With your alchemies
you achieve metals,
but no essence.
With all your manifold yogas,
you achieve
a body, but no spirit.
With your speeches and arguments
you build a chain of words
but cannot define the spirit.
If you say you and I are One,
you were me
but I was not you.....
Allama
Thursday, November 26, 2009
Saturday, November 21, 2009
November 27 Deeksha Meditation and Message- Sutra of Desire
November 27 Deeksha Suggested Meditation:
Sit quietly and watch your breath. Focus on the entry and exit at the nose. Do not follow it into your body or the mind will wander. If the mind wanders watch the thoughts for a moment at the right retina. Secondly the right ear. It will slow.
Move the awareness to the brow chakra. Chant Aum 18 times-make the Ahhh sound three times longer than the Mmmm-otherwise you could become sleepy or lose energy. As you chant notice if there is a brightening in that region as if there is a light in the room.
I will send deeksha starting at 7:00 PM NY time and will be complete by 7:30. We can meditate together as a group until 8:00.
Suggested Sadhana (Spiritual Practice): For the next 21 days focus on physical awareness. Taste your food, feel the sensation of the sun and the wind on your body. Feel the thousands of hands in the wind. Things you would automatically do such as brushing your teeth or turning in the radio, focus on the physical sensation. When you look at your image in the mirror, really see. Focus closely on the space between your eyebrows. Notice the sensation. See what is there. As the plane flies over, hear it. Even if just for a moment.
Teaching on Desire
On one level you could say that psychological suffering is simply what happens when things are not going our way. If you look at this suffering closely you can often see the desire behind it. For example someone might say:
"I am suffering because my mother loved my brother more. (I want to be the favorite.)
"I am angry because the waitress did not bring my ketchup." (I wanted it right away,).
I am angry because that guy cut me off in traffic. (I wanted to be first.)
I am hurt because I was not invited to a party (I wanted to go,)
I am furious because she insulted me. (I want to be respected.)
I am suffering because You pointed out a mistake that I made. (I wanted to be seen as perfect).
I am hurt because he judged me. (I want to be loved unconditionally.)
(It can also be helpful to see that the essence of conflict on one level is simply two or more ideas, beliefs or thought forms battling for supremacy.)
It is not likely that a person will be free of desire. It's in the wind, the rocks, the sky. It's in your cells-the primal desires for food and sex. Gautama Buddha saw that his desire was to be free of desire. Legend tells that was the insight that lead to his enlightenment.
Consider this:
"Anytime that you fulfill a desire you lose energy. Anytime that you experience desire without acting on it you gain energy. It is processed as Bliss"
Again:
"Anytime that you fulfill a desire you lose energy. Anytime that you experience desire without acting on it you gain energy. It is processed as Bliss."
Imagine that you are in an arena with a well loved, intimate friend called Desire. You are about to play a game. It is a great sport among friends. One of two things will happen in the arena. Desire will make use of you and you will lose energy or you will experience desire fully without acting on it and gain tremendous energy that can be used for spiritual pursuit or physical energy. Somedays you will want to win, other days you will allow your friend to win. Other times, try as you might, you will not win the match.
Imagine this: A man has wanted ice cream all day. The desire burns and takes over almost every thought. It almost hurts. We works very hard and fast that day. After work he drives all the way across town to the ice cream shop. As he approaches the door he is at a crossroads. He can stay outside, experience the desire fully or he step inside, buy some ice cream, fulfill the desire and lose energy.
As he enters the store and there is so much energy. He sees the people eating ice cream and his senses are alive. His step quickens with anticipation. So happy and high spirited he is. He smiles at the pretty girl at the counter. winks and laughs.
He sits down and eats the ice cream. "Such a beautiful place this is!" he thinks. When he is finished eating the ice cream he feels a loss of energy. There is a let down. He perceives the energy to be in the ice cream. So hoping for that pre-bliss state once more, he orders some more. The girl at the counter does not look as happy and beautiful as she did when he arrived. The ice cream looks lumpy. There is frost on it. There is dust in the corner of the booth. The tables are sticky.
After he the second serving, he feels totally drained. He lost a lot of energy in the fulfillment of desire. He will remain in that lethargic state until another desire comes to take the dead desire's place.
"I know!' I will get a Pepsi to keep awake and go see a movie!" he thinks. There is energy once more.
Another man dreamed all his life of owning a Mercedes. When he was 40, he was finally in a position to purchase one. For months he searched for the perfect car. He hardly needed food or sleep. So much energy he had to shop. He could not wait to get up in the morning to shop some more. He skipped lunch to go to car dealers.
He finally bought his dream car. For some time he washed and waxed it twice a day. No one was allowed to eat in his Mercedes. At night he would go to the garage and admire it. After some time he began to care less and less about washing it. He became fatigued. The car just did not have the same charge for him. He began to drag through his days and was sometimes seen at the Jack In The Box drive-through smoking a cigarette in his Mercedes. He took it to the car wash only after a rain. So tired he was. Life was just blah to him.
Then one morning he saw a beautiful motorcycle. "Yes! I should have a Harley Davidson and a leather jacket!' He thought. The energy came back and he could hardly wait to get up in the morning once more. He never did make the connection between energy and desire.
Try not to take the idea that fulfilling desires is bad. Not at all. If you do not eat you may lose physical energy and eventually die. Overcoming a desire for air is not a battle you would likely win. If you fulfill a desire, surely as the sun comes up in the morning, another one will be right there to take its place. Desire is infinite and kind of like a casino, it generally wins. It is very beneficial however to be aware of this dynamic of desire as it can be used to great advantage.
Simply see how much energy there is in desire and to be aware of the drain in fulfilling a desire. This seeing will help you to set right your relationship with desire.
Namaste,
Dharma Dharini
To register for the free Nov. 27, 7PM (NY Time) Deeksha with Dharma Dharini email your name with Diksha in the subject line to dharma @vedicshamanism.com. Visit www.dikshas.com for info on deeksha).
Sit quietly and watch your breath. Focus on the entry and exit at the nose. Do not follow it into your body or the mind will wander. If the mind wanders watch the thoughts for a moment at the right retina. Secondly the right ear. It will slow.
Move the awareness to the brow chakra. Chant Aum 18 times-make the Ahhh sound three times longer than the Mmmm-otherwise you could become sleepy or lose energy. As you chant notice if there is a brightening in that region as if there is a light in the room.
I will send deeksha starting at 7:00 PM NY time and will be complete by 7:30. We can meditate together as a group until 8:00.
Suggested Sadhana (Spiritual Practice): For the next 21 days focus on physical awareness. Taste your food, feel the sensation of the sun and the wind on your body. Feel the thousands of hands in the wind. Things you would automatically do such as brushing your teeth or turning in the radio, focus on the physical sensation. When you look at your image in the mirror, really see. Focus closely on the space between your eyebrows. Notice the sensation. See what is there. As the plane flies over, hear it. Even if just for a moment.
Teaching on Desire
On one level you could say that psychological suffering is simply what happens when things are not going our way. If you look at this suffering closely you can often see the desire behind it. For example someone might say:
"I am suffering because my mother loved my brother more. (I want to be the favorite.)
"I am angry because the waitress did not bring my ketchup." (I wanted it right away,).
I am angry because that guy cut me off in traffic. (I wanted to be first.)
I am hurt because I was not invited to a party (I wanted to go,)
I am furious because she insulted me. (I want to be respected.)
I am suffering because You pointed out a mistake that I made. (I wanted to be seen as perfect).
I am hurt because he judged me. (I want to be loved unconditionally.)
(It can also be helpful to see that the essence of conflict on one level is simply two or more ideas, beliefs or thought forms battling for supremacy.)
It is not likely that a person will be free of desire. It's in the wind, the rocks, the sky. It's in your cells-the primal desires for food and sex. Gautama Buddha saw that his desire was to be free of desire. Legend tells that was the insight that lead to his enlightenment.
Consider this:
"Anytime that you fulfill a desire you lose energy. Anytime that you experience desire without acting on it you gain energy. It is processed as Bliss"
Again:
"Anytime that you fulfill a desire you lose energy. Anytime that you experience desire without acting on it you gain energy. It is processed as Bliss."
Imagine that you are in an arena with a well loved, intimate friend called Desire. You are about to play a game. It is a great sport among friends. One of two things will happen in the arena. Desire will make use of you and you will lose energy or you will experience desire fully without acting on it and gain tremendous energy that can be used for spiritual pursuit or physical energy. Somedays you will want to win, other days you will allow your friend to win. Other times, try as you might, you will not win the match.
Imagine this: A man has wanted ice cream all day. The desire burns and takes over almost every thought. It almost hurts. We works very hard and fast that day. After work he drives all the way across town to the ice cream shop. As he approaches the door he is at a crossroads. He can stay outside, experience the desire fully or he step inside, buy some ice cream, fulfill the desire and lose energy.
As he enters the store and there is so much energy. He sees the people eating ice cream and his senses are alive. His step quickens with anticipation. So happy and high spirited he is. He smiles at the pretty girl at the counter. winks and laughs.
He sits down and eats the ice cream. "Such a beautiful place this is!" he thinks. When he is finished eating the ice cream he feels a loss of energy. There is a let down. He perceives the energy to be in the ice cream. So hoping for that pre-bliss state once more, he orders some more. The girl at the counter does not look as happy and beautiful as she did when he arrived. The ice cream looks lumpy. There is frost on it. There is dust in the corner of the booth. The tables are sticky.
After he the second serving, he feels totally drained. He lost a lot of energy in the fulfillment of desire. He will remain in that lethargic state until another desire comes to take the dead desire's place.
"I know!' I will get a Pepsi to keep awake and go see a movie!" he thinks. There is energy once more.
Another man dreamed all his life of owning a Mercedes. When he was 40, he was finally in a position to purchase one. For months he searched for the perfect car. He hardly needed food or sleep. So much energy he had to shop. He could not wait to get up in the morning to shop some more. He skipped lunch to go to car dealers.
He finally bought his dream car. For some time he washed and waxed it twice a day. No one was allowed to eat in his Mercedes. At night he would go to the garage and admire it. After some time he began to care less and less about washing it. He became fatigued. The car just did not have the same charge for him. He began to drag through his days and was sometimes seen at the Jack In The Box drive-through smoking a cigarette in his Mercedes. He took it to the car wash only after a rain. So tired he was. Life was just blah to him.
Then one morning he saw a beautiful motorcycle. "Yes! I should have a Harley Davidson and a leather jacket!' He thought. The energy came back and he could hardly wait to get up in the morning once more. He never did make the connection between energy and desire.
Try not to take the idea that fulfilling desires is bad. Not at all. If you do not eat you may lose physical energy and eventually die. Overcoming a desire for air is not a battle you would likely win. If you fulfill a desire, surely as the sun comes up in the morning, another one will be right there to take its place. Desire is infinite and kind of like a casino, it generally wins. It is very beneficial however to be aware of this dynamic of desire as it can be used to great advantage.
Simply see how much energy there is in desire and to be aware of the drain in fulfilling a desire. This seeing will help you to set right your relationship with desire.
Namaste,
Dharma Dharini
To register for the free Nov. 27, 7PM (NY Time) Deeksha with Dharma Dharini email your name with Diksha in the subject line to dharma @vedicshamanism.com. Visit www.dikshas.com for info on deeksha).
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Monongahela
The following was written in 1997 about a mystical experience that was received while I was in the Pittsburgh area. The Monongahela is a river that merges with the Allegheny in Pittsburgh to become the Ohio. The Ohio then joins the Mississippi near Cairo, Il. The Monongahela is born of the confluence of the West Fork and the Tygert Valley Rivers. The Monongahela flows south to North. According to vaastu a South to North flowing river such as the Monongahela or the Nile, brings great spiritual potential to a land.
To meditate on the course of a river, either to the ocean or to the origins can bring great insight into the dependently arising nature and the mysteries of creation and a shift in perception. Ask yourself, "What is a river?"
"Monongahela"
by Dharma Dharini
"Infinity around Him
Eternity within Him
He walked down to the Rivers' edge, for water seeks its own level.
He spoke to us in tones that touched our souls.
And He danced.
Lacking harmony, some only heard a disturbing noise.
Others only heard static, for there was static in their souls.
They covered their ears, angered by the sound.
A few concerned only with what others heard, did not hear anything.
And they were puzzled.
While some heard beautiful music and they began to sing so that
Others might hear.
Wondrous sounds of sunlight.
The Rivers' glorious hymn.
The chant of the leaves and the carol of the birds.
The chiming of clouds as they blew in the wind.
And the Om of a mountain, far, far away.
Cicadas held a single note
While a cricket sang a sound of Heaven in a different key.
Everywhere, a symphony of light, and color, and motion and sound.
And we danced.
Know He had the power to stir the soul
He ceased to speak to those who would not hear
Who could not accept.
And we wept
While a cricket sang a song of Heaven."..............
During the early 1997 -1998 USA retreats, conducted by the monks of Satyaloka, there was quite a bit of division between those who were "wired" for mystical experience and those who were not. Some would cry and feel very upset or even threaten litigation if the Divine did not manifest to them at once-especially so if the Divine had appeared to someone deemed not so righteous but not to another who had decided that he or she was a much better or spiritually evolved person. The mystics who had awakened to this blessed way of seeing would think, "God's here dancing in front of you as plain as the nose on your face. How can you not see? Stop crying and dance!"
Profound Divine Mystical Experience is not something that can be forced. It appears to occur more often than not because it's necessary rather than deserved. Self righteousness, the feeling of being more worthy or better than another can be a huge obstacle. Other times even that does not matter so much. It's a matter of Grace. The Mystic/Saint, Allama Prabhu wrote:
"Feed the poor
Tell the Truth
Make water places
For the thirty
And build tanks for a town.
You may then get to Heaven after Death,
But you'll get nowhere
Near the Truth of Our Lord.
And the man who gets to know our Lord,
He gets no results........"
To meditate on the course of a river, either to the ocean or to the origins can bring great insight into the dependently arising nature and the mysteries of creation and a shift in perception. Ask yourself, "What is a river?"
"Monongahela"
by Dharma Dharini
"Infinity around Him
Eternity within Him
He walked down to the Rivers' edge, for water seeks its own level.
He spoke to us in tones that touched our souls.
And He danced.
Lacking harmony, some only heard a disturbing noise.
Others only heard static, for there was static in their souls.
They covered their ears, angered by the sound.
A few concerned only with what others heard, did not hear anything.
And they were puzzled.
While some heard beautiful music and they began to sing so that
Others might hear.
Wondrous sounds of sunlight.
The Rivers' glorious hymn.
The chant of the leaves and the carol of the birds.
The chiming of clouds as they blew in the wind.
And the Om of a mountain, far, far away.
Cicadas held a single note
While a cricket sang a sound of Heaven in a different key.
Everywhere, a symphony of light, and color, and motion and sound.
And we danced.
Know He had the power to stir the soul
He ceased to speak to those who would not hear
Who could not accept.
And we wept
While a cricket sang a song of Heaven."..............
During the early 1997 -1998 USA retreats, conducted by the monks of Satyaloka, there was quite a bit of division between those who were "wired" for mystical experience and those who were not. Some would cry and feel very upset or even threaten litigation if the Divine did not manifest to them at once-especially so if the Divine had appeared to someone deemed not so righteous but not to another who had decided that he or she was a much better or spiritually evolved person. The mystics who had awakened to this blessed way of seeing would think, "God's here dancing in front of you as plain as the nose on your face. How can you not see? Stop crying and dance!"
Profound Divine Mystical Experience is not something that can be forced. It appears to occur more often than not because it's necessary rather than deserved. Self righteousness, the feeling of being more worthy or better than another can be a huge obstacle. Other times even that does not matter so much. It's a matter of Grace. The Mystic/Saint, Allama Prabhu wrote:
"Feed the poor
Tell the Truth
Make water places
For the thirty
And build tanks for a town.
You may then get to Heaven after Death,
But you'll get nowhere
Near the Truth of Our Lord.
And the man who gets to know our Lord,
He gets no results........"
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