Dear Sadhu Maa and all,
thank you, Sadhu Maa, for sharing your observations, which I found to
be very inspiring. And I love the image you created in my mind of a
very determined kitty trying to get onto your lap while you were
trying to meditate
As I was thinking about the lessons animals can teach us, the question
arose what I could learn from animals which are not my particular
favorites, like spiders? Normally, when I think of them, my thoughts
are not very grateful. But as I thought more about it, I realised I
can learn many things from them. There is a (admittedly small) spider
living in my house (I let her stay because I long to overcome my
irrational aversion, to I use her to practice on) and she is
incredibly patient. For days, she does not move. She does not eat and
is just sitting there in the middle of a tiny web. So patience and
forbearance is one. Then I thought, a spider weaves her web herself,
out of material she has, and that reminded me of the 'weaving' we do
while practising sadhana: we use our thoughts and other abilities to
weave a web into which we hope to attract morsels of wisdom. So, if I
imagine myself sitting in a web made from the guided meditationthreads
of puja, a morsel (a thought, a feeling, an intuition) could fall into
my web. Now, if I was a spider, would I run towards it and start
digesting it without even looking? No (well, perhaps some do, but mine
does not), I think I would calmly register something had entered my
web (which I could feel because through my threads I was connected
with every part of my web) and I would go and investigate, taking care
not to damage the web. I would not get all excited and jump up and
down, thereby destroying my web and falling to the ground. What I have
seen is that spiders are very careful and discriminating. So I think,
if the morsel looked good, I would perhaps taste it right away or wrap
it for later enjoyment, and resume my position in the middle in order
to see if more will come. If it looked bad, I would ignore it or throw
it out. So apart from patience, the spider also teaches me
discrimination and respect for my actions. I'm sure she can teach me
many more things, and I feel perhaps we'll become friends after all.
Jai Maa, who tells wonderful stories
Jai Ramya, who shares them with us
Henny
--- In Devi_Mandir (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com, "sadumaa" <sadumaa@...> wrote:
>
> --- In Devi_Mandir (AT) yahoogroups (DOT) com, "n_ramya108" <n_ramya108@>
wrote:
> Dear Family,
> Maa specifically dictated these stories for Her Yahoo club children.
> ---------------
> Dear Ramya,
> Thank you for sharing with us Shree Maa's stories. It is such a
> blessing to hear from her and to be reminded that she supports us
so.
> Her words, even when just a few, are always precious gems that I
save
> and savor.
>
> After reading the Avahoot stories 3 and 4 last night, I went to my
room
> and took my asana to do japa and meditate before bed. I was thinking
> about the part in the post where there was mention about learning
from
> nature.
>
> About the time I was getting to a nice meditation place, my dear
kitty
> companion decided my lap was the place she needed to be. Not
> surprising. However, instead of getting irritated with her, I
observed
> her persistence toward her goal! She has very good one-pointed
focus!
>
> Today I will look for teachers in all the animals and people I
> encounter...hopefully this jumpy mind of mine will one day be tamed,
> and such concentration as the crane has will emerge.
>
> Regarding the Hawk story. I asked Swamiji about discernment related
to
> activities that will move me toward the goal (of self realization).
His
> wise counsel helped to reveal and clarify that I have more than one
> goal. One being liberation and the peaceful heart, disciplined mind
and
> body, and wisdom that comes with that freedom. The other is
security.
> With no one else to support me, and also my role of often helping
loved
> ones, I have an inner drive to make sure shelter and such are
secured.
> I know this is a fear of insecurity. I have not released my world
> desires and attachments related to security and thus have been
> suffering. It is very difficult to serve two masters. When the
freedom
> from the torment of such becomes great enough, hopefully I will
> remember Sri Hawk and release my prize then rest peacefully on a
> sadhana branch! Hopefully I will someday KNOW with full faith and
not
> just intellectually that when one pursues liberation whole heartedly
> and with one pointed focus, and achieves this, all needs are met.
Jai
> Maa!
>
> Peace to you Dear Ramya.
> Om, Sadhu Maa
>
------------------------ Yahoo!
Shree Maa's teaching and story -
05-04-2006, 04:23 AM
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