to Ekta : GG Verse 155 : Recite the Guru Gita near a mango tree

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Jai Maa my dearest sister Maa Ektaji!

Once again i am astounded by the depth of your spiritual wisdom!

OM Ayim Srim Hrim Saraswati Devyai Namaha!

Almost everything you ever post i copy and paste into a special

folder in "My Documents"! i cherish and appreciate your deep heart-

felt sense of service to Mother's devotees. i really am swimming in

the sweetest joy. Thank-you so very much! :<D May all the Lokas Wake

Up and remember Who They are! May all know the Love of Divine Mother!

May all of our hearts be pure and sincere. May we all learn to speak

softly and sweetly to one another with absolute repect. This is my

heart-felt prayer. Maa, Lead us from untruth towards the Truth;

Lead us from darkness towards the Light;

Lead us from death to Immortality.

Om Shanti, Shanti, Shantihi

Your grateful sister,

muktimaa

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

, Eleathea Barraclough

<eleathea> wrote:

> Jai Maa,

>

> There are certain natural places that are conducive to spiritual

practices.

> When we sit underneath any tree, we benefit from the oxygen

produced by the

> leaves. Breathing well-oxygenated air is both soothing and

refreshing to the

> body and mind, therefore allowing us to have a stable asan and a

peaceful mind

> while chanting or meditating.

>

> In addition, trees are like antenna that attract cosmic energy of

different

> vibrations. By sitting underneath the trees we can absorb those

subtle

> energies. There are many traditions about how sitting under

different trees

> during chanting/meditation allows us to benefit. Different trees

may have

> different effects or give different benefits, although I don't know

those

> details. Banyan trees are often noted, as well as the pipal tree

(under which

> Lord Buddha sat), etc. Sri Ramakrishna used to meditate in

a "panchavati", a

> grove of the 5 sacred trees. This is considered very auspicious for

good

> meditation.

>

> River banks are very highly venerated as places of sadhana. One

reason is that

> the flow of pure water generates an active life force that helps to

enliven the

> subtle body. ONe can even go into the river for chanting. This is

how many have

> done their sadhana, as the combination of flowing water and mantra

chanting

> helps to awaken the chakras. On a physical level, flowing water

helps to create

> negative ions in the air. Negative ions are what make the air feel

fresh, pure

> and sweet, and they put us in an alert, peaceful, and cheerful

frame of mind.

> Polluted areas and indoor locations can be too low in negative

ions, which

> leads to dullness and irritability, even headaches. Flowing or

crashing water

> is always good, so doing sadhana on the banks of rivers, by the

edge of hte

> ocean, or near a waterfaull is very good for deep, steady

meditation.

>

> Forest areas are very powerful for meditation, because they produce

good air

> and positive subtle energy. Many medicinal herbs grow in forests,

and they add

> their own auspicious energy to the mix, especially when the wind

blows over the

> herbs and carries some of the essence to us as we breathe.

>

> I'm really fascinated by the elephant reference. Elephants are

considered

> especially sacred in Indian tradition. In teh South, elephants are

kept within

> temple precincts. They are worshipped and decorated, and they give

their

> "blessing" to pilgrims in a fun way. You go up to them (the mahout

is standing

> there too), and hold out some coins in your hand. The elephant will

put out its

> trunk so that you can drop the coins into the trunk tip, and the

elephant will

> then curl its trunk and lightly "bop" you on teh head as blessing,

then it

> deposits teh coins in the mahout's hand. In the Kamakshi Devi

temple in Kanchi,

> elephant and cow puja is performed every day in front of hte main

murti, so

> that Devi can "see" this auspicious sight first thing in the

morning. So

> clearly elephants, like cows, have a special vibration. They really

are

> remarkable creatures.

>

> I've seen advice to do japa in cow sheds, to increase the efficacy

of the japa.

> Cows have very sattvic positive energy, so I guess it helps.

>

> In te case of cremation grounds, I'm really not sure of the subtle

energy

> effects, but on an emotional level, I guess one would have to

overcome fear and

> clinging to worldliness in order to practice there. So it's

recommended for

> those who want to test themselves somewhat. I don't know much else

about it.

>

> Jai Maa,

> Ekta

>

> --- Chris Kirner <chriskirner1956> wrote:

>

> > Kalia,

> >

> > OK, here's what I'm thinking now about these verses.

> >

> > I know most of you are thinking of these verses in terms of an

inward,

> > metaphorical interpretation, but I don't think so. I just don't

think

> > the context supports that interpretation, not that the inner

> > conception of the environment isn't important, or even mentioned

(it

> > is), but that it is not the primary sense of these verses, in my

opinion.

> >

> > I am now thinking that these verses describe preferred locations,

or

> > those locations most conducive to recitation. These locations are

> > divided into three categories, of increasing sophistication. The

> > intent, I think, is both to reassure, and provide some general

> > guidelines about how the energy and consciousness of the

scripture,

> > and the sadhaka, fit with the rest of the world.

> >

> > We are all aware that certain physical localities have their own

> > energy, an intrinsic impetus to a certain kind of consciousness.

That

> > is why we go to temples (or why we would if we had any temples

here).

> > That is why we do certain practices in the same locations rishis

did

> > them in times past (or we would if we had any rishis here [present

> > company excepted]). Some places, by their nature, are benign, and

some

> > are less so, and different levels of experience, purity, and

mastery

> > lend themselves to greater caution, or perhaps greater challenges.

> >

> > The first category is that sadhaka chanting for personal desires

(vs.

> > 152). This is the most vulnerable recitation to adverse

influences,

> > and one assumes, the least experienced practitioner. The

locations are

> > few and probably the purest most benign of the "pure" locations.

Two

> > are near water, and two are in temples (Vishnu and Shiva).

> >

> > The second category is that of the sadhaka practicing "vows of

> > purifying austerities". This is an unselfish recitation, in the

> > pursuit of enlightenment, and is more inherently protected than

the

> > former type, and one may assume the practitioner is more

experienced

> > (though mention of one without understanding is included here).

Two

> > verses describe the "pure" locations in which this kind of

recitation

> > is best undertaken (vs. 153-154). This includes "at the feet of

the

> > creator" which can be anywhere, and speaks directly to what most

of

> > you have expressed a preference for, the creation of your own

sacred

> > space from the inside. I find myself wondering though if this

phrase

> > "at the feet of the creator" doesn't perhaps refer to a specific

> > establishment of the asana with mantra (just a feeling).

> >

> > The third category is the most advanced. It is attaining to

> > "perfection". This category contains both benign and potentially

> > malevolent environments. I believe it is for the advanced

> > practitioner. I think it is interesting that three types of trees

are

> > given as benign places to achieve perfection along with the

possibly

> > more challenging "fearful place". These species of trees are

> > associated with Shiva (and in the case of the banyan, with the

guru),

> > but so are lots of other things. I wonder what makes trees so

special

> > (other than the fact that they provide some shelter)?

> >

> > So that's what I think, now. I know that later on we are told we

can

> > recite while riding on an elephant, so I'm not saying these are

> > "rules", but that they are intended to guide one to the best

possible

> > circumstances for recitation, for these three basic stages or

purposes.

> >

> > Jai Maa!

> > Chris

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > , Kali Kali

> > <kaliananda_saraswati> wrote:

> > >

> > > Here's our verse today -

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > 155. In the cremation grounds and any other fearful place, or

at the

> > root of a banyan tree perfection may be attained; at the root of a

> > datura tree (thorn-wood apple tree) or near a mango tree.

> > >

> > >

> > >

> > > Jai GuRu ki jai!

> > >

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