Guest guest Posted June 1, 2005 Report Share Posted June 1, 2005 Once , a few weeks ago, I confessed to Swamiji how I was having difficulty getting to do any sadhana on a Friday evening. I just get off from work , dont feel like doing much except maybe heading to a Barnes and Noble and browsing the books there. Maybe a cuppa java at the cafe. Just linger over the books , listen to a few CDs and head home later that evening. This is a nice way to unwind after a long week. So I mentioned that to Swamiji...how I get sidetracked from sadhana to doing other "interesting" stuff. Swamiji smiled and said that he too had faced such attempts when he was beginning sadhana. He said (and I paraphrase) "I used to tell my Guru that I HAD to go away to Delhi to buy this IMPORTANT book" (Swamiji recounted his days in India as a sadhak under his Guru) And his Guru looked at him keenly and said (and I paraphrase) "Alright, now go and do your sadhana" , almost dismissing his student's wishes summarily. Swamiji said that his Guru knew the tricks the mind gets upto to wiggle out of sadhana. And Swamiji just smiled at me - as if to say "I too have been there and its tough, but the result is well worth it , so dont give up and keep at the sadhana". So the next time the lure of B&N is irresistable, I will give in and go check it out (for after all sometimes I HAVE to go and buy this important book), but I will forever remember Swamiji's compassionate face gently urging me not to yield to the tricks of my mind. Jai SwamijiNandaDo You ?Tired of spam? Mail has the best spam protection around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2005 Report Share Posted June 1, 2005 believe me, i have read all the spiritual books i coudl find, and doing sadhana is far more interesting. once it hooks you. om om om. you are then writing your own story like ripples in the water as your craft flows forward. keep at it, keep at it. make it your own path, it does not belong to anyone but you. , Nanda <chandimaakijai> wrote: > Dear All, > > Once , a few weeks ago, I confessed to Swamiji how I was having difficulty getting to do any sadhana on a Friday evening. > > I just get off from work , dont feel like doing much except maybe heading to a Barnes and Noble and browsing the books there. Maybe a cuppa java at the cafe. Just linger over the books , listen to a few CDs and head home later that evening. This is a nice way to unwind after a long week. > > So I mentioned that to Swamiji...how I get sidetracked from sadhana to doing other "interesting" stuff. > > Swamiji smiled and said that he too had faced such attempts when he was beginning sadhana. > > He said (and I paraphrase) "I used to tell my Guru that I HAD to go away to Delhi to buy this IMPORTANT book" (Swamiji recounted his days in India as a sadhak under his Guru) > > And his Guru looked at him keenly and said (and I paraphrase) "Alright, now go and do your sadhana" , almost dismissing his student's wishes summarily. > > Swamiji said that his Guru knew the tricks the mind gets upto to wiggle out of sadhana. > > And Swamiji just smiled at me - as if to say "I too have been there and its tough, but the result is well worth it , so dont give up and keep at the sadhana". > > So the next time the lure of B&N is irresistable, I will give in and go check it out (for after all sometimes I HAVE to go and buy this important book), but I will forever remember Swamiji's compassionate face gently urging me not to yield to the tricks of my mind. > > Jai Swamiji > Nanda > > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 1, 2005 Report Share Posted June 1, 2005 I think I agree with your approach from the point of view that it is better for the attachment to fall away. To halt the practice abruptly might keep the mind in what used to be / could have been phase for too long. On the other hand since Swamiji’s words would weigh heavily on my mind, and knowing that Guruji passed through this exact test of mind, I would offer the desire in puja at the Beloved Lotus Feet of Gurujis for "Her Will be done". Thanks for sharing Devi. Kalia Nanda <chandimaakijai > wrote: Dear All, Once , a few weeks ago, I confessed to Swamiji how I was having difficulty getting to do any sadhana on a Friday evening. I just get off from work , dont feel like doing much except maybe heading to a Barnes and Noble and browsing the books there. Maybe a cuppa java at the cafe. Just linger over the books , listen to a few CDs and head home later that evening. This is a nice way to unwind after a long week. So I mentioned that to Swamiji...how I get sidetracked from sadhana to doing other "interesting" stuff. Swamiji smiled and said that he too had faced such attempts when he was beginning sadhana. He said (and I paraphrase) "I used to tell my Guru that I HAD to go away to Delhi to buy this IMPORTANT book" (Swamiji recounted his days in India as a sadhak under his Guru) And his Guru looked at him keenly and said (and I paraphrase) "Alright, now go and do your sadhana" , almost dismissing his student's wishes summarily. Swamiji said that his Guru knew the tricks the mind gets upto to wiggle out of sadhana. And Swamiji just smiled at me - as if to say "I too have been there and its tough, but the result is well worth it , so dont give up and keep at the sadhana". So the next time the lure of B&N is irresistable, I will give in and go check it out (for after all sometimes I HAVE to go and buy this important book), but I will forever remember Swamiji's compassionate face gently urging me not to yield to the tricks of my mind. Jai SwamijiNanda Tired of spam? Mail has the best spam protection around Tired of spam? Mail has the best spam protection around Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted June 10, 2005 Report Share Posted June 10, 2005 Hi Brian, I asked Swamiji last week , the question that you had raised "Is it possible that his Guru saying "Go do your sadhana" had a dual meaning. Maybe he was testing Swamiji to see if he could go to town to buy his book as a service for the Goddess, just making it Sadhana" Swamiji said (and I paraphrase): "No, my Guru was asking me to sit in one asan and do my sadhana" and Swamiji followed with a line that is forever embedded in my mind. "Just because our minds want to go out into the marketplace , it does not mean that our bodies need to follow suit. It will/should sit in one place and focus on the chanting and the pranayam". Jai Swamiji Nanda , "Brian McKee" <brian@s...> wrote: > Hi Nanda, > > When you get a chance, ask Swamiji if its possible his guru's saying, "Go > do your sadhana," had a dual meaning. Maybe he was testing Swamiji to see > if he could go to town to buy his book as a service for the Goddess, just > making it Sadhana. > > By stating it the way he did, he left sadhana open for interpretation, and > that way Swamiji would do Sadhana no matter what he did... > > Debi has taught Krista and I that we do what we do not for ourselves, but > for Her. The little her we call daughter, and the big Her we call goddess, > all manifest in that cute little body. > > Love. > > Nanda Ki Jai wrote: > > Dear All, > > > > Once , a few weeks ago, I confessed to Swamiji how I was having > >difficulty getting to do any sadhana on a Friday evening. > > > > I just get off from work , dont feel like doing much except maybe > >heading to a Barnes and Noble and browsing the books there. Maybe a > >cuppa java at the cafe. Just linger over the books , listen to a few > > CDs and head home later that evening. This is a nice way to unwind > > after a long week. > > > > So I mentioned that to Swamiji...how I get sidetracked from > > sadhana to doing other "interesting" stuff. > > > > Swamiji smiled and said that he too had faced such attempts when > > he was beginning sadhana. > > > > He said (and I paraphrase) "I used to tell my Guru that I HAD to > > go away to Delhi to buy this IMPORTANT book" (Swamiji recounted his > > days in India as a sadhak under his Guru) > > > > And his Guru looked at him keenly and said (and I > > paraphrase) "Alright, now go and do your sadhana" , almost > > dismissing his student's wishes summarily. > > > > Swamiji said that his Guru knew the tricks the mind gets upto to > > wiggle out of sadhana. > > > > And Swamiji just smiled at me - as if to say "I too have been > > there and its tough, but the result is well worth it , so dont give > > up and keep at the sadhana". > > > > So the next time the lure of B&N is irresistable, I will give in > > and go check it out (for after all sometimes I HAVE to go and buy > > this important book), but I will forever remember Swamiji's > > compassionate face gently urging me not to yield to the tricks of my > > mind. > > > > Jai Swamiji > > Nanda > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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