To Steve about emotional life of spiritual being part II

[Guest guest]

Steve wrote:

recently i failed to do my sadhana for a day after not missing 1

hourfor a year. i sort of internally imploded due to lack ofsleep and

overwork trying to be several people at once. how does onehave the

fullness of experience and love for all beings from deepwithin

lacking any fear or resistance like a true saint, or am i

onlyidealizing such a being and such a possibility? should i ignore

thisworry or take it as a deeper prompting to advance internally in a

waypreviously unknown to myself? is it inapporpriate or appropriate

tocontemplate one's own shortcomings in this manner? many ways of

askingthis one question, i hope this come across with some sense.

Dear Steve ~ even though you wrote your question for Swamiji, I feel

that I would like to respond. First, you are not alone. Several times

this week, I fell asleep while doing one of the Planets mantras (of

course, I did not count that one). At the same time, the sleep was

very deep and restful, which I believe I needed badly because, like

you, even with my illness, I had been pushing myself very hard on the

editing job for our art group.

 

I believe it is wonderful to have the goal of being a true saint,

enlightened being, etc., yet, for myself I am happy if I can get

through a day without thinking dastardly thoughts about my family, or

whining unnecessarily about my symptoms. I think if we look at our

shortcomings with the same love and acceptance that we might look at

anothers, we would come a long way just in doing that. If we spend

too much time dwelling on our shortcomings, then are we not falling

prey to Too Much and/or Too Little.

 

I know that the expectations for our sadhana are high bar. Some people

are there, some people are almost there, some people are somewhere in

the middle, and me, I'm still doing the limbo. If I can just slide

under the bar, I feel I have accomplished something. If we can't

accept and embrace our own humanity and shortcomings with grace

(without sacrificing the goal we seek), then how will we embrace and

accept the humanity of others. We are all just bozos on the bus. Jai

Maa , Jai Swamiji (I know some of my references date me, so if anyone

is confused about any of them, let me know, and I will go into more

detail.)

[Guest guest]

Linda that is very kind adn thoughtful. Thank you.

 

PS -- your references suit me fine!

 

Steve, another Bozo on the Bus

 

, nierika wrote:

>

>

> Steve wrote:

>

> recently i failed to do my sadhana for a day after not missing 1 hour

> for a year. i sort of internally imploded due to lack of

> sleep and overwork trying to be several people at once. how does one

> have the fullness of experience and love for all beings from deep

> within lacking any fear or resistance like a true saint, or am i only

> idealizing such a being and such a possibility? should i ignore this

> worry or take it as a deeper prompting to advance internally in a way

> previously unknown to myself? is it inapporpriate or appropriate to

> contemplate one's own shortcomings in this manner? many ways of asking

> this one question, i hope this come across with some sense.

>

>

>

> Dear Steve ~ even though you wrote your question for Swamiji, I feel

that I

> would like to respond. First, you are not alone. Several times this

week, I

> fell asleep while doing one of the Planets mantras (of course, I

did not count

> that one). At the same time, the sleep was very deep and restful,

which I

> believe I needed badly because, like you, even with my illness, I

had been

> pushing myself very hard on the editing job for our art group.

>

> I believe it is wonderful to have the goal of being a true saint,

> enlightened being, etc., yet, for myself I am happy if I can get

through a day without

> thinking dastardly thoughts about my family, or whining

unnecessarily about

> my symptoms. I think if we look at our shortcomings with the same

love and

> acceptance that we might look at anothers, we would come a long way

just in

> doing that. If we spend too much time dwelling on our shortcomings,

then are we

> not falling prey to Too Much and/or Too Little.

>

> I know that the expectations for our sadhana are high bar. Some

people are

> there, some people are almost there, some people are somewhere in

the middle,

> and me, I'm still doing the limbo. If I can just slide under the

bar, I feel I

> have accomplished something. If we can't accept and embrace our own

humanity

> and shortcomings with grace (without sacrificing the goal we seek),

then how

> will we embrace and accept the humanity of others. We are all just

bozos on

> the bus. Jai Maa , Jai Swamiji (I know some of my references date

me, so if

> anyone is confused about any of them, let me know, and I will go

into more

> detail.)

>