Guest guest Posted June 21, 2005 Report Share Posted June 21, 2005 OM NAMAH SIVAYA very interesting. just keep on keeping on i guess. this post and your post about The Guru being the cause of all circumstance are just more examples of path being like razor's edge. the street of love Swamiji spoke of can seem so narrow at times it seems hard to believe that there can even be room for two. i guess that is where the Guru comes in, the construction worker that widens the road. JAI MA , "Chris Kirner" <chriskirner1956> wrote: > Eric, > > Isn't it interesting how well your quote goes with Nanda's story? > > Yes, I think everyone does the same with regard to their desires. > After all, it is a process, isn't it? It's like training the body to > sit in one asana; a little bit every day and before too long it > becomes comfortable (well, at least bearable). > > Jai Maa! > Chris > > > > , "ecjensen_us" <ecjensen_us> > wrote: > > > > OM NAMAH SIVAYA > > > > Chris, this quote from Swami Rama reminds me of something i read > > from Swami Satyananda of the Bihar School of Yoga; > > > > "The relationship between you and God is very personal. It is a > > direct relationship. The street of love is too narrow to > > accommodate more than two people. The relationship with God is like > > the street of love; there is only you and Him. > > > > Nothing is difficult for one who is blessed by God, but He is a > > complex element. It is not easy to pull Him by ropes or to pin him > > down. You must pledge some act of renunciation, and you don't have > > to ask anybody about it; you have to decide it for yourself. You > > give something to God and you get something from him." > > > > your quote of Swami Rama also reminds me of how i was taught to take > > tests in school. i was told to first answer the questions i feel > > comfortable with and skip the hard ones till the end. this is the > > same way i have i have approached desires. give up the ones i'm > > comfortable with and saved the hard ones for till the end. i > > figured this way hopefully "the experience of higher dimensions of > > life" will continue to build my courage, love, and faith to tackle > > the difficult ones. may i be a child lead by the love of God. > > > > JAI MA > > > > > > , "Chris Kirner" > > <chriskirner1956> wrote: > > > Nanda, > > > > > > In my opinion, "true giving" or "generosity" is our natural > > expression > > > of the love and grace of God. It should be as natural and > > unconscious > > > as breathing. > > > > > > Like Sadhvi, when I think of giving I think of Shree Maa and > > Swamiji, > > > who give constantly, never asking for anything in return, and, of > > > course, I think of my gurudeva, who gave me life. > > > > > > Unfortunately, as others have intimated, our giving will never be > > > perfect until we are, possessing purified egos, and free from > > desire > > > and attachment. Until then, giving is sadhana. > > > > > > I have lately been reading Swami Rama's commentary on the Bhagavad > > > Gita. He has some beautiful and interesting things to say about > > giving > > > that i would like to share here. > > > > > > "When one gives up his desires, a new horizon of awareness opens to > > > him. But those who hold on to their desires are not able to > > experience > > > the higher dimensions of life. Fulfilling desires gives birth to > > many > > > more desires, and there is no end to that cycle. When one learns to > > > give up desires, however, he is elevated to the next step of > > > experience. There is a mental law that if your give up what you > > have, > > > you receive something new. That principle sustains life. If we do > > not > > > give up the carbon dioxide and used up gases by exhaling, we cannot > > > survive at all; we must exhale in order to inhale. In order to > > survive > > > and to receive, we have to give up. Give up first; only then will > > you > > > receive. This law continues to help one until the last breath of > > life. > > > The student is always afraid and hesitant about giving up, for he > > is > > > attached to all the things that he thinks belong to him. His false > > > sense of possessiveness is a great enemy on the path of unfoldment. > > > One must learn to have courage and give up what he has in order to > > > receive that which is glorious and beautiful, limitless and > > infinite." > > > > > > "One thinks that if he sacrifices, he will not have enough for > > > himself. He thinks that sacrifice is a loss because he is attached > > to > > > and identified with that which would be given in sacrifice. Thus > > he is > > > afraid of sacrifice. Actually what one loses in sacrifice is > > > attachment and fear. If one is not attached to the object, there > > is no > > > loss in sacrifice. The egocentric person believes that sacrifice > > means > > > kbeing consumed or even dying, but in fact it is only one's > > egocentric > > > perspective that dies in sacrifice. The ocean is not used up in > > giving > > > off moisture through evaporation, and the resources of a human > > being > > > are not used up in sacrificing. Actually the more one sacrifices, > > the > > > more one has. In sacrificing one gives up that to which he has been > > > holding on, and he is then open to receive. As long as one is > > holding > > > on, he is closed off to receiving the sacrifice of the universe." > > > > > > "The giving human being sacrifices his best for his beloved, but > > the > > > selfish person uses all his so-called loved ones for the sake of > > his > > > selfish pleasures. Those who are not aware of the law of expansion > > do > > > not experience the joy of sacrificing and giving. But those who > > have > > > practiced to strengthen the quality of giving cannot stop giving, > > for > > > giving fills one of the highest of joys, whereas expecting and > > taking > > > only lead to momentary pleasure that later results in disgust, > > > disappointment, and a sorrowful state of mind. Those who do not > > learn > > > to give or sacrifice the fruits of their actions do not know the > > art > > > of living and being. > > > > > > The essence of sacrifice is giving selflessly. It is a complete > > > expression of love in the true sense. Those who learn to be content > > > with only their essential needs fulfilled are truly happy, and they > > > use all their resources in the love and service of others. The > > little > > > bit that is left over is used for the sustenance of their > > existence in > > > the world so that they can continue giving. Such individuals live > > for > > > others. But the selfish are not aware of the law of giving and are > > > doomed." > > > > > > That last paragraph sound like someone we know? > > > > > > Jai Nanda! > > > Jai Maa! > > > > > > Chris > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > , Nanda <chandimaakijai> > > wrote: > > > > Dear All, > > > > Here is another question that has been on my mind for a while... > > > what is true giving ? What is generosity ? > > > > > > > > How do we donate our time/money/energy in an appropriate way ? > > > > > > > > I look forward to your responses. > > > > > > > > JAI GURU > > > > Nanda > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > 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 21, 2005 Report Share Posted June 21, 2005 Jai Gurudeva!! Chris , "ecjensen_us" <ecjensen_us> wrote: > OM NAMAH SIVAYA > > very interesting. just keep on keeping on i guess. this post and > your post about The Guru being the cause of all circumstance are > just more examples of path being like razor's edge. the street of > love Swamiji spoke of can seem so narrow at times it seems hard to > believe that there can even be room for two. i guess that is where > the Guru comes in, the construction worker that widens the road. > > JAI MA > > > , "Chris Kirner" > <chriskirner1956> wrote: > > Eric, > > > > Isn't it interesting how well your quote goes with Nanda's story? > > > > Yes, I think everyone does the same with regard to their desires. > > After all, it is a process, isn't it? It's like training the body > to > > sit in one asana; a little bit every day and before too long it > > becomes comfortable (well, at least bearable). > > > > Jai Maa! > > Chris > > > > > > > > , "ecjensen_us" > <ecjensen_us> > > wrote: > > > > > > OM NAMAH SIVAYA > > > > > > Chris, this quote from Swami Rama reminds me of something i read > > > from Swami Satyananda of the Bihar School of Yoga; > > > > > > "The relationship between you and God is very personal. It is a > > > direct relationship. The street of love is too narrow to > > > accommodate more than two people. The relationship with God is > like > > > the street of love; there is only you and Him. > > > > > > Nothing is difficult for one who is blessed by God, but He is a > > > complex element. It is not easy to pull Him by ropes or to pin > him > > > down. You must pledge some act of renunciation, and you don't > have > > > to ask anybody about it; you have to decide it for yourself. > You > > > give something to God and you get something from him." > > > > > > your quote of Swami Rama also reminds me of how i was taught to > take > > > tests in school. i was told to first answer the questions i > feel > > > comfortable with and skip the hard ones till the end. this is > the > > > same way i have i have approached desires. give up the ones i'm > > > comfortable with and saved the hard ones for till the end. i > > > figured this way hopefully "the experience of higher dimensions > of > > > life" will continue to build my courage, love, and faith to > tackle > > > the difficult ones. may i be a child lead by the love of God. > > > > > > JAI MA > > > > > > > > > , "Chris Kirner" > > > <chriskirner1956> wrote: > > > > Nanda, > > > > > > > > In my opinion, "true giving" or "generosity" is our natural > > > expression > > > > of the love and grace of God. It should be as natural and > > > unconscious > > > > as breathing. > > > > > > > > Like Sadhvi, when I think of giving I think of Shree Maa and > > > Swamiji, > > > > who give constantly, never asking for anything in return, and, > of > > > > course, I think of my gurudeva, who gave me life. > > > > > > > > Unfortunately, as others have intimated, our giving will never > be > > > > perfect until we are, possessing purified egos, and free from > > > desire > > > > and attachment. Until then, giving is sadhana. > > > > > > > > I have lately been reading Swami Rama's commentary on the > Bhagavad > > > > Gita. He has some beautiful and interesting things to say > about > > > giving > > > > that i would like to share here. > > > > > > > > "When one gives up his desires, a new horizon of awareness > opens to > > > > him. But those who hold on to their desires are not able to > > > experience > > > > the higher dimensions of life. Fulfilling desires gives birth > to > > > many > > > > more desires, and there is no end to that cycle. When one > learns to > > > > give up desires, however, he is elevated to the next step of > > > > experience. There is a mental law that if your give up what > you > > > have, > > > > you receive something new. That principle sustains life. If we > do > > > not > > > > give up the carbon dioxide and used up gases by exhaling, we > cannot > > > > survive at all; we must exhale in order to inhale. In order to > > > survive > > > > and to receive, we have to give up. Give up first; only then > will > > > you > > > > receive. This law continues to help one until the last breath > of > > > life. > > > > The student is always afraid and hesitant about giving up, for > he > > > is > > > > attached to all the things that he thinks belong to him. His > false > > > > sense of possessiveness is a great enemy on the path of > unfoldment. > > > > One must learn to have courage and give up what he has in > order to > > > > receive that which is glorious and beautiful, limitless and > > > infinite." > > > > > > > > "One thinks that if he sacrifices, he will not have enough for > > > > himself. He thinks that sacrifice is a loss because he is > attached > > > to > > > > and identified with that which would be given in sacrifice. > Thus > > > he is > > > > afraid of sacrifice. Actually what one loses in sacrifice is > > > > attachment and fear. If one is not attached to the object, > there > > > is no > > > > loss in sacrifice. The egocentric person believes that > sacrifice > > > means > > > > kbeing consumed or even dying, but in fact it is only one's > > > egocentric > > > > perspective that dies in sacrifice. The ocean is not used up > in > > > giving > > > > off moisture through evaporation, and the resources of a human > > > being > > > > are not used up in sacrificing. Actually the more one > sacrifices, > > > the > > > > more one has. In sacrificing one gives up that to which he has > been > > > > holding on, and he is then open to receive. As long as one is > > > holding > > > > on, he is closed off to receiving the sacrifice of the > universe." > > > > > > > > "The giving human being sacrifices his best for his beloved, > but > > > the > > > > selfish person uses all his so-called loved ones for the sake > of > > > his > > > > selfish pleasures. Those who are not aware of the law of > expansion > > > do > > > > not experience the joy of sacrificing and giving. But those > who > > > have > > > > practiced to strengthen the quality of giving cannot stop > giving, > > > for > > > > giving fills one of the highest of joys, whereas expecting and > > > taking > > > > only lead to momentary pleasure that later results in disgust, > > > > disappointment, and a sorrowful state of mind. Those who do > not > > > learn > > > > to give or sacrifice the fruits of their actions do not know > the > > > art > > > > of living and being. > > > > > > > > The essence of sacrifice is giving selflessly. It is a complete > > > > expression of love in the true sense. Those who learn to be > content > > > > with only their essential needs fulfilled are truly happy, and > they > > > > use all their resources in the love and service of others. The > > > little > > > > bit that is left over is used for the sustenance of their > > > existence in > > > > the world so that they can continue giving. Such individuals > live > > > for > > > > others. But the selfish are not aware of the law of giving and > are > > > > doomed." > > > > > > > > That last paragraph sound like someone we know? > > > > > > > > Jai Nanda! > > > > Jai Maa! > > > > > > > > Chris > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > , Nanda > <chandimaakijai> > > > wrote: > > > > > Dear All, > > > > > Here is another question that has been on my mind for a > while... > > > > what is true giving ? What is generosity ? > > > > > > > > > > How do we donate our time/money/energy in an appropriate > way ? > > > > > > > > > > I look forward to your responses. > > > > > > > > > > JAI GURU > > > > > Nanda > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Tired of spam? Mail has the best spam protection > around > > > > > Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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