From: V487ATNOSPAMaol.com
Subject: Re: Gurumayi

Hi:  Martin

It was nice to hear about your Ashram story.  I always hear good things about
Gurumayi.  

 A yogi told me in the 70's that if you are in human form, you are subject
 to all the weaknesses and frailties of being a human being no matter who
 you are. He told me this after I saw him get very angry over the fact that
 they were short on the rent money that month.

Yes that is very true about the body becoming frail and weak.  Many of these
teachers could have a perfect body all off their life as they made enough
good Karma and know how to use it for that purpose, but they just take the
old age and all of the suffering that goes along with it on purpose.  Guess
that is why they are so spiritual in the first place.  Sri Brahmananda
Sarasvati ( Rammurti S. Mishra, M.D.) had a stroke and was paralyzed in most
of his body. He could not hear or even speak much after the stroke.  Most
people would think that a stroke would be really bad and feel very depressed.
 Sri Brahmananda Sarasvati just said through one of his disciples translating
for him." all of his life he wanted to be with God in peace, but now with the
stroke and because he can not hear he can be with God 24 hours a day."  He is
the most happiest person in the world.  He did pass on, but what a difference
in thinking.  Another teacher that also lived with a weak body was Sri Ramana
Maharshi ( 1879-1950)   I think he got his arthritis while sleeping in the
basement of a very famous temple.   At that time no one knew him and they
would not let him stay in the temple. So he found a small stairway in the
basement of the temple and lived in it for a long time.   When he was
discovered everyone said that the basement was very cold and dark. He had
bites from something all over him.  He was very dirty and you could see all
of his bones sticking out. He looked like he was dead or in a deep trance
state.   That is how he got the arthritis. He had to us a cane to walk most
of  the time.  He seemed be living in hell, but to him he was 100% with God
and in total bliss down in the basement.  

You brought up a good point when you said: 

> I made it to within 10 miles of home (150 mile trip) yesterday, and my
 timing chain blew.
 
 I had such a great time at the ashram, I was laughing as I walked two miles
 down the highway to find a phone to call AAA for a tow.
 
 I was thanking the car for getting me as close to home as possible, rather
 than cursing it for breaking down with only 10 more miles to go. (Ok, I
 cursed it once) It could have broke down 1 mile from ashram, instead of in
 familiar territory.
 
 The day before, (Friday) we had torrential downpours. Yesterday was
 beautiful, so my walking 'highway meditation pilgrimage' was actually quite
 pleasant.

What really is happiness anyway?  One person walking down the street may feel
terrible and swearing at everything.  Another person walking down the same
street with all the same conditions would be in total bliss.  So it's the
attitude that counts.  One person living in Hell and the other one living in
total Bliss.   There were two twin brothers about 90 years old. One was a
professors at a large university.  He was writing scientific formulas on the
blackboard.  He was mentally and physical very sharp. The other brother as
strapped to a wheelchair in the old folks home.  So what is the difference?
 It's their attitude .

Take care,
Von
 
 

 
 





 
Date: Sun, 21 Jul 
From: Raymond <>
Subject: Unidentified subject!

[July 16]

I am new to the list ( my first day was July 15).    I found the varied opinions 
intriguing. But I was surprised by one or two of the replies. They seemed too heavy handed. 
Two items stuck out. First, there was an apparent attack for using the phrase Solar Plexus 
instead of Manipura. Second there was an apparent attack because an individual said there 
was some tearing in their chakra.

It is both customary and necessary for esoteric teachings to modify some of their 
terminologies when they are transmitted between cultures.  There is no need for English 
speakers to learn Sanskrit to use the *correct terms*.  A familiarity with Sanskrit does 
help when reading diverse literature on spiritual development.  But it also helps if you 
are familiar with Pali and Chinese -- India is not the sole source of teachings on k.  We 
use the terms kundalini, chakra and manipura because most people are familiar with these 
not because they are the only  terms.  Most of us know where the Manipura chakra is though 
we may use the phrase Solar Plexus when speaking of it.  This has been accepted practice 
for a long time.   

At least one WESTERN traditions claims there are seven major centers, correlating to the 
seven Indian chakras, and five minor centers -- of  which one IS the solar plexus.  Then 
there is the Tibetan school which also claims there are major and minor chakras, they claim 
there are around three hundred. 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I see no error in describing the sensations that k generates in some individuals as 
*tearing*. I am sure not everyone experiences a tearing sensation when kundalini moves but 
I know some do. Let us not forget that the force has slightly different effects on 
different people.  If the ancient Indian texts do not mention a tearing sensation, it may 
be due to incomplete information or a difference between western and eastern peoples *or 
due to expectations created by the detailed pictures and teachings they studied*.  Do you 
see Sanskrit on the leaves of your lotuses? ;)   Just because a tradition is ancient does 
not make it 100% correct.  Parts of it may have been misunderstood for  five thousand 
years.     

The WESTERN tradition warns us that spiritual force is similar to water.  It first fills 
the lowest areas.  We should be careful that our spiritual forces are not enlarging our 
anger and ego instead of our spiritual nature.

I am not attacking anyone on the list (I am too new to recognize names and there was so 
much mail that I do not remember who wrote what).  Maybe we should perform a Theravada 
ritual and pour cold water over our hands and heads to remind us to stay calm :)  

Raymond


 
Date: Sun, 21 Jul 1996 
From: Frans Storms <>
Subject: home alone

Saturday night, home alone. That means headphone and music. Ever been to
the tropics, Indonesia, the beaches of Bali? Eastern, arabic rithm,
ecstatic flute, and a nice, warm voice:


Twilight is fading over the bay
Night throws it's shadows over the day

Strange birds are flying out of the trees
over the roof tops down to the sea


Night brings the spirits here from a far
Gods go out walking under the stars

And the One voices call as the warm rain falls
And we are so small in this world


Very strange, dancing with tears in my eyes...
>From Sabah Habas Mustapha, 'Denpasar Moon', Frans.


Date: Sun, 21 Jul 1996 
From: "Debee L. Thomas" <>
Subject: Re: Gurumayi

> What really is happiness anyway?  One person walking down the street may feel
> terrible and swearing at everything.  Another person walking down the same
> street with all the same conditions would be in total bliss.  So it's the
> attitude that counts.  One person living in Hell and the other one living in
> total Bliss.   There were two twin brothers about 90 years old. One was a


I read these today and they seem to fit nicely with what Von said in the 
above message about attitude.  I'll share them as they say a great deal 
in such a small space.

Men are disturbed not by things that happen, but by their opinion of the 
things that happen.  -- Epictetus

Gratitude helps you to grow and expand; gratitude brings joy and laughter 
into your lives and into the lives of all those around you. -- Eileen Caddy
'The Dawn of Change'

Blessed Be

Debee


Date: Sun, 21 Jul 1996 
From: Karol Ann Barnett <>
Subject: Re: Gurumayi

thanks for the reminder, Von!


Date: Mon, 22 Jul 1996 
From: SYL228ATNOSPAMaol.com
Subject: General

To Patti:
I have used magnesium for years to help with the muscle spasms as well as the
nerve pain.  At first I had to take 7-9 tablets and then was able to reduce
it.  It's important to remember that our bodies need twice as much calcium as
magnesium.  I'm still taking 5 tablets even now.

To Raymond:
Thanks for inserting a little bit of sanity into last weeks discussion.  As
one who underwent "K" without knowing much about it, I realize I do not know
every tradition on the subject.  I've now studied Brennan and also the
tibetan buddhist tradition.  The first was to simplify things into a Western
format which I needed.  The second was very esoteric and needed by me because
I've been working on far more than the major 7.  I don't know how many
chakras there actually are, and sitting where I am, post "K" it doesn't seem
to matter much.  I'm far too interested in balancing this raging energy and
making sense of my life.. After my experience , my whole reality of who I am
completely changed.  I've been handed information on past lives, and on who
or what we earthlings really are.  Even if "K" stops tomorrow my life is
changed forever.  And deciding how I handle the rest of it, is my major
proirity, so I can still grow spiritually.  In other words, it all changed,
yet the path still stretches on ahead of me.

To Martin:

Loved the car story.  Now did you say it was something to do with timing that
caused it to break down?  Maybe it was teaching you a lesson on that subject
in a very graphic way.  I've projected things out into my physical life so
often, it's becoming a nuisance.
My latest was 2 weeks ago.  I was midway between St. Louis and New York when
a stone richocheted off a truck and went through our windshield.  No one was
hurt and we took it in good humour.  But I'd had a series of dreams about
leaving one life for anothe, and I leave the house I am in for the new world
through a window that kind of splits open for me.  So, did I cause the
windshield problem myself. like a kind of poltergist, or was it a deliberate
lesson from spirit, or was it just coincidence?  You tell me.

Playing in the big apple

Jule


Date: Tue, 23 Jul 1996 
From: Natha Bhaktyananda <>
Subject: A short pause

Thanks to all those who have sent inspiring messages -- especially Snowbird, Melissa, 
and Gloria. Escuses to all those whose messages I had no time to answer yet, but I have 
been terribly busy lately -- so the answers will have to wait quite a while...

I also want to let all of you know that beginning with the 26th of July I will travel 
abroad for a yoga camp, until the 1st of September, and therefore I will not be able to 
join in the forum or answer any E-mail. So, if there is any emergency mail quick, or 
else see you all in best shape and God's joy, in the beginning of September.

	With blessings,

-- 
Natha Bhaktyananda 
Købmagergade 28, 2., 1150 K
Denmark
Tf.: (45) 33930858, Fax: (45) 33930668