Message from Nityashakti on Disciple/Devotee

[Guest guest]

Dear List,

Here is an interesting quote from Feuerstein's book on "The Yoga

Tradition", with reference to the Shiva-Samhita:

"In practice, the aspirant must move from the stage of the student

to that of the disciple and, in schools where guru-yoga is the norm,

to that of the "devotee" (bhakta). At the student level, the

aspirant still has an exoteric understanding of and relationship to

the teacher. The student is inspired by listening to the teacher but

has not yet seriously taken up spiritual life and wavers in his or

her committment to the yogic process; worldly life still exerts a

strong pull. The disciple, by contrast, is more sensitive to the

esoteric relationship between the guru and him/herself,

understanding that there is a continuous link to the teacher that

must be honored and cultivated. The devotee, finally, EXPERIENCES

the guru as a spiritual reality rather than as a human personality

and is therefore naturally inclined to assume a devotional attitude

that acts as a powerful conduit between the guru and him/herself.

This is the essence of guru-yoga. Needless to say, not all schools

calling for devotion to the teacher describe the mature disciple

as 'devotee'".

There is alot of very interesting information in Feuerstein's

book regarding the tradition of the guru-disciple relationship. This

is my first post, by the way. I have been reading here for a few

days. I have a great love and respect for Shree Maa and Swamiji and

a great deal of gratitude for their generosity in sharing their

amazing experience of worship and puja so freely with all of us.

Namaste, Swamiji.

best regards,

sadhvi s.

[Guest guest]

can i jump in with a thought?

 

it doesn't really matter, people like Feuerstein can't tell you.

only a spiritual person like maa can. she would probably say all

that matters is that you love god ... then people can call you a

bug, a devotee, a disciple, or the president of the united

states ... and you won't care one way of the other.

 

ho!

 

peace

 

steve c.

 

 

, "Latha Nanda" <lathananda>

wrote:

> Dear List,

> Here is an interesting quote from Feuerstein's book on "The Yoga

> Tradition", with reference to the Shiva-Samhita:

> "In practice, the aspirant must move from the stage of the

student

> to that of the disciple and, in schools where guru-yoga is the

norm,

> to that of the "devotee" (bhakta). At the student level, the

> aspirant still has an exoteric understanding of and relationship

to

> the teacher. The student is inspired by listening to the teacher

but

> has not yet seriously taken up spiritual life and wavers in his or

> her committment to the yogic process; worldly life still exerts a

> strong pull. The disciple, by contrast, is more sensitive to the

> esoteric relationship between the guru and him/herself,

> understanding that there is a continuous link to the teacher that

> must be honored and cultivated. The devotee, finally, EXPERIENCES

> the guru as a spiritual reality rather than as a human personality

> and is therefore naturally inclined to assume a devotional

attitude

> that acts as a powerful conduit between the guru and him/herself.

> This is the essence of guru-yoga. Needless to say, not all schools

> calling for devotion to the teacher describe the mature disciple

> as 'devotee'".

> There is alot of very interesting information in Feuerstein's

> book regarding the tradition of the guru-disciple relationship.

This

> is my first post, by the way. I have been reading here for a few

> days. I have a great love and respect for Shree Maa and Swamiji

and

> a great deal of gratitude for their generosity in sharing their

> amazing experience of worship and puja so freely with all of us.

> Namaste, Swamiji.

> best regards,

> sadhvi s.