Guest guest Posted September 5, 2004 Report Share Posted September 5, 2004 Dear Effie, I too, am a "woman of a certain age," and I too have wondered as you have. Perhaps you have seen some of the answeres people have asked to my questions, which have been very similar to the one you asked below. chanting the Chandi is beyond my reach right now and may not be something that I can ever really do given time factors, and, by this, I refer to my age. I think it is like people have told me, whatever you to is okay, and not only okay, but good. If you just read and re-read as I have, people have told me that is okay. If you listen to the tapes, that is okay, so I have read in these posts. If you pick one part and concentrate on that for awhile, that too is okay. I am on on my third re-reading of the Chandi, and for now, I am sticking to the first five pages, reading them over and over and listening to the tape over and over, because I want to learn the pronunciation better. Is this wrong? I don't think so. Approaching the Chandi is approaching Maa Durga, and I don't think there is any wrong way to do that. She will be there. You might also be interested to know that there is an abbreviated version of the chandi, which comes with a tape or cd, called the Durga Puja Beginner." This is much shorter, and so this might also be a way into the Chandi for you. Don't worry about your age. Where Maa Durga lives, I'm sure She doesn't. And I know others will tell you the same ... it is all okay. Jai Maa ~ Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 5, 2004 Report Share Posted September 5, 2004 Dear Latha, How does one effect a permanent change in their life ? Remember the example of learning to walk, which none of us probably remember. However, before we finally achieved that blessed goal, we fell, over and over, toppled this way and that, held onto things that would help us stay upright, etc. Spirituality and spiritual discipline are another kind of learning to walkl Maa bless us, may we all be patient with ourselves. Shanti ~ Linda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 Dear all -As a "baby stepper," in a way, I want to tell you how much I appreciate all of your posts. They inspire me and help me grow. I often save and re read posts. Re: sadhana... I loved the 32 names of Durga. I still chant it often. I was inspired by the sankalpa of the group last spring. It was a "jump start" for my practice (though I don't quite do it each day). I do chant simpler bhajains and love songs that I make up to God, and have since I was a child. I have a question for the group. This question arises in times when I am really feeling "identified" living on a memory of an experience of our oneness. Recently, I have been choosing to welcome my thoughts and feelings as much as possible lately. It seems I have often used "spirituality" as a way to escape my "personal" feelings somehow...to transcend this level of experience and go to the perspective that "all is well." Then it felt like I wasn't integrating all my feelings or connecting fully on that level. Partner complained that I wasn't grounded. But then this morning I was wondering about how to know if I'm indulging my feelings too much. I remember being advised or reading to neither reject nor indulge the feelings or thoughts, to maintain detachment. Is it important to not indulge the questions, just to go back to presence? How do I know when I am just allowing feelings and when I am indulging in them? When is transcending "denial"? Obviously I could use some clarity on this. The good news is, that often in presence, the question just vanishes. Is the answer just to keep going to presence (witness). What is the path between action and surrender. (I guess the answer is discover who is acting and surrendering). Thank you again for all you share and for any perspectives on this. Warmest blessings and gratitude to you all and Jai Ma, Dunyavad thank you Ma! Gina Frederica Evangeline Wilder [effie_wilder] Sunday, September 05, 2004 12:38 PM Re: Digest Number 420 Dear List, Thanks to Linda for her great ideas on ways to immerse oneself in the Chandi, without the actual Sanskrit chanting. What we now need are some special activities for the newbies in the group. I was thinking of things like the sadhanas/sankalpas that are often mentioned but require chanting. Linda's suggestions are great ways for beginning students to learn and grow. I have heard her and others talk about baby steps. So all we need is something for the baby steppers to do! Heartfelt thanks to all and to Linda, Effie , nierika@a... wrote: > Dear Effie, > > I too, am a "woman of a certain age," and I too have wondered as you have. > Perhaps you have seen some of the answeres people have asked to my questions, > which have been very similar to the one you asked below. > > chanting the Chandi is beyond my reach right now and may not be > something that I can ever really do given time factors, and, by > this, I refer to my age. > I think it is like people have told me, whatever you to is okay, and not > only okay, but good. If you just read and re-read as I have, people have told me > that is okay. If you listen to the tapes, that is okay, so I have read in > these posts. If you pick one part and concentrate on that for awhile, that too > is okay. I am on on my third re-reading of the Chandi, and for now, I am > sticking to the first five pages, reading them over and over and listening to the > tape over and over, because I want to learn the pronunciation better. Is this > wrong? I don't think so. Approaching the Chandi is approaching Maa Durga, > and I don't think there is any wrong way to do that. She will be there. You > might also be interested to know that there is an abbreviated version of the > chandi, which comes with a tape or cd, called the Durga Puja Beginner." This is > much shorter, and so this might also be a way into the Chandi for you. Don't > worry about your age. Where Maa Durga lives, I'm sure She doesn't. And I know > others will tell you the same ... it is all okay. Jai Maa ~ Linda Links Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 gina here is a thought on that. questions could be seen 2 ways [at least.] one is, maa absorbs questions. it's not exactly the same as answering them. mind is turned to a deeper dimension, so the thought evaporates. the mind is quite satisfied, even if it does not know exactly why. another is, the questions are a dance, or way of relating. how do we get to know god, the chandi, etc? we can ask the teacher; it is natural to want to know. how this plays out varies. why? durga is both the absolute and manifestation. so, it is not only in returning to the witness position, but seeing god in the daytime consiousness. all transcending is denial. but what are we denying? maybe something we don't really want. attention is moving from self to god. on the one hand you might take a process where you drop all of it and return to witness. then you don't want questions. other times you do. it is your practice to decide, really. i note that maa and swamiji do not press one method, other than love god. to do this, we wish to know god. to know and love are the same. it takes a lot of attention. your questions are great. keep digging. pranams, s , "Gina Sala" <ginasala@w...> wrote: > Dear all -As a "baby stepper," in a way, I want to tell you how much I > appreciate all of your posts. They inspire me and help me grow. I often save > and re read posts. Re: sadhana... I loved the 32 names of Durga. I still > chant it often. I was inspired by the sankalpa of the group last spring. It > was a "jump start" for my practice (though I don't quite do it each day). I > do chant simpler bhajains and love songs that I make up to God, and have > since I was a child. > > I have a question for the group. This question arises in times when I am > really feeling "identified" living on a memory of an experience of our > oneness. > > Recently, I have been choosing to welcome my thoughts and feelings as much > as possible lately. It seems I have often used "spirituality" as a way to > escape my "personal" feelings somehow...to transcend this level of > experience and go to the perspective that "all is well." Then it felt like > I wasn't integrating all my feelings or connecting fully on that level. > Partner complained that I wasn't grounded. > > But then this morning I was wondering about how to know if I'm indulging my > feelings too much. > > I remember being advised or reading to neither reject nor indulge the > feelings or thoughts, to maintain detachment. > > Is it important to not indulge the questions, just to go back to presence? > > How do I know when I am just allowing feelings and when I am indulging in > them? > When is transcending "denial"? > > > Obviously I could use some clarity on this. The good news is, that often in > presence, the question just vanishes. > Is the answer just to keep going to presence (witness). > > What is the path between action and surrender. (I guess the answer is > discover who is acting and surrendering). > > Thank you again for all you share and for any perspectives on this. > > Warmest blessings and gratitude to you all > and Jai Ma, Dunyavad thank you Ma! > Gina > > > > > Frederica Evangeline Wilder [effie_wilder@e...] > Sunday, September 05, 2004 12:38 PM > > Re: Digest Number 420 > > > Dear List, > > Thanks to Linda for her great ideas on ways to immerse oneself in > the Chandi, without the actual Sanskrit chanting. What we now need > are some special activities for the newbies in the group. I was > thinking of things like the sadhanas/sankalpas that are often > mentioned but require chanting. Linda's suggestions are great ways > for beginning students to learn and grow. I have heard her and > others talk about baby steps. So all we need is something for the > baby steppers to do! > > Heartfelt thanks to all and to Linda, > Effie > > , nierika@a... wrote: > > Dear Effie, > > > > I too, am a "woman of a certain age," and I too have wondered as > you have. > > Perhaps you have seen some of the answeres people have asked to my > questions, > > which have been very similar to the one you asked below. > > > > chanting the Chandi is beyond my reach right now and may not be > > something that I can ever really do given time factors, and, by > > this, I refer to my age. > > I think it is like people have told me, whatever you to is okay, > and not > > only okay, but good. If you just read and re-read as I have, > people have told me > > that is okay. If you listen to the tapes, that is okay, so I have > read in > > these posts. If you pick one part and concentrate on that for > awhile, that too > > is okay. I am on on my third re-reading of the Chandi, and for > now, I am > > sticking to the first five pages, reading them over and over and > listening to the > > tape over and over, because I want to learn the pronunciation > better. Is this > > wrong? I don't think so. Approaching the Chandi is approaching > Maa Durga, > > and I don't think there is any wrong way to do that. She will be > there. You > > might also be interested to know that there is an abbreviated > version of the > > chandi, which comes with a tape or cd, called the Durga Puja > Beginner." This is > > much shorter, and so this might also be a way into the Chandi for > you. Don't > > worry about your age. Where Maa Durga lives, I'm sure She > doesn't. And I know > > others will tell you the same ... it is all okay. Jai Maa ~ Linda Links Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted September 6, 2004 Report Share Posted September 6, 2004 OM NAMAH SIVAYA Dear Gina, i think you ask questions with no right answers, only individual ones. as a "baby stepper" my self, i am finding that the best thing to do is start with the assumption i really do not know anything. it seems to be the safest bet. i try to learn from every thing and every experience. especially the mistakes. they seem to be bountiful. the only way i can make use of a mistake is learn from it. many times i fall grossly short in this realization. but i know Divine Mother must love me or she would have long ago abandoned me due to my extreme ingorance. and she seems to always be there! follow your intuition until you realize its your ego. then i guess all we can do is "witness" with true intention and honesty and wait for GOD's clues. remember GOD, and therein lies the answers. it's sure a big room and evidently there are many more windows than i thought. thank you for all the lessons from all of you. JAI MA , "Gina Sala" <ginasala@w...> wrote: > Dear all -As a "baby stepper," in a way, I want to tell you how much I > appreciate all of your posts. They inspire me and help me grow. I often save > and re read posts. Re: sadhana... I loved the 32 names of Durga. I still > chant it often. I was inspired by the sankalpa of the group last spring. It > was a "jump start" for my practice (though I don't quite do it each day). I > do chant simpler bhajains and love songs that I make up to God, and have > since I was a child. > > I have a question for the group. This question arises in times when I am > really feeling "identified" living on a memory of an experience of our > oneness. > > Recently, I have been choosing to welcome my thoughts and feelings as much > as possible lately. It seems I have often used "spirituality" as a way to > escape my "personal" feelings somehow...to transcend this level of > experience and go to the perspective that "all is well." Then it felt like > I wasn't integrating all my feelings or connecting fully on that level. > Partner complained that I wasn't grounded. > > But then this morning I was wondering about how to know if I'm indulging my > feelings too much. > > I remember being advised or reading to neither reject nor indulge the > feelings or thoughts, to maintain detachment. > > Is it important to not indulge the questions, just to go back to presence? > > How do I know when I am just allowing feelings and when I am indulging in > them? > When is transcending "denial"? > > > Obviously I could use some clarity on this. The good news is, that often in > presence, the question just vanishes. > Is the answer just to keep going to presence (witness). > > What is the path between action and surrender. (I guess the answer is > discover who is acting and surrendering). > > Thank you again for all you share and for any perspectives on this. > > Warmest blessings and gratitude to you all > and Jai Ma, Dunyavad thank you Ma! > Gina > > > > > Frederica Evangeline Wilder [effie_wilder@e...] > Sunday, September 05, 2004 12:38 PM > > Re: Digest Number 420 > > > Dear List, > > Thanks to Linda for her great ideas on ways to immerse oneself in > the Chandi, without the actual Sanskrit chanting. What we now need > are some special activities for the newbies in the group. I was > thinking of things like the sadhanas/sankalpas that are often > mentioned but require chanting. Linda's suggestions are great ways > for beginning students to learn and grow. I have heard her and > others talk about baby steps. So all we need is something for the > baby steppers to do! > > Heartfelt thanks to all and to Linda, > Effie > > , nierika@a... wrote: > > Dear Effie, > > > > I too, am a "woman of a certain age," and I too have wondered as > you have. > > Perhaps you have seen some of the answeres people have asked to my > questions, > > which have been very similar to the one you asked below. > > > > chanting the Chandi is beyond my reach right now and may not be > > something that I can ever really do given time factors, and, by > > this, I refer to my age. > > I think it is like people have told me, whatever you to is okay, > and not > > only okay, but good. If you just read and re-read as I have, > people have told me > > that is okay. If you listen to the tapes, that is okay, so I have > read in > > these posts. If you pick one part and concentrate on that for > awhile, that too > > is okay. I am on on my third re-reading of the Chandi, and for > now, I am > > sticking to the first five pages, reading them over and over and > listening to the > > tape over and over, because I want to learn the pronunciation > better. Is this > > wrong? I don't think so. Approaching the Chandi is approaching > Maa Durga, > > and I don't think there is any wrong way to do that. She will be > there. You > > might also be interested to know that there is an abbreviated > version of the > > chandi, which comes with a tape or cd, called the Durga Puja > Beginner." This is > > much shorter, and so this might also be a way into the Chandi for > you. Don't > > worry about your age. Where Maa Durga lives, I'm sure She > doesn't. And I know > > others will tell you the same ... it is all okay. Jai Maa ~ Linda Links Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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