To Latha on the why of chanting and one other matter

[Guest guest]

Latha Nanda wrote:

My question to you , dear readers , WHY do YOU chant ?

Dear Latha,

 

What an interesting experience and productive talk you had. This must be some disciple!

Why do I chant? Right now I am on my 4th, I call it re-reading of the

Chandi because I could not participate in the Guru Gita class. (But my

deepest thanks to Karen who is sending me the chapter that are being

read each week ~ I have been reading them, and checking out the

online class discussion.)

 

But by reading, I mean that I chant the Sanskrit aloud, then read the

English silently for each verse. I was doing this once a day, and now

I am doing it twice. I don't do the whole Chandi in a day; I am not up

to that yet, but I do at least two or three chapters. (And when the

group was doing this in preparation for Navaratri, I thought I

couldn't do it!) So, for the why ...

because I love spending part of my day every day with Ma Durga,

Mahakali, Mahalaksmi, Mahasaraswati, and it makes me feel good, and

it makes my day better. And ... I am a spiritual aspirant, so it is

part of my sadhana.

 

I also love chanting the MM mantra every Saturday because it makes me

feel more a part of the group, because I love the idea of chanting to

assist others in whatever difficulties they are facing, and it makes

me feel good.

 

On another note: I am part of another discussion group that is based

on positive thinking and reality creating. Someone wrote at one point

that if you desire something it will come to you, maybe not right

away, but it will come. Recently, I received a letter from a very

good friend of mine in Indiana. Several weeks before, my doctor had

told me he thought I should be drinking bottled or filtered water

(for reasons of my health). I told him I'd like to do that, but I

can't afford it. Meanwhile my friend, knowing of my health problems,

had been urging the same. So she wrote to me and asked if I would

mind a "donation" from her to help me buy the water.

I am dumbfounded just thinking about it.

 

Also, I have been wanting a moderately sized statuette of Shiva

Nataraj for years, but I have not been able to afford to buy one. In

the mail yesterday was a package from my sister. It was my birthday

presents (my birthday was November 3rd, so I just assumed she wasn't

going to send me anything and that our nice talk on the phone was my

present). I wrapped a heave something from the bubblewrap, the tissue

paper, and ... you guessed it, there was a beautiful, so beautiful

statuette of Shiva Nataraj that is now gracing my kitchen counter

altar.

: ) Amazing, yet true. Jai Maa Jai Swami Jai the Universe ~

Linda