To GeorgeSonji: Real Purpose of Relief Activity Seva?

[Guest guest]

Namah Shivaya GeorgeSonji,

All of what you say is true - change indeed does have to happen within.

Real, permanent change. As humans we have to change

the way we treat Mother Earth. Mother was warning us about that 10 years

ago.

However, in this horrible situation in the Gulf area people are not

looking within, because they have to survive. I for one

feel so horrible about the plight of these people that I can only read

the headlines and hear what other people tell me.

I can let in little pieces at a time. But I feel the need to help in a

real practical way. Of course this is impossible, because as

Amritavarshini said about herself, I would be another corpse floating in

the water.The need is to do SOMETHING

to help in this emergency situation.. I think most of us feel that way.

I think we feel as Mother says, one hand caressing the other

injured hand. So we do what we can.

 

All of us know that it could be us stranded on a rooftop for days on end

- enlightened or no.The thing is, that the people who are

suffering are not the ones who have made the choices that have led to

this ecological mess. Unfortunately the ones making

the choices are not likely to be looking within or meditating real soon.

Pranams,

Prasadini

 

GeorgeSon wrote:

 

>Dear Linda

>

>All of the examples you cite are excellent. I have thought along similar

lines.

>My response is that they are primarily oriented toward outer-directedness.

>

>The curly tail of the dog cannot be made straight. War and Ignorance have

always been here.

>We could place ribbons from New York to Fairbanks Alaska and human nature will

not change by symbolic street theater alone.

>

>Amma says that until humanity purifies internally disharmony continues

globally.

>

>This indicated that Her focus is one person at a time. One soul at a time.

One Darshan at a time. She beseeches us to go within. Meditation is like gold

is Her refrain. Has Amma ever asked us to join anti-war organizations?

>

>Imagine a peace rally where everyone meditates for 2 hours and gets up quietly

and leaves. The jiva loves outer bombast. Do you ever notice that speakers at

Peace Rallies usually shout into an already over-amplified microphone?. Where

is the peace within the speaker?. Did Gandhi shout at the lectern? Does Amma

wax profane?

>

>Many of us are scrambling around post Tsunami and Post Katrina with their eyes

fixed upon the external. Isn"t there a tsunami within us? What kind of

hurricanes swirl within my vasana laden jiva-Atman?

>

>I can run to the homeless shelter and do seva for 42 straight hours. Will that

cleanse and purify my inner tendency toward lust greed jealousy and angst?

>

>Relief work Seva is not isolated to merely easing suffering. Easing suffering

in and of itself is indeed grand. However my sense is that Karma Yoga in Relief

Operations is designed to benefit the Sevite more than the victim/refugee.

Seva is just a yoga that's all. It is not greater than Raja Yoga or Jnana Yoga.

In fact Karma Relief Yoga can backfire if one is not careful.. The ego gets

pumped up. The mind gets proud of what a good person I am. See me out there

helping? Surely the other devotees must approve of my selflessness. This is a

trap from the ever insidious mind. Beware!!

>

>Amma does not need our physical help. She is sculpting us into Yogis and

Yoginis,. Seva and other humanitarian activities are merely a device toward

that end.

>This is just my opinion and I pray that Amma blesses all Her Gulf Coast

children during this dark time.

>

>With Love,

>GeorgeSon

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> Start your day with - make it your home page

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>Aum Amriteswarayai Namaha!

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