To Linda about spiritual tool chest

[Guest guest]

Linda wrote:

> After talking with my friend about these ideas, I

> realized that I need to begin looking at my illness in this way, not

as

> something that defeats me, but as something that presents an

opportunity for

> tapas, for more quiet time (when I really can't do anything else) to

devote to

> worship. I have been so far down in the dumps about my illness and

the effect it

> has had on my life that I have failed to see the gift inside the

package.

 

Ah, Linda, this is so beautiful. Your friend, to quote the Guru Gita,

'was only the Guru without a doubt'. May you find the pearl of great

price after you have finished unwrapping:),

 

with love,

Henny

 

P.S.: I loved what you wrote about the tools; made me think of the

Magician's table.

 

, nierika wrote:

>

>

> Tanmaya wrote:

>

> >> It has been said, by those who are holy enough to know, that the

> >> greatest and most effective tapas that human beings have,

whether in an

> >> ashram or in the worldly world, is simply to get along well

together.

>

> >> We have three powerful tools in our spiritual tool-chest.

> >> ...to relate to others, not as body, mind or ego, but as the

living

> divine reality

> >> which indwells every human being...

>

>

>

> >> ...A second tool is the Chandi...The Mother promises in the

Chandi

> >> that its reading is the best way to neutralize oppressive people

in high

> >> positions, and to bring harmony to relationships of all kinds.

>

> >> The third tool is nothing more than to recognize when an

unpleasent

> >> situation is really a blessing in disguise. Divine Providence

sometimes

> >> presents those of us, who can't go to India and climb

mountains, with

> >> the opportunity to do real serious and effective tapas at home..

..

>

> Dear Tanmaya ~ thank you so much for what you said in your post, and

> especially for referring to these three things to do as "tools." One

doesn't often

> hear spiritually oriented people speak of methods as "tools," but it

is a term

> I have used a lot when I've done workshops about the Tarot and other

topics.

>

> I present people in these workshops with an opportunity to look at

the

> energies which are part of and all around us, and which sometimes

get the better

> of us, as "tools." So briefly, Fire is a tool of spirit and physical

energy; it

> is also a part of integrating the strength of will (but not

willfulness)

> into a goal. Fire can also burn us if we are not careful. Water is

also a tool

> of spirit, manifesting as intuition, dreams, visions, and the

yearning for

> connection to the Divine. It isn 't any mistake that so many Eastern

mahatmas

> use the Ocean as a metaphor for diving deep into our spiritual

selves. Earth is

> another tool of spirit, made manifest in concrete reality. How do

we use our

> creative energies and gifts? Do we offer them, as you suggest,

Tanmaya,

> without ego, as a way to share the gifts God/dess has given us, or

do we use them

> to get high on fame and fortune? Air, another spiritual tool,

relating to

> intellect and to intelligent use of the mind, our own mind and our

connection

> to the greater Mind that is the Supreme. Do we rush all around,

blown here and

> there and accomplishing little, or do we focus that air, like a

windtunnel,

> to become a great force for understanding and communication. I hope

you don't

> mind my sharing this ... I had a conversation with someone about it

today,

> and about a book I've written, and she was encouraging me to bring

it out of

> the shed and complete it.

>

> The fact that you mentioned the Chandi as a tool surprised me a bit,

but as

> I read on I understood. I also understood why I have been having an

almost

> irresistible urge to pick up my recitation of the Chandi again.

>

> And recognizing the Divine, or the gift, in an unpleasant situation,

may be

> the most difficult of all. After talking with my friend about these

ideas, I

> realized that I need to begin looking at my illness in this way, not

as

> something that defeats me, but as something that presents an

opportunity for

> tapas, for more quiet time (when I really can't do anything else) to

devote to

> worship. I have been so far down in the dumps about my illness and

the effect it

> has had on my life that I have failed to see the gift inside the

package.

>

> So, again, thank you very much ~ Linda

>