To kandaaran and Nanda about EMS - When/Where do you chant ?

[Guest guest]

Kanda wrote:

>> ...So starting on January 29th with Surya >> and knowing that each

planet would be in turn, it was Tuesday January 31st >> when the

realization came that if 10% of the total malas for that planet was

>> done on that day, then it would take 10 weeks. That day created

an Excel >> spreadsheet with columns for the Planet, Starting Japa (

6,000 15,000 etc. ), >> Number of Malas ( 60 150 etc. ), malas

recited this week, malas recited to date, >> remaining japa (

=SUM(B6,-E6*100 ) , and # of malas per week for 10 weeks ( >> 6, 15

etc. ).

Dear Kanda, and Nanda, if you can help,

It appears I am still confused about the numbers included with each

planet in the EMS (wow! acronyms ... love 'em ... no, seriously,

Washington, DC, is an acronym town, and even though I'm not there

anymore, my head still thinks that way). I remember when I first saw

the numbers I had one of my "running away" events, with Swamiji and

Maa turning their Love magnets in my direction and me getting pulled

back. Then when I read this, I thought, OH NO ... I have to go hide.

I am even behind on the digests again. And I have been sick all day,

so today I have only so far done 2 malas. (I find if I keep going

when I'm not well, I just fall asleep ... maybe you can ask Swamiji

if this is permissible. I wouldn't of course count that mala as one

of the ones I've recited.)

It must sometimes look comical to some of you on the list, and I can

see a little cartoon character of myself, on a little red motorcycle,

hair streaming in the background ... here she comes, folks ... oh, up,

there she goes ... oh, wait, here she comes. Thank God/dess I can joke

about it or I think I'd really just give up. (Of course, those of you

who know me well realize that this is mostly my illness doing the

talking.) :::okay, illness, go sit over there on the couch until I'm

done with this email ... thank you::: (Did I mention I've been

especially sick today.) : )

Anyway after reading the above post, I thought, it really was true, we

really are each supposed to individually say 16,000 malas or 8,000 or

whatever the numbers may be ... I had begun to believe these were

numbers for the group as a whole to strive for. :::sigh::: I promise

I won't run away again. Swamiji and Maa have truly captured my heart

and my spirit and my intention ... and I am so grateful to Swamiji

that he has been so gentle with my questions when the have to do with

spiritual practice and my illnesses.

All that being said ... could anyone please let me know for sure if

these numbers are for individual striving or group striving or both

or either/or? If they are for individual striving, I know I will not

meet them, but I will not stop either. If I can only do two today,

those two matter. Yesterday I did five ... that was a big day for me

to get that many done.

:::step::: :::step::: :::step::: :::falling down::: :::step:::

Still taking baby steps ~ Linda