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--- Michael Bowes <rmichaelbowes wrote:

> Thu, 6 Feb 2003 04:43:32 -0800 (PST)

> Michael Bowes <rmichaelbowes

> Re: group

> Alan Jacobs <alanadamsjacobs

>

> Dear Alan:

>

> Thank you for your warm welcome. I am pleased to

> post

> this message that you refer to. I only hope to

> encourage and inspire the devotees to continue their

> in their quest and devotion to SELF.

>

> Earlier this week I replied to a posting to the Atma

> Vichara group. My reply stated that "The result of

> the practice is most real and profound." I was

> asked

> to expound upon my statement and I will do so now.

>

> But first let me say how much I love reading the

> postings of these groups. I read all of them. And

> I

> feel that we are truly blessed, truly blessed to

> have

> access to the Internet so that many of us from all

> over the world are able to have sat-sang. Because

> sat-sang is a precious thing that cannot be over

> emphasized. Thank you all.

>

> Also let me say that I am a very ordinary person. I

> work a very demanding and challenging job; but I am

> able to do so in perfect peace and tranquility as a

> result of spiritual practice.

>

> Prior to taking up atma-vichara, I practiced various

> yogas and spiritual practices for many years. Over

> the course of that time I had two human teachers.

> But I never surrendered to either as my guru. The

> first taught a type of physical yoga that I

> practiced

> very very seriously. And the second is a swami of

> the

> Ramakrishna order who taught me spiritual techniques

> and also the Vedanta. It is at this time that I

> became acquainted with the life and teachings of

> Ramana.

>

> During the years of sadhana I practiced like a man

> possessed. And I had many wonderful experiences

> including the awakening of Kundalini and the

> experience of the SELF. But still somehow I was

> disturbed because I didn't think that I had achieved

> the final condition that I had expected. Really I

> didn't know what to expect; but the condition I was

> in at the time certainly wasn't it.

>

> So, in April of 1996 I left to India for a prolonged

> stay so that I could totally concentrate on my

> quest. I planned to go to North India first for a

> few

> months and then to South India.

>

> I arrived in Delhi and spent the night and then went

> to Rishikesh by train. I arrived in Rishikesh and

> my

> first night there I was disturbed by jet lag and

> couldn't sleep. I had only a few books with me and

> one of them was a book about Ramana. I really can't

> remember which book it was; but I randomly opened it

> and began to read. I read a couple of short verses

> that convinced me that I should take up

> atma-vichara.

> Being quite convinced, I started immediatley.

>

> I practiced vichara continually. While walking or

> even while talking. This had also been my habit

> with

> mantra. I would keep my mantra constantly every

> moment of day. I learned to do this during my work

> and play and all of each and every day, from morning

> to bedtime. Atma-vichara was quite natural and easy

> for me because I had previously experienced the SELF

> and this taught me to continually remember that

> experience. And in a short while I was remembering

> constantly without effort.

>

> After a couple of months in Rishikesh, I left for

> South India. I took up residence at Aurobindo

> ashram

> in Pondicherry and I had already made arrangements

> to

> spend one week at Ramana Ashrama. When the time came

> I

> left for Ramana Ashrama and when Arunachala came

> into

> sight, I went into Sahaj Samahdi and that condition

> continues to this very day.

>

> This was my second visit to the Ramana ashrama. I

> first went there in 1994 for a one day visit. On

> this

> visit I spent a week there during which time I

> performed pradikshina of the holy hill. When I left

> I

> went to Auroville where I spent another month.

>

> I came back to the United States in very late August

> of 1996. At this point I didn't have a job and I

> had

> sold my home. I found that my mother, a widow, had

> purchased a second home in a town where the winters

> are warm. She wanted me to help her move some of

> her

> things there and to settle into her winter quarters.

>

> So I went there with her in October and then drove

> her

> car there in January of 1997. After about a month,

> I

> decided to stay there and I rented an apartment.

> All

> the while I am in the state of Sahaj Samadhi.

>

> I rented my apartment and on about the fifth day of

> being there, I walked out my front door and I then

> noticed this huge hill that was very near. As I

> looked at it through the power lines and the palm

> trees I thought to myself, this hill looks a lot

> like

> Arunachala. And then I wondered if this was the

> hill

> that had a famous rock formation on it called the

> "praying monk". I quickly found out that this was

> that hill. It is called Camelback. About a year

> later a book about Camelback Mountain was published

> by

> a person I don't know. I was amazed to discover

> that

> Camelback Mountain was the first known place of

> worship in this valley. The Native Americans

> considered it to be sacred and they had a spot there

> in a large cave that they used for their sacred

> ceremonies.

>

> So, when I am at work I can see my Holy Hill and

> when

> I am at home I can see it and when I drive around

> this

> valley it is also visible from almost anywhere. And

> so my natural abidance in the SELF continues

> throughout my daily life because I have been given

> such a great gift to finally abide in SATCHITANANDA,

> the supreme reality.

>

> I wanted to post pictures of Camelback Mountain and

> the praying monk on ; but Public sharing is no

> longer an option unless the owner has Premium

> Service

> and I don't have that. So I have attached some

> pictures to his email.

>

> There is so much more I could say; but I could

> never

> really express myself the way I would like.

>

> God Bless each and evey one of you. Please follow

> your heart because the Sat-Guru is within each and

> every ONE. And please remember, the meaning of LIFE

> is BLISS.

>

> michael

>

 

 

 

 

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