To Melissa on being a "new student"

[Guest guest]

Melissa wrote:

I will try to read and learn as much as can here, before

speaking/writing as i such a new student...I meditate many times a

day...and work on service to my fellows every single day of ,my life.

Through my prayer, meditation, service to my children and honouring my

parents, friends and community....I struggle with my humanness and

taking my will back, for i am imperfect and selfish...My journey is

one of self sacrifice and taking up the causes of the

vulnerable...The "rituals" and "culture" of the Hindu "religion"

escape me and my understanding as some of it would be near impossible

to practice in a community of ?I feel a need to shed my western self

(ego) (name) and become who my eternal Creator created.

Dear Melissa,

 

Even though you may not yet be familiar with the language and the

rituals associated with Hinduism, you are even now practicing it's

spirit. I only wish I could say that my sadhana (selfless service,

meditation, puja, etc.) were as fully developed as yours.

 

Besides belonging to this group and taking advantage of all the great

resources (this digest, books and tapes and online classes from the

Shree Maa website), another good way to acquaint yourself with

Hindusim is in a very user-friendly guide written by Linda Johnsen.

One of her first books, "Daughters of the Goddess, the Women Saints

of India," has sections on many of these great souls, including Shree

Maa. The book I am referring to is called "The Complete Idiot's Guide

to Hinduism." This is not to imply that you or any other person who

gets the book (I got one for Christmas) is a idiot, but I think it is

kind of playing off the whole books for dummies idea. Anyway, it is a

wonderful compendium of facts on every aspect of Hinduism from

dieties to rituals to meditation to history. Amazon.com has it

available.

 

To paraphrase, and add a little to something Swami once sent to the

prayer club (however, these are my words):

Selfless service is how we show our love to others.

Worship is how we show our love to the Divine.

Meditation is removing all distinctions between ourselves and the Divine and becoming One.

 

You are definitely not a beginner ... just someone who has felt a tug

at her heart and is learning a new "language." Blessings ~ Linda