Q&A with Swamiji .....22 ...Other Sadhus and Traditions

[Guest guest]

Question from Steve :

 

I am interested in the association of sadhus in your life, as it

relates to our own cyber-sangha. Did you associate with all sorts of

sadhus? In other words, did they have different Gurus and practices?

How did you share your experiences? How did you keep your

associations from becoming "social" and always focussed on God?

 

 

Swamiji's response :

 

I met many kinds of sadhus from many different sects and

philosophies. But I always returned to my Guru to describe to him my

adventures, experiences, and to share with him the teachings I

received. Some of them were illogical, and he was able to show me

the errors. SOme of them were practical, and he advised me to

integrate their teachings into the sadhana he gave me. Many things I

tried were totally off the wall. Some of the things really enhanced

my spirit!

 

That is why no two sadhus have exactly the same repertoire. It

continually evolves according to the inputs we receive.

[Guest guest]

Swamiji, Lathananda,

 

Thank you!

 

Swamiji, was your own Guru informed by the Gita? The reason I ask

is, your reference to logic. Prior to meeting with your sangha, I

was most recently influenced by Shivapuri Baba, whose talks are on

tape. His teaching was very structured and logical and included all

aspects of life, with the crowning jewel, the desire to know God.

There was logic to organize this existence, whereas the ultimate

inquiry or primordial urge of intelligence and devotion is

apparently beyond logic.

 

Swamiji, those things you practiced that were off the wall or

illogical -- do you feel they are in any way as important as the

successes? Do you regret error or feel it is inherent?

 

I can see large blocks of my spiritual life that had error mixed

wtih succes; one, when I sought the one aspect in common to all

spiritual paths. I came up with, the movement of attention beyond

thought. This I focussed on exclusively, so I found almost any kind

of spiritual experience was possible. The error was, there was no

cultivation of virtue.

 

Another error was, when I met a Guru who was very charismatic and

domineering and gave too much of my intent away. I found that man

can wear many masks.

 

Yet another error was, seeing God in such totality and including

both Divine and Mundane elements to such a degree a non-dual

existentialism was the result.

 

Another mistake was the tendancy to seek out an absolute

path or way, or ultimate way. Your way of infinite perfection has

provided a beautiful expression of another view.

 

Steve C.

 

 

 

 

, "Latha Nanda" <lathananda>

wrote:

> Question from Steve :

>

> I am interested in the association of sadhus in your life, as it

> relates to our own cyber-sangha. Did you associate with all sorts

of

> sadhus? In other words, did they have different Gurus and

practices?

> How did you share your experiences? How did you keep your

> associations from becoming "social" and always focussed on God?

>

>

> Swamiji's response :

>

> I met many kinds of sadhus from many different sects and

> philosophies. But I always returned to my Guru to describe to him

my

> adventures, experiences, and to share with him the teachings I

> received. Some of them were illogical, and he was able to show me

> the errors. SOme of them were practical, and he advised me to

> integrate their teachings into the sadhana he gave me. Many things

I

> tried were totally off the wall. Some of the things really

enhanced

> my spirit!

>

> That is why no two sadhus have exactly the same repertoire. It

> continually evolves according to the inputs we receive.

[Guest guest]

How blessed Swamiji was to have such a wise guru. How blessed we are to be blessed by Swamiji!

"Latha Nanda" <lathananda >

Tue, 25 May 2004 02:08:34 -0000

Q&A with Swamiji .....22 ...Other Sadhus and Traditions

Question from Steve :

I am interested in the association of sadhus in your life, as it

relates to our own cyber-sangha. Did you associate with all sorts of

sadhus? In other words, did they have different Gurus and practices?

How did you share your experiences? How did you keep your

associations from becoming "social" and always focussed on God?

Swamiji's response :

I met many kinds of sadhus from many different sects and

philosophies. But I always returned to my Guru to describe to him my

adventures, experiences, and to share with him the teachings I

received. Some of them were illogical, and he was able to show me

the errors. SOme of them were practical, and he advised me to

integrate their teachings into the sadhana he gave me. Many things I

tried were totally off the wall. Some of the things really enhanced

my spirit!

That is why no two sadhus have exactly the same repertoire. It

continually evolves according to the inputs we receive.

Sponsor

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[Guest guest]

Swamiji,

 

More comments/questions on your response here ... as our dialogue

here is of such great value to Westerners and others as well.

 

[some day, I see a world, where Man and Woman say: I do not wish to

go to Disney World this year; this year, for my vacation, I will

shed my clothing, and grow my hair, and look into the Mind of

God ...]

 

The question: what were some of those illogical practices you tried,

what were some of those practices that enhanced your spirit?

 

I want to have it all! as my daughter says.

 

This sadhu here, travelling incognito in the West, did this:

 

dwelled on I Am That, contemplating the subtle distinctions and

commonalities of "This" and "That" ...

 

let the mind die away and be replaced by all subtle energies, and

the energies of trees, all visual stimuli, etc. ...

 

pressed down on the mind, to forcibly make the mind quit, until the

various structures of awareness began to shut down ... and others

began to take its place ...

 

recited the virtues of the Gita and imagined the primordial Buddha,

in an attempt to evoke the Divine ...

 

pressed awareness down into the heart channel to hover around the

heart center, waiting to be accepted into that bliss; sometimes

falling as if from a great height suddenly, or rising just as

suddenly ...

 

stay awake when asleep, and sleep when awake ...

 

folowing a great silence like a hound chasing a rabbit down a

hole ...

 

ask myself repeatedly, how is it that i exist? what is this

awareness? what s truth? where is God? what is God?

 

this sadhu had no Guru to report to, so I am telling you now.

 

:-)

 

thank you for all inspiration. be the free sadhu you are. correct my

errors or validate any course to continue. may the goddess smite all

wrong thought.

 

steve c.

 

i have a wish to emulate your practice and take a picture of my own

head and put it under the sword of the Mother. OM TAT SAT! THOU ART

ALL. SVAAHAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!

 

, "Latha Nanda" <lathananda>

wrote:

> Question from Steve :

>

> I am interested in the association of sadhus in your life, as it

> relates to our own cyber-sangha. Did you associate with all sorts

of

> sadhus? In other words, did they have different Gurus and

practices?

> How did you share your experiences? How did you keep your

> associations from becoming "social" and always focussed on God?

>

>

> Swamiji's response :

>

> I met many kinds of sadhus from many different sects and

> philosophies. But I always returned to my Guru to describe to him

my

> adventures, experiences, and to share with him the teachings I

> received. Some of them were illogical, and he was able to show me

> the errors. SOme of them were practical, and he advised me to

> integrate their teachings into the sadhana he gave me. Many things

I

> tried were totally off the wall. Some of the things really

enhanced

> my spirit!

>

> That is why no two sadhus have exactly the same repertoire. It

> continually evolves according to the inputs we receive.