Worship of God, Ardis

[Guest guest]

Dear Shiva,

 

I cannot take credit for these words, they are the words of a

disciple of Swami Sivananda, Swami Satyananda Saraswati. I hope

this an appropiate response.

 

Ram

 

, Ardis Jackson <anandamama@e...>

wrote:

> Dear Ram,

> I love this post. You have learned a very deep lesson in seeing

Shiva in

> all and everything and everybody.

>

> May the Lord shine in your heart,

>

> Ardis

>

> "ramavihs11" <ramavihs11>

>

> Thu, 09 Sep 2004 21:30:40 -0000

>

> Re: Worship of God

>

>

> Dear Shiva,

>

> Karen I tried to email you off-line but it was send back.

> I would humbly like to submit this, per your request(and yours too

> Steve), in the spirit of cultivating wisdom. Because as Shree Maa

> says, "learn from everyone, everywhere."

>

> "Lord Shiva is not found only in temples. He does live in temples,

> but his real presence can be discovered in anything and anybody."

>

> "I am ready to see Shiva in any form and to see him I have used the

> means of Rama's name. But in addition to Rama's name I have also

> adopted one more means. Look for him from house to house. You

> never know, he may be found in the guise of a poor man, a blind

man,

> a sick man, a miserable widow, a starving person, or a naked

> destitute fellow. You cannot predict anything about him."

>

> "Try to see God in suffering humanity. This is the duty of saints,

> sages and holy men, as well as householders. There is so much pain

> and misery everywhere because God is not seen where He actually is,

> in suffering humanity."

>

> "You will find peace of mind in the temples, but that is not the

> ultimate in life. Peace of mind is very private and personal; it

is

> not the ultimate goal of human life. As long as the world,

society,

> the cities, towns and villages are not peaceful, the Earth will not

> enjoy peace. That is why the ancient rishis, munis, seers and

> thinkers have found shanti, peace, everywhere and not just in the

> temples."

>

> "If you want to resurrect the divinity within you, there is only

one

> way: name."

>

> Everywhere is God's temple. Everything is in the name of God.

>

> Ram

>

> , "Karen" <karenborak@e...>

wrote:

> > Namaste ALL esp Ram,

> >

> > Ram is probably not your name, and I do apologize if Western

> > ignorance wags its inconvenient head. I don't know where to

start

> > in expressing how happy your post made me. (Please post more and

> > often.) Every single word sparkled across the screen, and I have

> > printed it to share with others in my life. Though all, and I do

> > mean all, of the post was wonderfully soothing, the part that

made

> > me smile the most is this: The secret of all rituals, whether

> Hindu,

> > Christian or tantric is just childlike faith, the faith of a

> child.

> > I can't pretend I have that kind of faith, but I do feel that

when

> I

> > sit in asan before Shiva or Laksmi or when I kneel before the

> cross,

> > when I sit in a cozy chair with a cup of cocoa and read

> > anybody's "good word", I know God is there, mixed up down

> throughout

> > in and out of it all. That feeling of God and me trying to

figure

> > it all out and make it work is what takes me through the day.

And

> I

> > thank you, thank you, thank you for your words and the words you

> > shared. Do it again, ok?

> >

> > Namaste,

> > Karen

> >

> >

> > , "ramavihs11"

<ramavihs11>

> > wrote:

> > > Dear Shiva,

> > >

> > > I have read the postings for some time but have never posted.

> It

> > > seems most of the postings deal with the "worship" of God, in

> > > whatever form and changing yourself for the better. All

> > commendable

> > > goals. I would humbly like to offer some words I have read

from

> a

> > > disciple of Swami Sivananda, Swami Satyananda Saraswati;

> > >

> > > "The establishment and identification of the relationship of

God

> > is

> > > tantamount to the attainment of God. You can easily perform

His

> > > pooja, sing his arati or say, "Namah Namh", chant Hanuman

> Chalisa

> > or

> > > Rama Raksha Stotram and offer abhishek. A robot can do all of

> > this

> > > for you. You can even play a tape instead of singing bhajans

> and

> > > kirtan. It is good to talk about Him, to hear about Him, to

> > worship

> > > Him, but to establish a relationship with God is very

> difficult.

> > > One who has struck a relationship with God and clearly

> recognized

> > > that relationship has already attained God."

> > >

> > > "I read all the books, even the Bible and the Koran. I

thought,

> > at

> > > least I'll get some idea about God. Then i thought, nothing is

> > > working! I can talk a lot, but what is so great about talk? So

> I

> > > said to myself, "Stop all this at once. Throw away the book,

> they

> > > are of no use. If you really want to meet God then the heart

> has

> > to

> > > be set on God alone."

> > >

> > > "In this age of adharma, of tension, confusion, passion and

> greed,

> > > of depression, there is no other way except God's name."

> > >

> > > "Ultimately, in the evening of my life I found the trick. I

was

> > > reading Ramacharitamanas and I read that Rama is the shabda

> mantra

> > > which Lord Shiva gives initiation into. Bhagavan Shiva formed

> the

> > > shabda mantra which is one word, Rama."

> > >

> > > "God's name improves the quality of the mind, the relationships

> > and

> > > the atmosphere. Never forget this."

> > >

> > > "I am not telling you to forsake the path of pooja, to stop all

> > > worship, reading and reciting. But whenever you find time, sit

> > and

> > > chant the name of God. Whenever there is time, repeat the name

> of

> > > God. It is the only way you savages will become free."

> > >

> > > "The secret of all rituals, whether Hindu, Christian or tantric

> is

> > > just childlike faith, the faith of a child."

> > >

> > > So for those of you who find your intellect overwhelmed it

seems

> > > there is a simplier way. Think of the form you would choose for

> > God,

> > > your relationship with him, and repeat his name. Everything

> else

> > > will happen thru his grace.

> > >

> > > Thank you Maa and Swamiji for the openness of this forum. It

> > makes

> > > for a great learning experience.

> > >

> > > Ram

>

>

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