Guest guest Posted November 10, 2003 Report Share Posted November 10, 2003 Ammachi, Miranda Soliz <msoliz2000> wrote: > 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. > Om Namah Shivaya Dear Gabriella and list, Well said! I would like to add that whether we say we are making great efforts or following the effortless way, either way that scoundrel known as the "ego" is always looking for an opportunity to take control of the vehicle....so I suggest to remain vigilant. If one is making a big deal out of following the natural "effortless" path, the ego can very sneakily enter in here. So do be careful. There is a point similar to this in Sw. Paramatmananda's first volume "Road to Freedom" where he visits Nisgartt...?(sorry, does anyone know the correct spelling for this contemporary saint/jnani from Bombay) with a female acquaintance, and when the saint asks her what practises she performs, she says something to the effect of, "Nothing! I just say everything is Brahman", and Swamiji goes on to write how her cover was eventually blown and she was totally humbled. Perhaps this is what she really needed from the darshan of this saint. Humility is the door to God, perhaps. So whether we say we are making effort or not, just beware of the ego. This is the real culprit. However we get to the state of egolessness does not matter as much as being in that state. Whichever way we choose, the ego will always try to interfere. So I guess what I'm trying to say is humility is a major factor here. Lisa Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 10, 2003 Report Share Posted November 10, 2003 The quote of the day on Ammachi.org today is "Every action should be performed as an offering to God". Perhaps this is the way of effortless effort. Jai Ma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 10, 2003 Report Share Posted November 10, 2003 - lbrachlin Ammachi Monday, November 10, 2003 1:20 PM Re: "efforting" Ammachi, Miranda Soliz <msoliz2000> wrote: Namaste, I have to agree that for me, too, staying even remotely near "on course" requires a major effort and it frustrates me endlessly (how's that for ego speaking?). The more we discuss this, the more I am convinced that I simply do not have the willpower required to "surrender" or to actually lay my burdens down and walk away from them permanently - and by laying them down permanently, I mean things like truly accepting that things I deem "good" or "bad" are neither, or honestly accepting that I cannot accomplish a single thing alone - I can't even draw my next breath simply because I will myself to do so! It's nearly impossible for me to be effortless with this, even though I honestly think we'll eventually find out that our efforts were not needed- love and grace were. As I've said, I have a Taoist friend who frequently ties me in knots just for fun (and because she can!); about a year ago, we had a major discussion about this, with her asserting that I could NOT do anything unless I was given the grace to do it, so like a good daughter, I took this straight to Mother on my next day's drive to work. During my jabber, I spouted that I could certainly choose to turn right around and skip going to work if I wanted to...and heard a low, lovely voice in my chest say "And that would be part of the plan." Love, Snehalata > 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. > Om Namah Shivaya Dear Gabriella and list, Well said! I would like to add that whether we say we are making great efforts or following the effortless way, either way that scoundrel known as the "ego" is always looking for an opportunity to take control of the vehicle....so I suggest to remain vigilant. If one is making a big deal out of following the natural "effortless" path, the ego can very sneakily enter in here. So do be careful. There is a point similar to this in Sw. Paramatmananda's first volume "Road to Freedom" where he visits Nisgartt...?(sorry, does anyone know the correct spelling for this contemporary saint/jnani from Bombay) with a female acquaintance, and when the saint asks her what practises she performs, she says something to the effect of, "Nothing! I just say everything is Brahman", and Swamiji goes on to write how her cover was eventually blown and she was totally humbled. Perhaps this is what she really needed from the darshan of this saint. Humility is the door to God, perhaps. So whether we say we are making effort or not, just beware of the ego. This is the real culprit. However we get to the state of egolessness does not matter as much as being in that state. Whichever way we choose, the ego will always try to interfere. So I guess what I'm trying to say is humility is a major factor here. Lisa Sponsor Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! Ammachi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted November 10, 2003 Report Share Posted November 10, 2003 I agree - I am "efforting", and yet I know it is by God's grace I've come this far. I won't say where I've been in this life, but it was some very dark places, and I often wonder how I got to such a light place... and then I realize that yes, it is by my effort but ultimately by God's grace - my effort is for naught save what God has planned for me. And that includes those dark times - they had their place, too. --- Dixie Thacker <dixielou wrote: > > - > lbrachlin > Ammachi > Monday, November 10, 2003 1:20 PM > Re: "efforting" > > > Ammachi, Miranda Soliz > <msoliz2000> wrote: > Namaste, > > I have to agree that for me, too, staying even > remotely near "on course" requires a major effort > and it frustrates me endlessly (how's that for ego > speaking?). The more we discuss this, the more I am > convinced that I simply do not have the willpower > required to "surrender" or to actually lay my > burdens down and walk away from them permanently - > and by laying them down permanently, I mean things > like truly accepting that things I deem "good" or > "bad" are neither, or honestly accepting that I > cannot accomplish a single thing alone - I can't > even draw my next breath simply because I will > myself to do so! It's nearly impossible for me to > be effortless with this, even though I honestly > think we'll eventually find out that our efforts > were > not needed- love and grace were. > > As I've said, I have a Taoist friend who > frequently ties me in knots just for fun (and > because she can!); about a year ago, we had a major > discussion about this, with her asserting that I > could NOT do anything unless I was given the grace > to do it, so like a good daughter, I took this > straight to Mother on my next day's drive to work. > During my jabber, I spouted that I could certainly > choose to turn right around and skip going to work > if I wanted to...and heard a low, lovely voice in my > chest say "And that would be part of the plan." > > Love, > Snehalata > > > > 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. > > > Om Namah Shivaya > > Dear Gabriella and list, > > Well said! I would like to add that whether we say > we are making > great efforts or following the effortless way, > either way that > scoundrel known as the "ego" is always looking for > an opportunity to > take control of the vehicle....so I suggest to > remain vigilant. If > one is making a big deal out of following the > natural "effortless" > path, the ego can very sneakily enter in here. So > do be careful. > There is a point similar to this in Sw. > Paramatmananda's first > volume "Road to Freedom" where he visits > Nisgartt...?(sorry, does > anyone know the correct spelling for this > contemporary saint/jnani > from Bombay) with a female acquaintance, and when > the saint asks her > what practises she performs, she says something to > the effect > of, "Nothing! I just say everything is Brahman", > and Swamiji goes on > to write how her cover was eventually blown and > she was totally > humbled. Perhaps this is what she really needed > from the darshan of > this saint. Humility is the door to God, perhaps. > So whether we say > we are making effort or not, just beware of the > ego. This is the real > culprit. However we get to the state of > egolessness does not matter > as much as being in that state. Whichever way we > choose, the ego will > always try to interfere. So I guess what I'm > trying to say is > humility is a major factor here. > > Lisa > > > > Sponsor > > > > Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha! > > Ammachi > > > > Terms of Service. > > > [Non-text portions of this message have been > removed] > > Protect your identity with Mail AddressGuard http://antispam./whatsnewfree Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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