Guest guest Posted June 28, 2005 Report Share Posted June 28, 2005 Hi, In response to my sister Sara's request, here are the notes I took on the last morning of the Los Angeles retreat: Swamiji: We can only go forward in time, not backward. It is said that when Henry Ford made his first car he forgot to put a reverse gear in it. People had to drive way out of their way instead of being able to back up. When cars finally came out with a reverse gear, they were more popular. God, too, forgot to put a reverse gear in life! We can't go back. Time is precious. There is no time to waste. Collect real knowledge, not useless knowledge. Knowledge will never transform us. Knowledge belongs to the dimension of having and knowing belongs to the dimension of being. Only in the Guru/shisya relationship we can go back--return to a childlike state. We can do this only in the presence of a master. People in the question line ask the same questions over and over again. Amma keeps repeating the answers. She is unbelievably patient. Her job is to help us experience these divine qualities. Knowing brings complete sincerity, even in anger. Amma puts on a mask of anger, but never identifies with it. We identify with the mask. Love and knowing are playful, and knowledge is serious. Amma can understand diametrically different standpoints. Ask yourself every day: Am I sincere about what I'm doing? Accumulation of knowledge creates a habit of accumulation of knowledge. This is "having," not "being." There's nothing wrong with getting knowledge one can use, but don't think that's the goal. If love and prayer aren't in our lives, we have fear. The absence of love is fear. In love the doors are wide open. Some people are afraid to fall in love. Have the courage to take steps toward love. If we knock on the door, and are rejected, that rejection can become a wound.Without courage, love can never happen. Fear can even keep us away from Amma. Darkness is the absence of light. Fear is the absence of love. Fear is darkness and love is light. We can't drive darkness out of a house by hitting it. We have to turn on the light instead. Through all changes love and innocence remain deep within us. The whole process is to rediscover innocent love. We will fail many times. The most important thing has already happened; we have met Amma. It is time to unburden. We just need to stay still in Her arms, and she will take us to the goal. Krishna says, "My devotee will never perish." Develop this attitude of love and innocence. In Amma's love, Jyotsna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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