To Wendy about Mother Earth Sankalpa

[Guest guest]

Wendy wrote:

>> ...Due to ill health I find the mind (and body) are very heavy at

the >> moment and it's less strain for me to just listen to the

Navagraha >> CD...it's easier on the mind, and certainly easier for

my husband >> who can't seem to get his tongue around any mantras.

Dear Wendy ~ Nanda may pass your question on to Swami or answer it

herself, but I'll share a response I received from Swamiji to a

similar question. I am sorry about your ill health, and it does

create a heaviness on the mind and body.

I have wanted to participate in some of the group sankalpas, which are

often the recitation of sacred texts or performing pujas. I am really

too sick to do an entire puja, but I very much wanted to participate

in the recitation of the Chandi Path (a great book by the way ...

Goddess Durga and Her Sister Goddesses slay all the negative

thoughts).

I could barely sit up long enough to get in any significant chanting,

so I wrote to Swamiji and told him of my plight and asked if it was

okay if I did the recitation lying in bed. He wrote back (to the

digest) that if that was the only way I could do it, it was more

important to follow my heart in wanting to participate than to worry

about whether I could sit in lotus ... he said it was fine to do the

recitation in bed.

This was a huge relief to me as I am always comparing myself to others

here, and as you will see soon, there are some POWERdevotees here.

Should we trademark the term? ... Just kidding. I know we're not

supposed to compare our own practice with that of others, but my

brain just does it anyway and always finds me falling short. Swami's

response was like having a huge boulder lifted off my shoulders. I

felt that he knew and understood my plight and was giving the best

and most appropriate answer for me.

I think you will find the same response ... do what you are able to

do, add as you feel up to it. I have found great comfort in reading

some of the sacred texts, especially the Chandi. "Shree Maa: the Life

of a Saint" is a wonderfully inspiring book. And Sahib Sadhu, which is

a story of Swamiji's journey, is so interesting and amazing really.

So, wherever you and your husband are in your journeys, know that you

have a sister here who has similar struggles. Jai Maa , Jai Swamiji

~ Linda

[Guest guest]

Dear Linda,

 

Many thanks, you're very kind :-)

 

My Best,

Wendy

____________________________

-

<nierika

<>

Friday, January 13, 2006 7:04 AM

Re: To Wendy about Mother Earth Sankalpa

 

 

 

Wendy wrote:

>> ...Due to ill health I find the mind (and body) are very heavy

>> at the

>> moment and it's less strain for me to just listen to the

>> Navagraha

>> CD...it's easier on the mind, and certainly easier for my

>> husband

>> who can't seem to get his tongue around any mantras.

 

 

 

 

Dear Wendy ~ Nanda may pass your question on to Swami or answer it

herself,

but I'll share a response I received from Swamiji to a similar

question. I am

sorry about your ill health, and it does create a heaviness on the

mind and

body.

 

I have wanted to participate in some of the group sankalpas, which

are often

the recitation of sacred texts or performing pujas. I am really too

sick to

do an entire puja, but I very much wanted to participate in the

recitation of

the Chandi Path (a great book by the way ... Goddess Durga and Her

Sister

Goddesses slay all the negative thoughts).

 

I could barely sit up long enough to get in any significant

chanting, so I

wrote to Swamiji and told him of my plight and asked if it was okay

if I did

the recitation lying in bed. He wrote back (to the digest) that if

that was the

only way I could do it, it was more important to follow my heart in

wanting

to participate than to worry about whether I could sit in lotus ...

he said

it was fine to do the recitation in bed.

 

This was a huge relief to me as I am always comparing myself to

others here,

and as you will see soon, there are some POWERdevotees here. Should

we

trademark the term? ... Just kidding. I know we're not supposed to

compare our own

practice with that of others, but my brain just does it anyway and

always

finds me falling short. Swami's response was like having a huge

boulder lifted

off my shoulders. I felt that he knew and understood my plight and

was giving

the best and most appropriate answer for me.

 

I think you will find the same response ... do what you are able to

do, add

as you feel up to it. I have found great comfort in reading some of

the sacred

texts, especially the Chandi. "Shree Maa: the Life of a Saint" is a

wonderfully inspiring book. And Sahib Sadhu, which is a story of

Swamiji's journey,

is so interesting and amazing really.

 

So, wherever you and your husband are in your journeys, know that

you have a

sister here who has similar struggles. Jai Maa , Jai Swamiji ~

Linda