Guest guest Posted November 9, 2003 Report Share Posted November 9, 2003 I have to say that at this stage in my spiritual life, "efforting" is required to maintain spiritual practice. It's a tool to get further down the road, just like God with form is a point of focus required in the beginning. Just like ritual provides tools for focusing our devotion. I think once I get to the point where my practice is "effortless", then that's just where I'll be and I can let go of that. I've said this before, but I don't anticipate getting to that point in this lifetime anymore than I anticipate gaining Realization in this lifetime. In a sense, I think that frees me a bit from attachment to that goal... Does that make sense? With love, Gabriela --- manoj_menon <manoj_menon wrote: > Ammachi, "pamkowal" > <kowalsbuff@m...> wrote: > > Dear Snehalata, > > My friends and acquaintances think it weird > of me, but I > confess > > to thinking about my future death at least once a > day, not in a > > morbid way or as wishful thinking (LOL), but as a > way of practicing > > stepping back and resting in the immortal Silence > which is the true > > essence of each of us. I use my daily > contemplation of death as an > > anchor to help me remember how precious my time on > earth is to > > practice resting in the Self, and how vain it is > to believe in the > > permanence of anything I might wish to cling to in > the phenomenal > > world. I consider my time spent with death in > this way to be a > core > > part of my spiritual practices, one that has > arisen naturally over > > the course of many years after experiencing a near > death experience > > that was so blissful and filled with unconditional > Love that it > > defies description. I consider death a friend, > not an enemy--a > > reward for a life well-lived and well-loved. Pam > :-) > > I second that. I do not think it is weird, and do > consider it as part > of my spiritual cleansing. > > I am aware, atleast once and sometimes more than > that, of my > impending (in the near or distant future) death. > Till sometime back, > I was detached about it, but of late questions of > 'what after death > etc' have arisen in my mind. I take it as a sign of > either growing > attachment to life etc, or of lack of trust in my > Guru's ability or > intent to take care of me in the afterlife. > > Either way, it is not good for me. > > I love Amma dearly. I wish I got more chance to > spend with her, so > that I could 'centre' myself around Her, and yet be > able to perform > my daily duties. I know that left to myself, I could > not centre for > nuts, and also intuitively know that the magnetizing > power of Amma's > presence or of her disciples can help me > 'permanently center myself' > to Her. > > I wish I could say I embody the Zen master who > realizes himself, and > yet carries the bag of life on his shoulder with a > smile of total > surrender to existence's infinite intelligence. > > I know I cannot say that. That is my goal though > .... I hope goals > are not a deterrent to being so ..... or at arriving > so. In other > words, I hope that, by keeping a goal (as opposed to > a fancy wish or > a silly desire), I am not 'efforting' to get to the > effortless state. > > Jai Ma! > > Protect your identity with Mail AddressGuard http://antispam./whatsnewfree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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