RE: Preparation

[Guest guest]

"...Lets go for it folks - what IS needed to prepare for a sadhana

filled life ? How do we organize our routines to give priority to

set time exclusively for God ? How to prepare so that at all times

we think of God ?..."

 

Dear Latha and List,

If I were in the state of "at all times thinking of God", of

course, I would be a realized soul! Since I am not, I try and answer

questions that arise such as: "Knowing the importance of ritual in

connecting me to God, how to I ensure that 'ritual' doesn't

become 'routine'. "How can I remind myself to be awake in the

moment?How can I be sure that I don't see my practices as just

another thing to check off on my 'to do for the day' list?" Some

practical things that have helped me are: Being sure that my early

morning practices are a priority (before breakfast, before the

day "begins" in the world, to have been at my puja). I have found if

I wait until after breakfast, there is always some interruption and

my practices get a second best effort.

I try to "offer" all activities, no matter how mundane they seem,

to God (when I can remember to do this)...this, of course, slows me

down, makes the activity the focus of my attention (rather than

multi-tasking) and takes the "edge" off any feelings of grasping or

doership. I am more successful with some activities than with

others.Again, having a guru or other mantra to repeat can be a way

of offering the action you are doing.

Also, I have found remembering that each day of the week is

especially sacred to a different form of God is a great way to keep

my practices fresh and alive. If I know that Tuesday is for Lord

Hanuman, I will chant his chalisa and have a special offering of

bananas or a mango for Him and it's fun to think of what Devi might

like on Friday, what kind of flowers, sweets etc. I know she would

not like a sloppy ghee lamp so I always polish them on Thursday

night. Thursdays are, of course, for the guru...and seem to have

evolved, for me, into a day to really look at the blessings

currently in my life and take stock of where I need to pay more

attention.

I have found that the early morning priority is the most important

one. If I don't honor that, I really feel "out of sorts" all day

long. If I do attend to God, first thing,even as I am waking up,

then my day is really different. I found those Vedic mantras we

talked about a few months ago also to be very helpful, since you can

say them...as you wake up, as you wash etc., so you are praying,

already, as you come into consciousness.

So, after allof that, I have to say that, in my experience,what

is most important is to be light, have a sense of humor, have

compassion for your shortcomings and just keep trying : have fun,

enjoy yourself and remember this is all God's lila..everything is a

manifestation of God, every act, every person, every flower in your

garden, every racoon knocking the trash all over the yard, every guy

driving by with his boombox blaring, every lovely sunrise, every

irritating driver, every telemarketer, every puja at the

Temple...it's all God...Maybe that's the best preparation of all.

 

sadhvi

[Guest guest]

"Here is the next topic Swamiji has suggested that we cover for the

next fortnight - Preparation.

 

Swamiji says to cover - Preparation: body, mind, soul, and then puja

organization, yajna samagri, ityadi."

 

Maybe my last post was not specific enough?

So, thinking about the upcoming retreat:

body-getting exercise (yoga, t'ai chi, swimming, running,

stretching), eating a very pure, light diet (no lingering bad food

build-up), getting plenty of rest, long walks in Nature are great to

balance the body.

Mind-really limit the influx of media (tv,newspaper, radio,magazines)

to clear the mind from unnecessarily stressful situations. Be sure

to fulfill japa practices everyday.Listen to chants or mantras

during the day, read uplifting material.try not to argue with others

or do activities that seem to leave you feeling tense (for me, this

means limiting my trips into the city).If you find yourself in one

of these situations, view it as a time to do japa.

soul-give as much love as you can to the people you share your

living space with because you will be less available to them during

the retreat, do your regular practices.

puja organization-check Shiva puja to see what you need, get

lamps,et. together and prepared, chanting books, flowers. Clean

altar and puja area.

 

sadhvi

[Guest guest]

Dear Sadhvi,

Could you either pass on this info or let me (us) know where to find

it... about which form of God is the dedicated focus for each day of

the week. You have listed Hanuman on Tuesdays,the Guru on Thursdays,

Devi on Fridays. And I just read in Latha's recent post that Mondays

are for Siva. So that leaves just Saturdays, Sundays and Wednesdays.

thanks,

jayadeva

[Guest guest]

most excellent! i love the clarity and directness of this.

 

i am going to give this a go ...

 

pranams,

 

steve

 

, "parv108" <parv108> wrote:

> Namaste to all,

>

> The first step of the 8 steps of yoga is "yaama", which

> means to control. Swamiji says that one takes control in life by

> defining goals . Once we have defined our goals then we

> have criteria in which to discriminate how much we need in

> order to attain to our goal and which actions will bring us

> closer. (Reminds me of the Balance of Too Much and Too Little in

the first chapter of the Chandi. )

>

> Swamiji often suggests that we write down our goals: short

> range and long range goals. He has compiled a list of several

> questions. If anyone is interested in setting goals here are the

> first two questions to get started:

>

> 1. Make a wish list of everything that you may want in your life.

> 2. Make a time line for your wishes.

[Guest guest]

Namaste Parvati,

 

Wow, this is great. But is Swamiji refering to only spiritual objectives

or also material objectives.

 

Thanks,

Ruchi

 

 

parv108 [parv108]

Friday, August 20, 2004 2:49 AM

Preparation

 

 

Namaste to all,

 

The first step of the 8 steps of yoga is "yaama", which

means to control. Swamiji says that one takes control in life by

defining goals . Once we have defined our goals then we

have criteria in which to discriminate how much we need in

order to attain to our goal and which actions will bring us

closer. (Reminds me of the Balance of Too Much and Too Little in the

first chapter of the Chandi. )

 

Swamiji often suggests that we write down our goals: short

range and long range goals. He has compiled a list of several

questions. If anyone is interested in setting goals here are the

first two questions to get started:

 

1. Make a wish list of everything that you may want in your life. 2.

Make a time line for your wishes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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