Guest guest Posted October 18, 2004 Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 Question from Kalachandra: The Cosmic Altar has been described in the Vaikritikam Rahasyam (from the Chandi Path) as the best way to worship her. Does this mean that we should position the deities in our homes as described in the Rahasyam ? Latha adds in : Would you advise us to model our altars at home based on the Cosmic Altar ? Thank you. Swamiji's response : It is an extremely sophisticated form of worship. Certainly we want to move in that direction, but don't move so fast as to make our worship a burden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2004 Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 you see a lot of sensitivity in his answer regarding not making worship a burden. s , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > > > Question from Kalachandra: > The Cosmic Altar has been described in the Vaikritikam Rahasyam > (from the Chandi Path) as the best way to worship her. Does this > mean that we should position the deities in our homes as described > in the Rahasyam ? > > Latha adds in : Would you advise us to model our altars at > home based on the Cosmic Altar ? Thank you. > > Swamiji's response : > It is an extremely sophisticated form of worship. Certainly we want > to move in that direction, but don't move so fast as to make our > worship a burden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2004 Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 Hi Steve, In November 2001, Swamiji and Shree Maa and some of the family came down to Palm Springs for a big Yoga Conference. They did satsang on Friday night and then Swamiji taught two classes on Saturday. It was wonderful! I asked him if I could talk to him about my altar. He said “certainly.” I said “my altar is not exactly like yours (The Cosmic Altar). He said “I wouldn’t expect it to be. Your altar is your personal expression.” I described my altar to him. He said “well, you certainly have a lot to work with.” Later, he came up to me and said “our altars are where we go to get into an altered state.” and gave me one of his delicious smiles. What a teacher! Ardis you see a lot of sensitivity in his answer regarding not making worship a burden. s , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> wrote: > > > Question from Kalachandra: > The Cosmic Altar has been described in the Vaikritikam Rahasyam > (from the Chandi Path) as the best way to worship her. Does this > mean that we should position the deities in our homes as described > in the Rahasyam ? > > Latha adds in : Would you advise us to model our altars at > home based on the Cosmic Altar ? Thank you. > > Swamiji's response : > It is an extremely sophisticated form of worship. Certainly we want > to move in that direction, but don't move so fast as to make our > worship a burden. Sponsor <http://us.ard./SIG=129fpsrl7/M=315388.5500238.6578046.3001176/D=groups/S=1705075991:HM/EXP=1098233446/A=2372354/R=0/SIG=12id813k2/*https://www.orchardbank.com/hcs/hcsapplication?pf=PLApply&media=EMYHNL40F21004SS> / <?subject=Un> Terms of Service <> . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 18, 2004 Report Share Posted October 18, 2004 yes. i never saw him smile. maybe some day. he keeps his mind on the purpose of things not the outer form. even though he's pretty good at outer form [understatement.] and he does not contribute to making one feeling inadequate in any way, instead, he inspires you. guru gita: your soul is the soul of the world. meditate on the guru as one's body. profound translations. any more stories, i'm interested! s , Ardis Jackson <anandamama@e...> wrote: > > Hi Steve, > > > > In November 2001, Swamiji and Shree Maa and some of the family came down to > > Palm Springs for a big Yoga Conference. They did satsang on Friday night and > > then Swamiji taught two classes on Saturday. It was wonderful! > > > > I asked him if I could talk to him about my altar. He said ³certainly.² I > > said ³my altar is not exactly like yours (The Cosmic Altar). He said ³I > > wouldn¹t expect it to be. Your altar is your personal expression.² I > > described my altar to him. He said ³well, you certainly have a lot to work > > with.² > > > > Later, he came up to me and said ³our altars are where we go to get into an > > altered state.² and gave me one of his delicious smiles. > > > > What a teacher! > > > > Ardis > > > > you see a lot of sensitivity in his answer regarding not making > > worship a burden. > > > > s > > > > , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> > > wrote: > >> > > >> > > >> > Question from Kalachandra: > >> > The Cosmic Altar has been described in the Vaikritikam Rahasyam > >> > (from the Chandi Path) as the best way to worship her. Does this > >> > mean that we should position the deities in our homes as described > >> > in the Rahasyam ? > >> > > >> > Latha adds in : Would you advise us to model our altars at > >> > home based on the Cosmic Altar ? Thank you. > >> > > >> > Swamiji's response : > >> > It is an extremely sophisticated form of worship. Certainly we > > want > >> > to move in that direction, but don't move so fast as to make our > >> > worship a burden. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Sponsor > > > > > > > > <http://us.ard./SIG=129fpsrl7/M=315388.5500238.6578046.30011 76/D=grou > > ps/S=1705075991:HM/EXP=1098233446/A=2372354/R=0/SIG=12id813k2/*https: //www.orc > > hardbank.com/hcs/hcsapplication? pf=PLApply&media=EMYHNL40F21004SS> > > > > > > Links > > * > > * / > > * > > * > > * > > <? subject=Un> > > * > > * Terms of Service > > <> . > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 Yes, Those who've had the privilege of spending time with Maa and Swamiji are truly blessed. Chris , "Steve Connor" <sconnor@a...> wrote: > > > yes. i never saw him smile. maybe some day. he keeps his mind on the > purpose of things not the outer form. even though he's pretty good > at outer form [understatement.] and he does not contribute to making > one feeling inadequate in any way, instead, he inspires you. > > guru gita: your soul is the soul of the world. meditate on the guru > as one's body. profound translations. > > any more stories, i'm interested! > > s > > , Ardis Jackson <anandamama@e...> > wrote: > > > Hi Steve, > > > > > > In November 2001, Swamiji and Shree Maa and some of the family > came down to > > > Palm Springs for a big Yoga Conference. They did satsang on > Friday night and > > > then Swamiji taught two classes on Saturday. It was wonderful! > > > > > > I asked him if I could talk to him about my altar. He said > ³certainly.² I > > > said ³my altar is not exactly like yours (The Cosmic Altar). > He > said ³I > > > wouldn¹t expect it to be. Your altar is your personal > expression.² I > > > described my altar to him. He said ³well, you certainly have > a > lot to work > > > with.² > > > > > > Later, he came up to me and said ³our altars are where we go > to > get into an > > > altered state.² and gave me one of his delicious smiles. > > > > > > What a teacher! > > > > > > Ardis > > > > > > you see a lot of sensitivity in his answer regarding not making > > > worship a burden. > > > > > > s > > > > > > , "Latha Nanda" > <lathananda> > > > wrote: > > >> > > > >> > > > >> > Question from Kalachandra: > > >> > The Cosmic Altar has been described in the Vaikritikam > Rahasyam > > >> > (from the Chandi Path) as the best way to worship her. Does > this > > >> > mean that we should position the deities in our homes as > described > > >> > in the Rahasyam ? > > >> > > > >> > Latha adds in : Would you advise us to model our altars at > > >> > home based on the Cosmic Altar ? Thank you. > > >> > > > >> > Swamiji's response : > > >> > It is an extremely sophisticated form of worship. Certainly we > > > want > > >> > to move in that direction, but don't move so fast as to make > our > > >> > worship a burden. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Sponsor > > > > > > > > > > > > > <http://us.ard./SIG=129fpsrl7/M=315388.5500238.6578046.30011 > 76/D=grou > > > > ps/S=1705075991:HM/EXP=1098233446/A=2372354/R=0/SIG=12id813k2/*https: > //www.orc > > > hardbank.com/hcs/hcsapplication? > pf=PLApply&media=EMYHNL40F21004SS> > > > > > > > > > Links > > > * > > > * / > > > * > > > * > > > * > > > <? > subject=Un> > > > * > > > * Terms of > Service > > > <> . > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 Yes, This reminds me of his reply to Latha when she asked him if we had to chant a certain passage of the Chandi after another (or others), and he said "It is a privilege to chant." Sometimes (more often than I'd like to admit) it is a challenge to remain connected on an emotional level to my chanting. It often seems like a burden. It is a struggle for me. I think there is a fine line, up until a certian point in one's development, between tapas and love of practice, the emotional connection with the shakti of the mantras. Too much tapas, and practice becomes all about that, and the connection with the divine suffers. Chris , "Steve Connor" <sconnor@a...> wrote: > > > you see a lot of sensitivity in his answer regarding not making > worship a burden. > > s > > , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> > wrote: > > > > > > Question from Kalachandra: > > The Cosmic Altar has been described in the Vaikritikam Rahasyam > > (from the Chandi Path) as the best way to worship her. Does this > > mean that we should position the deities in our homes as described > > in the Rahasyam ? > > > > Latha adds in : Would you advise us to model our altars at > > home based on the Cosmic Altar ? Thank you. > > > > Swamiji's response : > > It is an extremely sophisticated form of worship. Certainly we > want > > to move in that direction, but don't move so fast as to make our > > worship a burden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 i think more often than not, people suffer from trying to stick to external form over the inner impulse. eternal perfection. it is an amazing concept. we are evolving endlessly. there is no one objective that is final i can see from here. as we move closer it widens and becomes at once closer and even more remote. even as swamiji and shree maa teach an enormous number of practices, and their own example is of a great will, i do not believe that will alone suffices, or is their intention for us to learn. we are vulnerable beings. one's spiritual goal is not to be a superman or superwoman. it's all internal. we need to be able to operate from there more and more. good thoughts. everything follows from this internal. the association with sangha influences those good thoughts and they emerge as actions which influence the thoughts of others. swamiji also said: "sadhana expands and contracts." this means, like all of nature, it has phases; like breathing. we adjust; even our interest changes scope and quality; we are not robots, although we might be as consistent as we can in our efforts. some of us are more physical than others. that physical gesture of the puja for example brings into line the thoughts. but even then, perhaps it does not. what then? in my mind, to make a single gesture of giving a leaf with the heart is better than 9 million japas without any feeling or zest. but even here one can be wrong, and all those mantras were said to loosen some calcification of the spiritual being. like ranamkrishan said, about the householder having to lift up a heavy rock. sometimes it's hard. sometimes it's easy. every moment sadhana is different. but we are moving somehow towards the light, sometimes like a winner, sometimes like a lost butterfly, sometimes it feels great, sometimes it hurts. sometimes we feel alone, other times lifted by a group. all this is the maya or god's will we must suffer or enjoy as however best we can. our patient soul. om jai om jai om jai. love to all. , "Chris Kirner" <chriskirner1956> wrote: > > > Yes, > > This reminds me of his reply to Latha when she asked him if we had to > chant a certain passage of the Chandi after another (or others), and > he said "It is a privilege to chant." > > Sometimes (more often than I'd like to admit) it is a challenge to > remain connected on an emotional level to my chanting. It often seems > like a burden. It is a struggle for me. I think there is a fine line, > up until a certian point in one's development, between tapas and love > of practice, the emotional connection with the shakti of the mantras. > Too much tapas, and practice becomes all about that, and the > connection with the divine suffers. > > Chris > > > , "Steve Connor" <sconnor@a...> wrote: > > > > > > you see a lot of sensitivity in his answer regarding not making > > worship a burden. > > > > s > > > > , "Latha Nanda" <lathananda> > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > Question from Kalachandra: > > > The Cosmic Altar has been described in the Vaikritikam Rahasyam > > > (from the Chandi Path) as the best way to worship her. Does this > > > mean that we should position the deities in our homes as described > > > in the Rahasyam ? > > > > > > Latha adds in : Would you advise us to model our altars at > > > home based on the Cosmic Altar ? Thank you. > > > > > > Swamiji's response : > > > It is an extremely sophisticated form of worship. Certainly we > > want > > > to move in that direction, but don't move so fast as to make our > > > worship a burden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted October 19, 2004 Report Share Posted October 19, 2004 Steve, Yes, it's interesting, this inner/outer polarity. I come from a tradition that stresses knowledge (theory and practice) and internal methods of practice over external. Rituals, if they were there at all, were internal. At the Mandir, or course, most everything is externally oriented, ritual. Words are spoken aloud, offerings are actual food and other items, baths are given to murtiis. But whenever Swamiji or Maa talk about the path, do they talk about the proper way to present a flower, or bathe the murtii? No, they emphasize the internal aspect, the respect, the attention, the love. "It's about a love affair," Swamiji says. I have heard it said that this distinction between inner and outer is a false dichotomy, that it does not exist. There is no difference. My mind and heart cannot encompass this idea yet, but I suspect that when they finally can my world will never be the same again. Chris , "Steve Connor" <sconnor@a...> wrote: > > > i think more often than not, people suffer from trying to stick to > external form over the inner impulse. eternal perfection. it is an > amazing concept. we are evolving endlessly. there is no one > objective that is final i can see from here. as we move closer it > widens and becomes at once closer and even more remote. > > even as swamiji and shree maa teach an enormous number of practices, > and their own example is of a great will, i do not believe that will > alone suffices, or is their intention for us to learn. we are > vulnerable beings. one's spiritual goal is not to be a superman or > superwoman. > > it's all internal. we need to be able to operate from there more and > more. good thoughts. everything follows from this internal. the > association with sangha influences those good thoughts and they > emerge as actions which influence the thoughts of others. > > swamiji also said: "sadhana expands and contracts." this means, like > all of nature, it has phases; like breathing. we adjust; even our > interest changes scope and quality; we are not robots, although we > might be as consistent as we can in our efforts. > > some of us are more physical than others. that physical gesture of > the puja for example brings into line the thoughts. but even then, > perhaps it does not. what then? > > in my mind, to make a single gesture of giving a leaf with the heart > is better than 9 million japas without any feeling or zest. but even > here one can be wrong, and all those mantras were said to loosen > some calcification of the spiritual being. like ranamkrishan said, > about the householder having to lift up a heavy rock. > > sometimes it's hard. sometimes it's easy. every moment sadhana is > different. but we are moving somehow towards the light, sometimes > like a winner, sometimes like a lost butterfly, sometimes it feels > great, sometimes it hurts. sometimes we feel alone, other times > lifted by a group. all this is the maya or god's will we must suffer > or enjoy as however best we can. our patient soul. om jai om jai om > jai. love to all. > > > , "Chris Kirner" > <chriskirner1956> wrote: > > > > > > Yes, > > > > This reminds me of his reply to Latha when she asked him if we had > to > > chant a certain passage of the Chandi after another (or others), > and > > he said "It is a privilege to chant." > > > > Sometimes (more often than I'd like to admit) it is a challenge to > > remain connected on an emotional level to my chanting. It often > seems > > like a burden. It is a struggle for me. I think there is a fine > line, > > up until a certian point in one's development, between tapas and > love > > of practice, the emotional connection with the shakti of the > mantras. > > Too much tapas, and practice becomes all about that, and the > > connection with the divine suffers. > > > > Chris > > > > > > , "Steve Connor" <sconnor@a...> > wrote: > > > > > > > > > you see a lot of sensitivity in his answer regarding not making > > > worship a burden. > > > > > > s > > > > > > , "Latha Nanda" > <lathananda> > > > wrote: > > > > > > > > > > > > Question from Kalachandra: > > > > The Cosmic Altar has been described in the Vaikritikam > Rahasyam > > > > (from the Chandi Path) as the best way to worship her. Does > this > > > > mean that we should position the deities in our homes as > described > > > > in the Rahasyam ? > > > > > > > > Latha adds in : Would you advise us to model our altars at > > > > home based on the Cosmic Altar ? Thank you. > > > > > > > > Swamiji's response : > > > > It is an extremely sophisticated form of worship. Certainly we > > > want > > > > to move in that direction, but don't move so fast as to make > our > > > > worship a burden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.