaud your courage. Chris , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > There are three Aratis everyday at the Mandir - 6 am , noon and 6 pm. > > The 6 am and noon aratis are very quiet - just the devotee and the > deities. The 6 pm affair is usually a much grander one - a gathering > of all the devotees and on Saturdays a gathering of the extended > families. > > Maa and Swamiji are invariably present during the Saturday evening . > And Maa requests one of the devotees to be the pujari and conduct the > Arati on this day. > > Yesterday, I was chosen. > > On the trip to the Mandir, I was pacing myself to see the number of > Durga Dvatrimsannama malas I could fit in a mile, assuming I was > driving at 75 mph, and glad to say I could finish one recitation in > 0.7 miles. So the long and short of it was that I was full of bhav > yesterday and loved God with a fervor that was well worthy of me. > > But Mahishasur is alive and well and living inside me. > > I was thrilled to be doing the Arati - my way of expressing my love > for God and I would have probably jumped and danced and pranced > around in the privacy of my own room. In front of 40 odd assembled > devotees, my body was leaden and my smile wooden. I coulda been a > tree in the Petrified Forest and no questions asked. > > Maa was as usual pouring her heart out in her singing, and more so > yesterday , or so it seemed to me, but I could not match her bhav > with my steps. > > Now if it had been the local Mandir ecstatic - Vishweshwar, doing the > Arati, he woulda been frisking around like a new born lamb and all of > us would have been there with him , shaking a leg. > > But ... even during the Arati , I was sternly telling myself not to > compare myself with others and just focus on my love for God. The > entire Arati was a dialogue - Latha who wants to desperately let go > and dance, and never mind the consequences, and Latha the cautionary > one who is alive to this world, and self conscious . And sadly the > second Latha won. > > The best Arati that I have seen was by a disciple Seema who visited > from the East coast a few months ago. She put her ALL in that one > Arati - "it is between me and God and who cares ? " Jai Seema - I bow > to that spirit. > > > One of these days .... the love I have for God will let me too break > free ... Sponsor / <?subject=Un> Terms of Service <> . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 19, 2004 Report Share Posted January 19, 2004 Another point, Chris. When you are worshipping the murtis, offering light to their light, I don't think there is any way you could be self-absorbed in an egotistical way. Just focus on the Divine Live. Ardis "Chris Kirner" <chriskirner1956 > Mon, 19 Jan 2004 18:58:04 -0000 Re: Arati Latha, I have often been filled to the brim with divine love, but frankly, the whole idea of dancing the arati seems strange and wholly out of character. I know that dancing is considered one of the accepted forms of behavior for sadhakas, but I wonder if that isn't just a misunderstanding. Perhaps someone got jostled as they were copying a manuscript. This dancing thing scares me. More than once I have thought with dread about the possibility of Maa asking me to do it. I would like to reherse a graceful refusal, but I know I could not refuse if she asked -- hence the fear. I can only pray the thought never crosses her mind. Like you, in holy company in holy surroundings, I much prefer to keep my mind off the ego and on the divine. Prancing about in front of a whole bunch of other people is as sure to make me self-absorbed as anything else I could possibly imagine (except perhaps doing it naked). I applaud your courage. Chris , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > There are three Aratis everyday at the Mandir - 6 am , noon and 6 pm. > > The 6 am and noon aratis are very quiet - just the devotee and the > deities. The 6 pm affair is usually a much grander one - a gathering > of all the devotees and on Saturdays a gathering of the extended > families. > > Maa and Swamiji are invariably present during the Saturday evening . > And Maa requests one of the devotees to be the pujari and conduct the > Arati on this day. > > Yesterday, I was chosen. > > On the trip to the Mandir, I was pacing myself to see the number of > Durga Dvatrimsannama malas I could fit in a mile, assuming I was > driving at 75 mph, and glad to say I could finish one recitation in > 0.7 miles. So the long and short of it was that I was full of bhav > yesterday and loved God with a fervor that was well worthy of me. > > But Mahishasur is alive and well and living inside me. > > I was thrilled to be doing the Arati - my way of expressing my love > for God and I would have probably jumped and danced and pranced > around in the privacy of my own room. In front of 40 odd assembled > devotees, my body was leaden and my smile wooden. I coulda been a > tree in the Petrified Forest and no questions asked. > > Maa was as usual pouring her heart out in her singing, and more so > yesterday , or so it seemed to me, but I could not match her bhav > with my steps. > > Now if it had been the local Mandir ecstatic - Vishweshwar, doing the > Arati, he woulda been frisking around like a new born lamb and all of > us would have been there with him , shaking a leg. > > But ... even during the Arati , I was sternly telling myself not to > compare myself with others and just focus on my love for God. The > entire Arati was a dialogue - Latha who wants to desperately let go > and dance, and never mind the consequences, and Latha the cautionary > one who is alive to this world, and self conscious . And sadly the > second Latha won. > > The best Arati that I have seen was by a disciple Seema who visited > from the East coast a few months ago. She put her ALL in that one > Arati - "it is between me and God and who cares ? " Jai Seema - I bow > to that spirit. > > > One of these days .... the love I have for God will let me too break > free ... Sponsor / <?subject=Un> Terms of Service <> . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 19, 2004 Report Share Posted January 19, 2004 chris that is an interesting note, but you know what? i bet if you thought about just one foot or arm moving the first inch, everything else would fall into place ... as mind sweeps away and the devotion moves you. peaceful dancing, steve c. , "Chris Kirner" <chriskirner1956> wrote: > Latha, > > I have often been filled to the brim with divine love, but frankly, > the whole idea of dancing the arati seems strange and wholly out of > character. I know that dancing is considered one of the accepted > forms of behavior for sadhakas, but I wonder if that isn't just a > misunderstanding. Perhaps someone got jostled as they were copying a > manuscript. > > This dancing thing scares me. More than once I have thought with > dread about the possibility of Maa asking me to do it. I would like > to reherse a graceful refusal, but I know I could not refuse if she > asked -- hence the fear. I can only pray the thought never crosses > her mind. > > Like you, in holy company in holy surroundings, I much prefer to keep > my mind off the ego and on the divine. Prancing about in front of a > whole bunch of other people is as sure to make me self-absorbed as > anything else I could possibly imagine (except perhaps doing it > naked). > > I applaud your courage. > > Chris > > > > > > , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> > wrote: > > There are three Aratis everyday at the Mandir - 6 am , noon and 6 > pm. > > > > The 6 am and noon aratis are very quiet - just the devotee and the > > deities. The 6 pm affair is usually a much grander one - a > gathering > > of all the devotees and on Saturdays a gathering of the extended > > families. > > > > Maa and Swamiji are invariably present during the Saturday > evening . > > And Maa requests one of the devotees to be the pujari and conduct > the > > Arati on this day. > > > > Yesterday, I was chosen. > > > > On the trip to the Mandir, I was pacing myself to see the number of > > Durga Dvatrimsannama malas I could fit in a mile, assuming I was > > driving at 75 mph, and glad to say I could finish one recitation in > > 0.7 miles. So the long and short of it was that I was full of bhav > > yesterday and loved God with a fervor that was well worthy of me. > > > > But Mahishasur is alive and well and living inside me. > > > > I was thrilled to be doing the Arati - my way of expressing my love > > for God and I would have probably jumped and danced and pranced > > around in the privacy of my own room. In front of 40 odd assembled > > devotees, my body was leaden and my smile wooden. I coulda been a > > tree in the Petrified Forest and no questions asked. > > > > Maa was as usual pouring her heart out in her singing, and more so > > yesterday , or so it seemed to me, but I could not match her bhav > > with my steps. > > > > Now if it had been the local Mandir ecstatic - Vishweshwar, doing > the > > Arati, he woulda been frisking around like a new born lamb and all > of > > us would have been there with him , shaking a leg. > > > > But ... even during the Arati , I was sternly telling myself not to > > compare myself with others and just focus on my love for God. The > > entire Arati was a dialogue - Latha who wants to desperately let go > > and dance, and never mind the consequences, and Latha the > cautionary > > one who is alive to this world, and self conscious . And sadly the > > second Latha won. > > > > The best Arati that I have seen was by a disciple Seema who > visited > > from the East coast a few months ago. She put her ALL in that one > > Arati - "it is between me and God and who cares ? " Jai Seema - I > bow > > to that spirit. > > > > > > One of these days .... the love I have for God will let me too > break > > free ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted January 20, 2004 Report Share Posted January 20, 2004 Ardis, That was very sweet. Thankyou. Chris , Ardis Jackson <anandamama@e...> wrote: > Dear Chris, > Not to worry. > > The first time I was asked to do arati I had only been visiting the Mandir > for a couple of months. Since I did not "know" what I was supposed to do and > I had no chance to plan, I was just swept up by the moment and the bhav > flowing in the temple. I improvised and I am sure that no one had ever done > it the way I did (and probably not since). But when I offered the lights to > Maa and to Swamiji they were totally radiant (so were the murtis). And > Parvati was prancing around and ringing the big bell from the ceiling. > > Over the years since then I have seen many people do arati and they each > have their own style. Kamala is very graceful and serene. Swamiji is full > of energy and dances very rhythmically and offers his inner Self to the > Goddess. > > Whatever you have to offer in your arati is perfect, just as You are > Perfect. > > Love, > > Ardis > > "Chris Kirner" <chriskirner1956> > > Mon, 19 Jan 2004 18:58:04 -0000 > > Re: Arati > > > Latha, > > I have often been filled to the brim with divine love, but frankly, > the whole idea of dancing the arati seems strange and wholly out of > character. I know that dancing is considered one of the accepted > forms of behavior for sadhakas, but I wonder if that isn't just a > misunderstanding. Perhaps someone got jostled as they were copying a > manuscript. > > This dancing thing scares me. More than once I have thought with > dread about the possibility of Maa asking me to do it. I would like > to reherse a graceful refusal, but I know I could not refuse if she > asked -- hence the fear. I can only pray the thought never crosses > her mind. > > Like you, in holy company in holy surroundings, I much prefer to keep > my mind off the ego and on the divine. Prancing about in front of a > whole bunch of other people is as sure to make me self-absorbed as > anything else I could possibly imagine (except perhaps doing it > naked). > > I applaud your courage. > > Chris > > > > > > , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> > wrote: > > There are three Aratis everyday at the Mandir - 6 am , noon and 6 > pm. > > > > The 6 am and noon aratis are very quiet - just the devotee and the > > deities. The 6 pm affair is usually a much grander one - a > gathering > > of all the devotees and on Saturdays a gathering of the extended > > families. > > > > Maa and Swamiji are invariably present during the Saturday > evening . > > And Maa requests one of the devotees to be the pujari and conduct > the > > Arati on this day. > > > > Yesterday, I was chosen. > > > > On the trip to the Mandir, I was pacing myself to see the number of > > Durga Dvatrimsannama malas I could fit in a mile, assuming I was > > driving at 75 mph, and glad to say I could finish one recitation in > > 0.7 miles. So the long and short of it was that I was full of bhav > > yesterday and loved God with a fervor that was well worthy of me. > > > > But Mahishasur is alive and well and living inside me. > > > > I was thrilled to be doing the Arati - my way of expressing my love > > for God and I would have probably jumped and danced and pranced > > around in the privacy of my own room. In front of 40 odd assembled > > devotees, my body was leaden and my smile wooden. I coulda been a > > tree in the Petrified Forest and no questions asked. > > > > Maa was as usual pouring her heart out in her singing, and more so > > yesterday , or so it seemed to me, but I could not match her bhav > > with my steps. > > > > Now if it had been the local Mandir ecstatic - Vishweshwar, doing > the > > Arati, he woulda been frisking around like a new born lamb and all > of > > us would have been there with him , shaking a leg. > > > > But ... even during the Arati , I was sternly telling myself not to > > compare myself with others and just focus on my love for God. The > > entire Arati was a dialogue - Latha who wants to desperately let go > > and dance, and never mind the consequences, and Latha the > cautionary > > one who is alive to this world, and self conscious . And sadly the > > second Latha won. > > > > The best Arati that I have seen was by a disciple Seema who > visited > > from the East coast a few months ago. She put her ALL in that one > > Arati - "it is between me and God and who cares ? " Jai Seema - I > bow > > to that spirit. > > > > > > One of these days .... the love I have for God will let me too > break > > free ... > > > > Sponsor > > > > > Links > > / > > > > <?subject=Un> > > Terms of Service > <> . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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