To Devi Spring about Beginning Practice

[Guest guest]

Devi Spring wrote:

>> I have just found and joined this group, and after reading through

>> the website, I must say that I am excited!...>> Lately, my spouse

has become interested in beginning a practice as >> well. He is

intrigued by it, and often brings home small offerings >> for

Ganesha. He knows how calm and peaceful chanting makes me feel, >>

but also understands how hard it is for me to do it many days. He >>

offered to start practicing with me - partly because he is curious,

>> and partly to support my efforts.>> What do you suggest that I

suggest as a very elementary practice that >> he and I can undertake

together, that would also be auspicious?

Dear Devi ~ welcome to the group ... it is wonderful to have someone

like you who is not only devoted and has had many years of practice

but who also has the background of studying Hinduism. I feel a bit as

if Linda Johnsen has joined out group. : )

You are very blessed to have this development with your husband, who

not only supports your practice, but who is also willing to practice

with you. You are right, I believe, in requesting suggestions for

something that is simple and that won't overwhelm him. Here are a

couple of suggestions:

I hesitate to suggest something that involves spending money, but

since you seem to feel a strong connection with Shree Maa and Swamiji

after having perused the website, one simple thing you could do

together that would be wonderful and enjoyable for both of you would

be to get a copy of the video, "Across the States with Shree Maa and

Swamiji." This video is so delightful, and also introduces the

watcher to some of the practices, like the fire ceremony, that Shree

Maa and Swamiji perform. I can't describe the joy of watching this

video, but it does give the watcher the feeling that they are right

there. The scene where a truck (?) with an open back full of Shree

Maa's devotees and others who were luck enough to hop aboard, travels

through a neighborhood with Shree Maa and all aboard singing joyfully

and laughing, while people try to run and catch up (I think one

person actually does and manages to hop aboard). Also there is a

touching and delightful scene where Shree Maa is giving Arati to a

child. You want to cry; you want to laugh. And you want more, more,

more. So that is an easy thing to do together that will not only be a

wonderful experience to share, but will, in the course of the video,

introduce your husband to different elements of Hindu practices in a

"user friendly" way. : )

You could do short meditations together, perhaps using one of your

Ganesha mantras or one of the mantras Shree Maa and Swamiji have

given us. My favorite is the Durga mantra:

Om Hrim Shrim Dum Durgayai Namaha (If I have not gotten this right,

dear digest friends, please send the correct wording. A simple, short

mantra such as this is easy to remember, and you might even use a mala

for each of you and just do one round of the mala. This kind of

practice is not only a mantra practice, but depending on how you do

it, could also be an introduction to meditation. If you chant it

together outloud, then that is one kind of experience. If you chant

it together, silently, then you go within and it becomes more of a

meditative practive.

Another wonderful thing to do (again, sorry that this involves a

purchase) is to get one of Shree Maa's musical CDs. Her voice alone

could melt a mountain. I would recommend "Dark Night Mother" because

all the songs are sung in English. Sometimes it is hard to understand

what Maa is saying, so if you want to do this, I could send you the

words written out in English. I would recommend listening to the

whole CD in one sitting, though you may wish to, but it may be too

much at one time for your sweet hubby. The song I would most

recommend, because of the overall embrace of the lyrics and the

sweetness of the melody would be "Oh Mother, We are Grateful" (Track

7).

Here are the words:

Oh Mother, We are Grateful

1) Oh Mother, we are grateful. Thank You, Thank You. (2x)

2) Mother, you remove all darkness. You are the Mother of great time.

You are the giver of desire. You are the form of all grace.

Oh Mother, we are grateful. Thank You, Thank You. (2x)

3) Mother, you relieve all difficulties. You give birth to excellence.

You embody all action. You expose all consciousness.

Oh Mother, we are grateful. Thank You, Thank You. (2x)

4) You nourish all devotees. You are the great seer of all.

You are beyond all time. You destroy passion and meanness.

Oh Mother, we are grateful. Thank You, Thank You. (2x)

5) You tear apart all thought. You are the very great mind.

You reside in the ocean of purity. You are all life in

creation.

Oh Mother, we are grateful. Thank You, Thank You. (2x)

Finally, you might try a short puja. This would involve both of you,

doing the puja together, and even if your hubby doesn't understand

everything that is being done, that is okay, and you might wait and

see what kind of questions he asks about the process. Two short pujas

(again, I apologize, because this involves a purchase, and I promise,

I am not a sales rep for the Shree Maa bookstore :::grin:: are the

Durga Puja Beginner and the Shiva Puja Beginner. Since Shree Maa and

Swamiji are ever engaged in doing the Chandi Path (for which the

Durga Puja Beginner is a much, much shorter version of), you might

want to do that one. Both of these have a small booklet and, on the

audio page, matching CDs. You might want to write to Nanda, on or off

digest, to see if there is a way to make the puja even shorter, just

to get you going.

I know you will get lots of suggestions for other people. There are so

many ways to begin this with your hubby, and you are the one who will

know which suggestions will work the best.

Before ending, I want to share with you something that Swamiji wrote

to the Prayer Club (another great, not too long, practice you could

share with your hubby):

Swami's message to the Prayer Club

Prayer, worship and meditation

refer to different intensities of absorption in Diving communion.

In prayer we seek

for a specific outcome or resolution to our actions.

In worship we demonstrate

respect and appreciation for the privilege to be in the Divine Presence.

In meditation we remove

all distinctions between ourselves and the Divine and become One.

(March 2005 Message to Prayer Club)

Okay, I have said quite enough, so I will stop. Again welcome. I can

only speak for myself, so I will say I am so glad you found our

digest. And I believe we will benefit greatly from your presence in

the group. Jai Maa , Jai Swamiji ~ Linda