--- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, Denise Evans <dmevans365@...>
wrote:
>
> This is very thoughtful. Â I think I was disappointed in that I had
expectations of "feeling" some kind of overwhelming love and compassion
as she is the "saint" supposedly dispensing this and no, it was not
outwardly apparent. Â I did receive a mantra to pray to the divine
mother and was put off by the instruction to chant it all the time with
"blind faith." The mantra itself is also an outer construct in the way I
choose to interpret it. Â
Thanks Denise. I have found that the love and compassion can only be
felt inside of us, it's very natural when we first come to spirituality
to externalize these values on to the other. There are a lot who project
these values on to the other, though it's very helpful for some who need
this acknowledgement the circle isn't complete until we feel it in
ourselves. I am not an expert on mantra, I got one from Amma in 1995 and
but soon stopped chanting it because it was not my path, however there
should be plenty of material on mantras online. Like you say mantra is
just a tool, a bridge to the divine.
> The hours of meditation and energy experienced were powerful and yes,
leaving the outer religious construct behind and my overactive brain
with it, in the end, I am left with an experience that has spurred a lot
of thought internally and a desire to be a more conscious and
compassionate person, letting go of so many patterns that are no longer
working for me as a human in the last third of her life on this planet.
Â
That's good to know. I guess this is all that matters, that you are
aware of the need for a deeper connection and have started the journey.
>
> --- On Fri, 6/17/11, Ravi Yogi raviyogi@... wrote:
>
> From: Ravi Yogi raviyogi@...
> Subject: [FairfieldLife] Re: Visit with Amma
> To: FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com
> Date: Friday, June 17, 2011, 6:40 PM
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> Denise - and as they say you have to pass though hell to get to
heaven, so nothing is going to change around Amma because it's a perfect
contrast, a metaphor or pun of the play of the opposites, the play of
the outer and the inner. There's many who are stuck in the outer, spend
their entire lives analyzing and discussing it, some completely close it
and project happiness, joy and wonder. The doors of bliss are not opened
until you open the door to misery, the Self is not revealed unless you
acknowledge the shadow, good luck in your spiritual journey.
>
> --- In FairfieldLife@yahoogroups.com, "Ravi Yogi" raviyogi@ wrote:
> >
> > Denise, I'm not sure what your exposure to Eastern spirituality is
but I
> > will comment on the outer paraphernalia that you witnessed around
Amma.
> > Its very symbolic, the temples in India have a lot of activity and
buzz
> > around them, the temple is decorated with pornographic images and
demons
> > representing the various desires and negative tendencies; but once
you
> > get inside the temple it is just dark and silent - which is in
perfect
> > contrast to the outer chaos.>
> > Similar is the situation around Amma, there's lot of buzz, activity,
> > drama around Amma and then there is the silence, the pure awareness
that
> > is the Satguru like Amma - providing a perfect contrast between the
> > outer and inner. So I have over the years seen lots of craziness
around
> > her - power, control, ego, jealousy - it definitely mirrors the
outer
> > world - however there is that amazing contrast of inner silence that
> > grows around you. Then you realize slowly that it was never about
the
> > outer, that outer will always be outer but the inner is the one that
> > changes, that you are rooted in your inner silence while being
> > surrounded by dazzling dizzying outer.>
> > I had similar feelings when I met Amma in '95 in Rhode Island, the
> > situation around was just too crazy for me, a bunch of weird white
> > people dressed in white chanting Hindu mantras and bhajans. But
somehow
> > I kept coming back, it was because of her love and my ability to as
I
> > say, cut through crap or the outer, intuition as some may call it -
that
> > I have articulated in the above paragraphs.>
> > Someone also seemed to have perfectly setup you up for
disappointment.
> > My inner journey with Amma has been long and arduous. Most of the
others
> > are as well.>
> > The mind is always in a hurry to accept or reject which clearly
comes
> > out in your story - you accepted and then rejected - there was no
> > middle. It's natural mind always seeks the extremes whereas with the
> > heart it's not the case. There's no hurry, the fact that you could
come
> > back home, destroy all the material and post it to this website
shows
> > there's nothing to worry about, there's no mind control, there's no
need
> > to even go back to her again.>
> > The energy, the emotional upheaval that you felt is also a common
sign.
> > I felt is as well, it is the gross energy trying to process the
subtle
> > energy - like you it was very uncomfortable for me as well.>
> > But you should go back and check her out again and watch, feel,
intuit,
> > don't let your mind rush to accept or reject - there's no hurry.
Then go
> > back home and then you can pick and choose what feels right for you,
> > this is a slow process since what you is think right for you changes
> > with time, it certainly has for me for the last 16 years with Amma.>
> > Also it's easy to get deceived that there's a party line around
Amma,
> > that there's a set of rituals, ten commandments associated with Amma
-
> > nothing could be farther from truth. In fact I don't follow the
party
> > line at all, I don't consider Amma as a God or Devi or some
incarnation
> > - in fact I don't consider anything outside of me. I was not
interested
> > in chanting, mantras or rituals, in fact, though born as a Hindu, I
> > considered myself more as an atheist growing up. But Amma supported
me
> > in my journey, in my ability to be an individual, to follow my own
inner
> > path to the divine. It never meant giving up my ideas, opinions and
> > intellect, in fact my intellect has never been sharper, my heart has
> > never been more loving.>
> > In fact that's what the Guru is - he or she really makes you an
> > individual, lets you establish your own personal intimate connection
> > with the divine, the divine that springs forth from your inner
silence.
> > The Guru really shows that everything is inside of us by being a
perfect
> > mirror allowing ourselves to acknowledge and deal with all the pain,
> > negative tendencies that is blocking us from feeling the love inside
of
> > us.>
> > And as Rick said just watching her sit and hug for 12 hours like I
did
> > earlier this week in LA was awe-inspiring in itself, not to mention
the
> > sheer variety of the various charitable projects - hers is a
> > corporation, a corporation of love, it is capitalist, the capital,
the
> > amazing transformation that she brings about.
> >
> > Love - Ravi.
>
